This Chili’s Santa Fe Burger is a perfect copycat, stacked with avocado, Monterey Jack, red onion, jalapenos, tomato, cilantro & spicy sauce.
No need to head to the restaurant when you can recreate this satisfying favourite right at home! I think I’ve gotten the recipe super close to the original – if not even more delicious!!
Why you’ll love this recipe
- Restaurant at home: You get all the layers of a classic Chili’s burger with the spice, creaminess, and crunch all without leaving your kitchen.
- Customizable and satisfying: Load it up with your favourite toppings, adjust the heat level, and enjoy your burger that’s just the way you like it.
Ingredients and substitutions
- Extra-lean ground beef – you could also try making this recipe with ground turkey, chicken or pork. For a vegetarian option, make black bean burgers or try Beyond Meat patties.
- Jalapeno pepper – serrano peppers and poblano peppers would both work. For a milder option, use regular bell peppers.
- Brioche burger buns – use any bun of your choice or even lettuce wraps to make this recipe low-carb.
- Pickles – relish would also be good here.
- Tomato – use any variety of your choice or leave the tomato off altogether if you’re not a fan.
- Red onion – white onion would also work but has a milder flavour.
- Avocado – swap out for some guacamole instead.
- Monterey Jack cheese – use another cheese of your choice like cheddar or Swiss.
- Cilantro – leave this off altogether if you don’t like cilantro.
Santa Fe sauce
- Light mayo – you can use regular mayo, but it will increase the calorie count. Sour cream or Greek yogurt will work but will change the flavour of the sauce.
- Lime juice – freshly squeezed lime juice is best but bottled lime juice will work in a pinch.
- Chili powder – make your own using a blend of paprika, cumin and cayenne.
- Paprika – cayenne is the best substitute for paprika although it has more of a kick.
- Onion powder – use garlic powder instead for a similar flavour.
How to make Chili’s Santa Fe Burger
Step 1: Form the patties.
Shape the ground beef into patties and season with salt and pepper.
Step 2: Fry the patties.
Cook the patties until they’re browned on both sides.
Step 3: Sauté the jalapeños.
In the same pan, quickly sauté jalapeños.
Step 4: Make the Santa Fe sauce.
Whisk together the sauce ingredients until smooth and creamy.
Step 5: Toast the buns.
Lightly toast your burger buns until golden and crisp.
Step 6: Assemble your burgers and dig in!
Stack your burgers with cheese, avocado, veggies, jalapeños and sauce, then enjoy!
Recipe Tips and variations
Here are a few simple ways to customize your Santa Fe Burger and make it work with whatever ingredients you have on hand.
- Use store-bought sauce: Short on time? Use chipotle mayo or southwest ranch in place of homemade sauce.
- Switch up the protein: Ground turkey, chicken or even a plant-based patty will work well here.
- Try different cheese: If you can’t find Monterey Jack, pepper jack or cheddar are great alternatives.
- Make it spicier: Add sliced jalapeños, a dash of hot sauce or extra chipotle in the sauce.
- Lighten it up: Serve the burger in a lettuce wrap or on a thin bun.
- Toast the buns: A quick toast adds great texture and helps hold everything together.
Frequently asked questions
Can I grill the patties instead of pan-frying?
Yes! Grilling adds a nice smoky flavour and works great for this recipe.
Can I make this burger vegetarian?
Absolutely! Use a plant-based burger patty and your favourite dairy-free cheese and sauce alternatives.
Can I make this burger without cilantro?
If you’re not a fan of cilantro, you can simply leave it out or substitute with fresh parsley or green onion for a milder flavour.
How do I keep the patties from shrinking?
Make a small thumbprint in the centre of each patty before cooking. This helps them cook evenly and keeps their shape.
What to serve with this dish
Round out your burger night with one (or a few!) of these easy-to-make sides:
- Sweet potato fries or green beans fries
- Boneless chicken wings or chicken tenders
- Green salad or coleslaw
- Pasta salad
How to store and reheat
Make ahead: Form the burger patties and prep the sauce and toppings in advance. Store everything separately until you’re ready to cook and assemble.
Store: Keep cooked patties and toppings in airtight containers in the fridge for 3-5 days.
Reheat: Reheat patties in a skillet over medium heat or in the microwave until heated through.
Freeze and reheat from frozen: Freeze uncooked or cooked patties for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight, then cook or reheat as needed.
More Chili’s copycat recipes
Meal prep tools for this recipe
- Grab some glass meal prep bowls if you plan on storing leftover patties.
- I get all my grass-fed ground beef from Butcher Box, conveniently delivered to me frozen.
- You can freeze any leftover patties in these reusable freezer bags.
Chili’s Santa Fe Burger Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 lb extra-lean ground beef
- salt & pepper, to taste
- 1 jalapeno pepper, deseeded and chopped
- 4 brioche burger buns
- Pickles, to serve
- 1 tomato, sliced
- 1/2 red onion, sliced
- 1 avocado, sliced
- 4 slices monterey jack cheese
- Cilantro, to serve
Santa Fe sauce
- 1/3 cup light mayo
- 1 tbsp lime juice
- 1 tbsp water
- 1/2 tsp chili powder
- 1/2 tsp paprika smoked paprika is preferred
- 1/2 tsp onion powder
- salt & pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Divide ground beef into 4 equal portions then form into patties. Season with salt & pepper, then fry in a large skillet over med-high heat for 2-3 minutes each side. Remove from heat and set aside.
- Meanwhile, mix together ingredients for santa fe sauce.
- When burger patties are finished, keep skillet on the heat and add jalapeno peppers, sauteing for 2 minutes until tender and charred. Remove from heat.
- Toast burger buns lightly in a toaster or under a broiler for 1 minute or so.
- Spoon santa fe sauce over bottom bun, then add pickles, slice of tomato, red onion and 2 avocado slices followed by burger patty, cheese slice, more santa fe sauce, some jalapenos and cilantro. Top with remaining burger bun then serve and enjoy!
Video
Comments & Reviews
cherie del rose says
I used to go into Chili’s for appetizers and fajitas one day I decided to get a burger (I am very picky about mu burgers). I ordered the Santa Fe burger! I have been back 10 times and have to order the burger again and again. I order it without the bun and the chefs do their best to make it very attractive. They succeed every time. I especially love the sauce which I dip my fries in. Kudos to you Chilis for having such a delicious entre.