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Queso Fresco Quesadillas with Peach Chile Salsa

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Queso Fresco Quesadillas topped with a spicy peach chile salsa is just about the tastiest appetizer, snack, light meal I can think of. Corn tortillas fried golden and filled with Queso Fresco and Mozzarella Cheese can be made in less than 30 minutes.

Queso Fresco Quesadillas topped with Peach chile salsa.

In late July when our fresh Colorado Palisade Peaches hit our markets, this Queso Fresco Quesadilla recipe is one of the first things I make.

I’ve learned to make, and prefer making quesadillas with corn tortillas. Fried crispy, yellow corn tortillas have a sweet, earthy and more rustic flavor than a flour tortilla. And they seem to thrive when fried in butter.

Combine that assertive corn flavor with creamy melted cheese and a sweet tangy peach Summer salsa and the combination is divine.

What Is Queso Fresco?

This recipe calls for Queso Fresco, simply translates into fresh cheese, is a Mexican cheese product you’ll find on the Mexican produce aisle at the super market.

But can you melt Queso Fresco? It’s comes with a bold tangy flavor, but it’s not a great melting cheese. You’ll want combine it with a any good white melting cheese. Queso Oaxaca, Muenster and Mozzarella are all good choices.

Queso Fresco Quesadillas are very easy quesadillas to make. Eat them while they’re hot off the pan, topped with Peach Chile Salsa. The sweet salty combo of the cheesy quesadilla and the peach salsa is amazing, but if you’d like, use your favorite salsa.

For Peach Chile Salsa

Making peach chile salsa for queso fresco quesadillas.
  • Place sliced peaches, jalapeno peppers, shallots and cilantro in a bowl. Add lime juice, orange juice, a little salt and pepper. Give it a good stir and let it stand while you make the quesadillas.

For The Queso Fresco Quesadillas

Ingredients to make queso fresco quesadillas.
  • Corn Tortillas. I recommend using Yellow Corn Tortillas. They’re sturdier than White Corn Tortillas and the flavor more “corn forward”.
  • Queso Fresco Cheese
  • Good white melting cheese. I’ve chosen Mozzarella.
Making queso fresco quesadillas in a good quality omelette pan.
  1. Step 1: Using your favorite omelette pan, or a comal, melt butter over medium heat. Once the butter bubbles have started to subside, add a corn tortilla. Top the sizzling tortilla with Queso Fresco and grated Mozzarella.
Frying queso fresco quesadillas in butter.
  1. Step 2: Place another corn tortilla on the top of the cheese. Once the bottom tortilla is golden, use a spatula to flip the quesadilla. Cook until other side is golden and cheese has melted.

Tips For Success

  • Use a serrated knife and with a sawing motion, carefully cut the quesadilla into wedges. Don’t press too hard or the cheese will squish out.
  • If you want to use flour tortillas for this recipe, substitute canola oil for the butter. Flour tortillas are more porous and will soak up the butter quickly. Canola oil has a higher smoke point, which means the flour tortillas will crisp better.
Queso Fresco Quesadillas cut into wedges.

If you’re looking for more ingredient ideas to make corn tortilla quesadillas, don’t miss this recipe for Crispy Ham and Cheese Quesadillas. Topped with a fried egg, we think they’re quite amazing. And if you’d rather use flour tortillas to make quesadillas, take a look at this recipe for Chicken Bacon Ranch Quesadilllas.

And if you’re looking for more South of the Border recipes, don’t miss my Mexican Southwest Category. You’ll find lots of recipe to spice up your meal plans, including the most popular on my site for this Mexican Casserole with ground beef and corn tortillas.

We love our peaches here in Colorado. One of my favorite recipes to use Summer Palisade peaches is this one for Cinnamon Pecan Peach Bread. Quick easy and luscious with flavor.

You Might Also Like

If you liked this recipe, please leave a star ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ rating in the recipe card below and leave a comment. I always appreciate your feedback and hearing how everything went.

And, don’t forget to subscribe to my newsletter for more delicious recipes and cooking tips. Make it a delicious day … every day.

