New Mexico Green Chile Cheeseburger Sliders

The green chile cheeseburger is New Mexico's state food obsession — a beef burger topped with roasted green Hatch chile and melted cheese, a combination so revered that the state holds an annual Green Chile Cheeseburger Smackdown to crown its best. As New Mexico Magazine records, Blake's Lotaburger was the first restaurant chain to promote green chile on hamburgers, and the burger has since become a defining regional American food. The chile is the point: long, mild-to-medium hot Hatch green chiles are roasted over open flame until the skins blister, peeled, and laid in long strips over the melting cheese, where their sweet, smoky heat transforms an ordinary burger into something unmistakably New Mexican.

For a party, the slider version is the ideal hand-held form: the same beef patty, roasted green chile, and melted cheese on a small bun, in a bite that captures all the smoky-sweet heat of the original.

About the Ingredients

Green chile should be roasted Hatch green chile — fresh Hatch chiles roasted over an open flame or under a broiler until the skins blister, then peeled, seeded, and cut into long strips. Roasted green chile is also sold frozen and jarred; Hatch Green Chile provides a complete guide. Hatch chiles come in several heat levels (mild, medium, hot) — choose medium for a party.

Ground beef should be 80/20 chuck — the fat keeps the small slider patty juicy. Form the patties thin and loose; they cook fast.

Cheese should be a good melting white cheese — white American, Monterey Jack, or cheddar. The cheese must melt over the chile to bind the two together.

Buns should be soft slider buns, toasted.

Ingredients (makes 12 sliders): - 1.5 lbs ground beef chuck (80/20) - Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper - 6 long roasted Hatch green chiles, peeled, seeded, and split into strips - 12 slices white American or Monterey Jack cheese - 12 soft slider buns, split and toasted - Optional: sliced tomato, red onion, lettuce, mayonnaise

Instructions: Divide the beef into 12 loose balls and press into thin patties (about 3 inches across); season generously with salt and pepper.

Heat a griddle or skillet over medium-high heat. Sear the patties 2–3 minutes per side until browned. In the last minute, lay 2–3 strips of roasted green chile over each patty and top with a slice of cheese; cover briefly so the cheese melts over the chile.

Assemble on toasted slider buns with mayonnaise, tomato, and onion if you like. Serve immediately.

The Mimosa Pairing Logic: The smoky, sweet-heat of the roasted green chile and the juicy beef want a bright, refreshing drink that can cool the gentle heat and lift the smoke. A classic Champagne mimosa is the safe, perfect choice — the citrus cuts the beef and the chile, and the wine's effervescence refreshes the palate. For those who like heat, a spicy jalapeño mimosa amplifies the chile in a way that echoes the Southwest. The mimosa replaces the traditional New Mexican iced tea or cold beer with a brunch-appropriate sparkler equally suited to a plate of green chile sliders.

Reference Links: - Bite into the History of the Green Chile Cheeseburger: New Mexico Magazine - New Mexico Green Chile Cheeseburger (ultimate burger): AmazingRibs - Green Chile Cheeseburger Recipe (Hatch style): Hatch Green Chile

Make-Ahead: Roast, peel, and seed the green chiles up to 3 days ahead and refrigerate. Form the patties up to 4 hours ahead and refrigerate, separated by parchment. Cook and assemble to order; the cheese should melt on contact and the buns should be toasted just before serving.

Pro Tips: Roast the chiles until the skins are fully blistered and blackened — steam them in a covered bowl or bag, then peel; under-roasted chiles will be tough and smoky in the wrong way. Do not crowd the griddle; sear in batches for the best crust. Cover briefly to melt the cheese over the chile — the cheese binds the chile to the patty. Keep the toppings spare; the chile and the cheese are the point.