If you were a fan of the Trader Joe’s frozen Chili Lime Chicken Burgers, then you’ll love this recipe! Zesty, slightly spicy, and packed full of flavor.
This is my first official week off from the 2021/2022 academic year, so I’m in total summer mode! Burger season, here I come.
I kind of consider myself a burger aficionado. It’s Jeff favorite food, and I agree that nothing quite beats a perfect burger.
Do you remember those frozen Chili Lime Burgers from Trader Joe’s that everyone raved about? I love them, too. But TJ’s discontinued them a few months back after a recall scare. I guess that just goes to show that you can only truly trust the food you make at home.
But the best part is that you can make a leaner burger at home without sacrificing flavor and texture. Just wait until later in this post where I’ll list a bunch of low-cal, low WW points burger recipes that will change your life.
For now, you need to know about this new life-changing burger recipe…
Tips for making chili lime chicken burgers
The good news is that this recipe is super flexible as far as timing goes. It’s actually best if you make the meat mixture a day ahead and refrigerate so that it tightens up a bit.
You could also put this together right before you want to cook the burgers, though you’ll have to deal with a pretty wet mixture.
No worries! Just rub your hands with spray oil or water before forming the burgers to make sure the mixture doesn’t stick to your hands.
You can also take come liberties with the meat you use, depending on what you have easy access to. Ground chicken or turkey is ideal, as they will be the leanest. But ground beef or pork would be great, too.
There is so much flavor with all of the veggies and spices that you really can’t go wrong!
How to store and reheat
The veggies in the burger add a lot of moisture, so you don’t have to worry about these getting tough when they’re reheated.
In fact, they would be a great lunch prep for the week! Cook up a batch and store in an air-tight container. Refrigerate separately from your bun and toppings. Reheat the patty in the microwave in 30-second increments until it’s warm enough for your liking, then build your burger. Easy!
You could also make a double batch and freeze some cooked patties for future use. Microwave or air fry straight from the freezer until fully cooked through.
More recipes like chili LIme Chicken Burgers
If you’re looking for more lower calorie/lower point burgers to satisfy your cravings, check out these other great recipes:
- Jalapeno Popper Turkey Burgers
- Chicken Bacon Ranch Burgers
- Lighter Animal-Style Burgers
- All-In-One Burgers
I’d love to hear from you if you make this recipe! Leaving a starred review and comment below helps my blog grow. I’m always grateful when you can take the time to do that!
It also makes my day when you share your pics on Instagram and tag me (@litecravings). Don’t forget to use #litecravingsrecipes to make sure I see it. If I don’t get a chance to scroll through my tags quickly enough, I won’t see your post. I always make a point to look through the hashtags, though, so I’ll see it there!
Chili Lime Chicken Burgers
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground chicken breast or 99% fat free turkey
- 1/2 cup finely minced onion
- 1/4 cup finely minced red bell pepper
- 1/4 cup minced cilantro or parsley
- 2 tsp lime zest (from about 2 medium limes)
- 1 tbsp lime juice
- 1 tsp chili powder
- 1/2 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes (add more if you like spice)
- ground black pepper, to taste
- (optional toppings) avocado, tomato, cheese, lettuce, etc.
Instructions
- Mix all ingredients together in a medium-sized bowl. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes. Overnight is best.
- Form meat mixture into 4 patties. If the mixture seem wet, grease hands with cooking spray or coat hands with water before forming each patty. They will firm up when you cook them.
- Preheat skillet over medium heat and oil with cooking spray. Cook patties for about 3-5 minutes on each side, until they reach an internal temperature of 165F.
- Let burgers rest for 5 minutes. Build your burger with toppings from there!
SO GOOD!!!! Very tasty and not dry at all. Definitely a burger I’ll make again! Thanks for the delicious and healthier recipes that help me make better choices.
Thank you so much, Jamie!!
Amazing! I never had the Trader Joe’s version, but I can’t imagine it being as good as this. It was so full of flavor, I ate on a carb smart bun, and added avocado, and light mayo. I’m so happy I meal prep’d them for lunch, so I can eat it again tomorrow 🙂
Okay, whoa!!! These are so dang good! So juicy, SO flavorful. I honestly might like these better than regular beef burgers. Wow. Just wow. Thank you for another fantastic recipe, Geri!
Thank you Jennifer! You made my day – that’s a huge compliment and I appreciate you taking the time to let me know 🙂
Oh my goodness gracious, these are so good! I served with fresh corn on the cob.
Oh I bet the sweetness of the corn complimented the zestiness of the burgers PERFECTLY. So happy you enjoyed them!!!
Made these tonight. I let the mixture sit fir 30 min. They were delicious. I’ll be making these again and again.
Let me tell you something.. these chili lime chicken burgers are absolutely DELICOUS!! They do not disappoint. In my opinion, I would much rather make these than buy the TJ’s branded ones. I have already doubled this recipe on two separate occasions so I can freeze a batch anytime I make them. THEY ARE THAT GOOD YA’LL!!
Thank you, Mallory! They are pretty easy and I’m glad to hear they freeze so well for future meal prep. YAY!
These were a big hit in my house! So flavorful and juicy. I am glad I made a double batch so I can eat them for meal prep for the week. Thanks for the awesome recipe!
Seriously, SO good and a really easy/delicious meal prep. Thanks for taking the time to let me know – it’s always appreciated 🙂
Another winning recipe! So much flavor….and it was juicy too. You write your recipes well, your instructions are clear and always turn out yummy! Thank you for sharing your passion for good food with us.
Thank you so much, Melanie, for the wonderful compliment. So happy to hear a fellow foodie enjoyed these burgers (and my recipes) as much as I do! 🙂
Hi, not sure I’m reading correctly…for freezing g, are you recommending to freeze cooked? Or uncooked?
Thank you!
I’ve made these before as stated. But would you be able to air fry these? If so any idea temp/time? Love so many of your recipes!! Even the fam too! Thanks!
Hmmm I haven’t tried that yet, but it sounds like a great idea. I’ll give it a try and report back!
Do you recommend freezing them cooked? Or uncooked?
Our family is obsessed with these burgers! Great for dinner but also great for lunch meal prep. They reheat amazing! When the teen is happy with a recipe you know it’s a winner for sure.
Would these work if baked in the oven? I struggle with making these in a skillet or indoor grill because it always seems the outside burns