Queso Fresco Quesadillas with peach salsa.
Print Recipe
5 from 2 votes

Queso Fresco Quesadillas with Peach Chile Salsa

Queso Fresco Quesadillas topped with a spicy peach salsa is just about the tastiest appetizer, snack, light meal I can think of. Corn tortillas fried golden and filled with Queso Fresco and Mozzarella Cheese can be made in less than 30 minutes.
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time10 minutes
Total Time25 minutes
Course: Appetizer Recipes
Cuisine: Mexican
Diet: Gluten Free
Servings: 2 Quesadillas
Calories: 422kcal
Author: Lea Ann Brown

Ingredients

  • FOR THE PEACH SALSA
  • 3 small Peaches about ¾ cup, pitted and halved, sliced into thin wedges
  • 1 Jalapeño Pepper thinly sliced
  • 1 small Shallot thinly sliced
  • ¼ cup cilantro leaves coarsely chopped
  • 2 tablespoons Lime juice fresh squeezed
  • 1 Tablespoon Orange Juice fresh squeezed
  • ⅛ teaspoon Kosher salt
  • Freshly ground black pepper
  • TO MAKE THE QUESADILLAS
  • 1 Tablespoon Butter divided
  • 4 Corn Tortillas
  • ⅔ cup mozzarella cheese broken into small pieces
  • ¼ cup crumbled queso fresco cheese

Instructions

  • In a medium bowl, combine the sliced peaches, jalapeño, shallots, cilantro, lime and orange juice. Season with salt and pepper and let stand while you cook the quesadillas.
  • In a non-stick skillet, heat ½ tablespoon butter.. Place one corn tortilla in the skillet and scatter half of each of the cheeses evenly over the top.
  • Top with the second corn tortilla and cook over moderately high heat until crisp and golden on the bottom, about 2 minutes.
  • Use a large spatula to carefully flip the quesadilla over and cook for another 2-3 minutes until cheese is melted and the second side is golden.
  • Repeat with the remaining butter to make the 2nd quesadilla.
  • Use a good serrated knife to slice the quesadillas into wedges. Use a soft sawing motion so not to smash the quesadilla as you cut.
  • Transfer to a plate, and top each quesadilla with a spoonful of the peach chile salsa. We like to add a couple of good shakes of our favorite Hot sauce, which is Cholula Hot Sauce.

Notes

Tips For Success
  • Use a serrated knife and with a sawing motion, carefully cut the quesadilla into wedges. Don’t press too hard or the cheese will squish out.
  • If you want to use flour tortillas for this recipe, substitute canola oil for the butter. Flour tortillas are more porous and will soak up the butter quickly. Canola oil has a higher smoke point, which meals the flour tortillas will crisp better.

Nutrition

Calories: 422kcal | Carbohydrates: 49g | Protein: 16g | Fat: 20g | Saturated Fat: 11g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Trans Fat: 0.4g | Cholesterol: 55mg | Sodium: 591mg | Potassium: 488mg | Fiber: 7g | Sugar: 20g | Vitamin A: 1422IU | Vitamin C: 27mg | Calcium: 336mg | Iron: 2mg

Queso Fresco Quesadillas … It’s What’s For Snacking

Meatloaf With BBQ Sauce and Mustard BBQ Glaze

By 1 Comment

This Meatloaf with BBQ Sauce with it’s Mustard BBQ Glaze will win a place in your meatloaf loving heart.Combining the savory goodness of meatloaf with the sweet and smoky flavors of barbecue sauce takes meatloaf to a whole new level of goodness.

A slice of BBQ meatloaf with mustard bbq glaze and mashed potatoes.

What You Can Expect From This Recipe

This is a unique twist on Classic Meatloaf, where bbq sauce is switched out for catsup in the meat mixture. The meatloaf is then generously glazed with a rich and tangy mustard barbecue sauce.

Meatloaf is always made with love, and creating the perfect BBQ meatloaf is all about balance and texture. And finding that sweet spot where the flavors of the meat, seasoning, and sauce harmonize beautifully.

So, what makes this meatloaf with bbq sauce stand out from its traditional counterpart? For starters, the barbecue sauce adds a layer of complexity and depth to the flavor profile, elevating the humble meatloaf into something truly special.

The tanginess of the sauce balances out the richness of the meat, creating a dynamic and irresistible taste experience.

BBQ meatloaf offers endless opportunities for customization. Whether you prefer a sweeter sauce with hints of molasses and brown sugar or a spicier version with a kick of cayenne pepper, you can tailor the recipe to suit your taste preferences.

Here’s a simple yet satisfying recipe for BBQ Meatloaf.

Meatloaf With BBQ Sauce: The Ingredients

This recipe remains traditional in the sense that ground beef is infused with onions, celery, and garlic, but with the addition of bbq flavor, the result is a flavor explosion that’ll have your taste buds singing. This BBQ Meatloaf with BBQ Mustard Glaze adds a little sass to traditional meatloaf.

