The Green Chile Cheeseburger: New Mexico's Burger, Explained

A green chile cheeseburger is a cheeseburger topped with roasted, chopped New Mexico green chiles. The chiles bring smoke and a slow, building heat that cuts through the melted cheese. It was born in the tiny town of San Antonio, New Mexico, around 1945, and today it's so central to the state that there's a statewide trail dedicated to it.

Where the green chile cheeseburger comes from

Most accounts point to San Antonio, New Mexico, a small town south of Socorro and not far from the Trinity Site, where the first atomic bomb was tested in 1945. Two bars across the street from each other both claim the burger:

• The Original Owl Bar & Café started serving food in 1945, feeding scientists and workers connected to the Trinity tests. The owning family says the green chile cheeseburger was invented there.
• The Buckhorn Tavern, across the street, was taken over by Manny Olguin in 1945, and he added a small restaurant for travelers and soldiers. It became famous for its own green chile burger.

A local historian who looked into it couldn't prove which came first, only that both seemed to start serving green chile burgers within weeks of each other. So the honest answer is that the origin is shared, and still argued about.

How it spread

Other places helped make the burger famous statewide. Blake's Lotaburger, which opened its first restaurant in 1952, says it was the first chain to promote green chile on its burgers. In Santa Fe, the old Bobcat Bite gained national attention through George Motz's Hamburger America, and Bert's Burger Bowl was another longtime local favorite.

The Green Chile Cheeseburger Trail

Cookbook author Cheryl Alters Jamison proposed a statewide trail in 2008 while working as a culinary tourism consultant for New Mexico, and the state tourism department launched the New Mexico Green Chile Cheeseburger Trail around 2009. It's now one of the best-known food trails in the country and the easiest way to plan a road trip around the burger. The state also hosts regular contests, including a Green Chile Cheeseburger Smackdown and a best-burger prize at the New Mexico State Fair.

What makes a good green chile cheeseburger

• The chiles: New Mexico green chiles, roasted until the skins blister, then peeled and chopped. Heat ranges from mild to very hot depending on the variety and the batch.
• The cheese: American or cheddar are standard. It should melt into the chiles so they don't slide off.
• The patty: often a thin griddled patty, sometimes a thicker one. Either works.
• Keep it simple: lettuce, tomato and onion are common, but the chiles should be the star.

Where to eat one in New Mexico

• Original Owl Bar & Café in San Antonio: the strongest claim to the first green chile cheeseburger, about 90 miles south of Albuquerque.
• Stackers Burger Co. in the 505 Central Food Hall in downtown Albuquerque: winner of the 2022 Green Chile Cheeseburger Smackdown.
• Bob's Burgers on Central Avenue SW: family-owned since 1963 and on the Green Chile Cheeseburger Trail.
• Owl Café on Eubank Boulevard NE: the Albuquerque spinoff of the original Owl Bar.
• 66 Diner on Central Avenue NE: a Route 66 diner with green chile apple pie for dessert.
• Laguna Burger: started in 2005 at a gas station off I-40 at Laguna Pueblo and now has several locations, including one in Albuquerque.
• Sparky's in Hatch: winner of the best green chile cheeseburger prize at the 2022 New Mexico State Fair, in the town most associated with green chile.
• Blake's Lotaburger: the statewide chain, with more than a dozen Albuquerque locations.

See every pick in our Albuquerque burger guide and our roundup of the best burgers in New Mexico.

Where to eat one outside New Mexico

Green chile burgers have spread, especially across the Southwest and Colorado. One standout outside the region is Redheaded Stranger in East Nashville, where the Hatch green chile cheeseburger, with American cheese, bacon and ranch, is the only burger on the menu and comes wrapped in foil.

How to make a green chile cheeseburger at home

Try our green chile cheeseburger recipe. The basics:

1. Get the chiles. Fresh New Mexico or Hatch chiles show up in late summer. The rest of the year, frozen roasted chiles are the closest match, and canned diced green chiles work in a pinch.
2. Roast if fresh. Char them under the broiler or over a flame until blistered, steam them in a covered bowl for 10 minutes, then peel, seed and chop.
3. Cook the patty. Use a hot cast iron pan or griddle. Thin patties take a few minutes per side.
4. Layer it right. Put the chiles on the patty first, then the cheese on top, and cover the pan for 30 to 60 seconds so the cheese melts over the chiles and holds them in place.
5. Check the temperature. Cook ground beef to 160°F. An instant-read thermometer takes the guesswork out of thicker patties.

Roasted chiles keep in the fridge for several days and freeze well, so roast a big batch when they're in season.

FAQ

Who invented the green chile cheeseburger?

It's disputed. The Owl Bar & Café and the Buckhorn Tavern in San Antonio, New Mexico, both claim it, and both appear to have started serving green chile burgers within weeks of each other around 1945.

Are Hatch chiles and New Mexico green chiles the same?

Hatch chiles are New Mexico green chiles grown in and around the Hatch Valley. The name has become shorthand for New Mexico green chiles in general.

How spicy is a green chile cheeseburger?

It varies. Many restaurants use mild to medium chiles, but some batches are hot. Ask before ordering if you're sensitive to heat.

Can I use canned green chiles?

Yes. Canned chiles are milder and softer than fresh-roasted, but they still give you the classic flavor. Drain them well first.