Ingredients to make bbq meatloaf.
  • Meat: Ground Beef, 2 pounds. I like to use 93% lean to 7% fat blend. That way you don’t have to worry about your meatloaf being too greasy.
  • 2 large eggs: You simply can’t make meatloaf without eggs. The eggs serve as the binding to keep the mixture from falling apart.
  • Panko Bread Crumbs: or you can use fresh dried bread crumbs.
  • Dijon Mustard: Adds a wonderful zing of flavor.
  • Worcestershire Sauce: An always welcome condiment any beef recipe or stews.
  • BBQ Sauce, your favorite brand. Original Stubbs is ours.
  • Chopped Celery and Chopped Sweet Onion

Ingredient Substitutions

  • Salt: If you don’t have or use Kosher salt, substitute with table salt or sea salt.
  • Garlic Powder: Use equal amounts of granulated garlic or garlic salt. Or substitute with 3 cloves fresh garlic, very finely chopped or crushed using a garlic press.
  • Mustard: If you simply don’t have Dijon, substitute with regular yellow mustard. And if you have some jarred ground horseradish, stir in about ⅛ of a teaspoon.

Ingredients To Make The BBQ Glaze

Adding a zesty bbq glaze to bbq meatloaf elevates the flavor over the top. Sweet, tangy and with a little heat from your favorite hot sauce.

Ingredients to make mustard bbq sauce glaze for bbq meatloaf.
  • Yellow Mustard.
  • Apple Cider Vinegar. Or White Vinegar
  • Catsup.
  • Brown Sugar. Light or dark.
  • Hot Sauce, your favorite brand.
  • Honey.
  • Worcestershire Sauce.

The Process: It’s Easy

chopped celery, onions and garlic on a wood cutting board
  1. Step 1: Practice you knife skills here and chop the celery, onions and garlic as small as you can. Small pieces will mix better with the raw ground beef. Large pieces may cause the meat to separate and fall apart.

Pro Tip Knife Skills: Always keep the hand that’s gripping the knife clean and dry. A wet hand could cause slips resulting in nicks or worse a nasty slice on your hand. 

sauteeing celery and onions to make meatloaf
  1. Step 2: Heat fry pan over medium high heat. Add oil until hot. Add onion and celery and cook until tender. About 5-6 minutes. Remove from heat.
How to make bbq meatloaf with Ritz crackers.
  1. Step 3: Place all ingredients for the meatloaf into a large mixing bowl.
mixing meatloaf by hand to form a loaf
  1. Step 4: Wash hand very well and use them as your tool to blend the ingredients for the meatloaf. Gently toss the ingredients until well blended.

Tip: Hands are always the best tool for mixing meatloaf. Using a large spoon will crush everything together, creating a tighter mix, which can cause the meatloaf to be dry and too dense in texture.

  1. Step 5: In small saucepan using a whisk, mix the ingredients to make the BBQ Mustard Glaze. Warm the sauce while whisking. Remove to a bowl and set aside.
how to shape a meat into a meat loaf
  1. Step 6: Place a sheet of parchment paper on a sheet pan. Form the meatloaf mixture in the shape of a loaf.
Meatloaf mixture formed into a loaf pan ready to bake.
  1. Step 7: Or use a loaf pan to form the mixture.
BBQ Meatloaf being glazed with bbq glaze.
  1. Step 8 : Using a basting brush, liberally smear the bbq glaze over the top of the meatloaf.
BBQ Mustard Glazed BBQ Meatloaf.
  1. Step 9: Bake 50 minutes or until thermometer reaches 160 degrees. Once out of the oven, smear more of the Mustard BBQ Glaze over the meatloaf.

Questions You May Have

What’s The Easiest Way To Combine The Meatloaf Mix?

I’ve never mixed meatloaf ingredients any other way than with my hands. Our hands are strong tools, so take care not to overwork the meat mixture. Overworking makes for a mushy combination and a tough end result.
Tip: Coat hands with a thin layer of oil. This will keep the mixture from sticking all over your fingers. Easy!

How Do You Shape Meat Into A Loaf?

You can shape a meatloaf using a loaf pan or casserole dish. To make a free-form loaf, use a sheet pan or casserole pan. Simply dump the meatloaf mix onto a greased or parchment lined pan. Using your hands start gently pressing the meat together until a loaf is formed. Press down or push together cracks in the loaf for a smooth meatloaf that will stay together. Using the free form method fully exposes the meat to the heat. The end result is an ever so slight crusty effect on the loaf. A bread loaf pan, with high sides will work even better to shape meatloaf into a traditional “loaf” shape. And the heat from the pan will add a little “crust” to the sides and bottom.

What Kind Of Beef Should You Use For Meatloaf?

Meatloaf needs a little fat content to help with that moist texture and flavor. I actually like to use a 7% fat to 93% lean. I feel an 80-20 ratio can be a little too greasy.

Do You Cook Meatloaf Covered Or Uncovered?

Do you cover meatloaf with foil when baking? No. Cook the meatloaf uncovered. If you cover the meatloaf, you’ll get more of a steamed end result and you’ll lose that sought after glaze.. An uncovered meatloaf will result in stickier glaze and the meat will garner a “crust” leaving the inside tender and delightfully perfect in texture.

How Do You Keep Meatloaf From Falling Apart?

Always consistently small dice your vegetables and cook them before mixing with the raw meat. This is one step towards a meatloaf that doesn’t fall apart after it’s cooked. And implement the texture test, once everything is mixed together, take a small piece of meat mix and roll it in the palm of your hands like you’re forming a meatball. If the mixture readily forms a meatball, you’re good to form your meatloaf into a loaf.

Should I Glaze A Meatloaf?

Glaze, glaze, glaze and more glaze. Yes! A meatloaf wouldn’t be the same without it. What you see in this recipe below is a unique mustard bbq sauce. It’s all about that complimentary sweet/savory/sticky flavoring for the end result.

What to Serve It With

Mashed potatoes have always been a customary side dish for meatloaf. Growing up my mom always served meatloaf with Old Fashioned Canned Green Beans.

Tips for making the perfect meatloaf:

  • Choose a high-quality BBQ sauce for the best flavor. Look for a sauce with a balance of sweet, tangy, and smoky flavors. And don’t use a bbq sauce that’s thin and runny.
  • Don’t over-mix the meat mixture or the meatloaf can become tough.
  • Use a meat thermometer to ensure the meatloaf is fully cooked to 165 degrees.
  • Let the meatloaf rest for a few minutes before slicing to allow the juices to settle. This will also insure the meatloaf will slice cleaner without falling apart.
  • Cut the celery and onion as small as you can. Large chunks of vegetables may cause the meat mixture to separate and fall apart.

Meatloaf With BBQ Sauce

A slice of bbq meatloaf with bbq mustard glaze served with mashed potatoes.

Meat Lover? Here’s Some More Comfort Food Dinner Ideas

An if you’re beef lovers like us, don’t miss my category for Beef Recipes. You’ll find lots of great recipes including the most popular beef recipe on my site for Beef Tagliata.

A slice of BBQ meatloaf plated with mashed potatoes.
Print Recipe
5 from 1 vote

Meatloaf with BBQ Sauce and Mustard BBQ Glaze

This Meatloaf with Barbecue adds a little sass to traditional meatloaf. Traditional bbq sauce is added to the meatloaf mixture, then homemade Mustard BBQ Sauce finishes for a glaze topping. This recipe will win a place in your comfort food loving heart.
Prep Time30 minutes
Cook Time1 hour
Total Time1 hour 30 minutes
Course: Main Course Beef
Cuisine: American
Diet: Low Lactose
Servings: 10
Calories: 222kcal
Author: Lea Ann Brown

Ingredients

  • To Make The BBQ Meatloaf
  • 2 Tablespoons neutral oil Canola or vegetable oil work well here.
  • 1 cup celery cleaned and diced
  • 1 cup onion diced
  • 2 pounds ground beef 15% fat
  • ⅓ cup BBQ Sauce your favorite brand
  • 1 teaspoon Kosher salt
  • ½ teaspoon Freshly ground pepper
  • ½ teaspoon garlic powder
  • 2 Tablespoons dijon mustard
  • 2 Tablespoons Worcestershire Sauce
  • 2 eggs lightly beaten
  • 1 ½ cups Panko bread crumbs
  • For the BBQ Mustard Glaze:
  • ½ cup Yellow mustard Or half yellow and half Dijon if you want a little horseradish flavor
  • ⅛ cup Honey
  • ⅛ cup Apple cider vinegar
  • 1 Tablespoon Catsup
  • 1 Tablespoon Brown Sugar
  • ½ Tablespoon Worcestershire Sauce
  • ¼ teaspoon Freshly Ground Black Pepper
  • ½ teaspoon Kosher salt
  • 2 shakes Hot Sauce Your favorite brand. Cholula or Tabasco works well here.

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 350 Degrees.
  • Heat fry pan over medium high heat. Add oil until hot. Add onion and celery and cook until tender. About 5-6 minutes. Remove from heat.
  • In a large bowl add the ground beef, salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion, celery, , BBQ sauce, mustard, Worcestershire, eggs and Panko. With your hands blend mixture until well mixed.
  • In a small saucepan, combine the mustard, honey, vinegar, catsup, brown sugar, Worcestershire, salt, pepper and hot sauce. Heat the sauce over low until warm and sugar has blended with the ingredients. No need to cook the sauce, you just want the sugar to be melted in with the other ingredients. Set aside.
  • Form the meatloaf mixture into a loaf using either a loaf pan, sheet pan or oven safe casserole. Smear the loaf with most of the glaze mixture. Bake 50 minutes or until thermometer reaches 160 degrees.

Notes

Tips for Success:
MIX the meatloaf mixture with your very clean hands. Hands are the best tools for meatloaf and meatballs. And don’t overwork the mix. Using a large spoon will tend to smash the ingredients together and cause a dry or poorly textured end result. And coat our hands with a thin layer of oil. This will keep the mixture from sticking all over your fingers.
Covered or Uncovered? Cook the meatloaf uncovered. If you cover the meatloaf, you’ll get more of a steamed end result. An uncovered meatloaf, especially if making a free-form sheet-pan meatloaf, will result in stickier glaze and the meat will garner a “crust” leaving the inside tender and delightfully perfect in texture.
Let it Rest: As with most meat recipes, meatloaf likes to rest before serving. A 10 minute rest tented with foil, will yield a more sliceable product. Trying to slice the meatloaf when it’s just out of the oven, will cause the slices to crumble and fall apart.

Nutrition

Calories: 222kcal | Carbohydrates: 13g | Protein: 22g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 89mg | Sodium: 338mg | Potassium: 429mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 135IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 44mg | Iron: 3mg

Meatloaf with BBQ Sauce … It’s What’s For Dinner

If you liked this recipe, please leave a star ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ rating in the recipe card below and leave a comment. I always appreciate your feedback and hearing how everything went.

And, don’t forget to subscribe to my newsletter for more delicious recipes and cooking tips. Make it a delicious day … every day.

Green Chile Cheese Stuffed Baked Chicken Cutlets

By 1 Comment

These cheesy green chile stuffed, rolled and baked chicken cutlets are easy to make, and fantastic as leftovers. Topped with Pork Green Chili, they’re simply irresistible.

And if you’re looking for more easy weeknight chicken dinner recipes, don’t miss this one for Chicken Mushroom and Spinach Skillet. A delicious one pan meal.

Green chil- cheese chicken pinwheels served with beans.

This is a super simple green chile stuffed chicken recipe that brings a Southwestern flair to your dinner table.

Chile peppers, and cheese are layered onto a chicken cutlet then rolled, covered in Hatch Pork Green Chili and of course more shredded cheese. Baked bubbly, it’s a recipe that will win your chile pepper loving heart.

This recipe originates from my neighbor, who once resided in Santa Fe, New Mexico. It’s her family Christmas Day tradition, and when she was describing the recipe to me, I simply couldn’t resist making it and sharing it with you.

You don’t find a lot of baked chicken cutlets recipes, most are quick skillet fried. And I always welcome a new chicken with green chiles recipe.

This is an easy family dinner that can be made in advance then chicken cutlets are baked in the oven when you’re ready.

Let’s take a look at the easy process to make Southwestern Baked Chicken Cutlets.

Ingredients You’ll Need

Ingredients to make baked chili chicken pinwheels.
  • A good melting cheese: Cheddar, Pepper Jack, or Muenster cheese works well here.
  • Green Chili with Pork. Either homemade or use store purchased. Especially if you have a favorite brand.
  • Chicken Cutlets: You can purchase pre-cut chicken cutlets, or better yet cut them yourself.
  • Hatch Chile Peppers: Roasted, tops removed and most of the seeds and skins removed. You can also purchase chopped or whole chile peppers from the Mexican aisle at the grocery store.
  • Cream: Or Sour Cream. Optional. I add it to make the Green Chile with Pork a little creamier in texture.

Pro Tip: Purchase good quality cheese and grate it yourself. Pre-grated cheese in bags includes additives to keep it from clumping, which will also compromise the melting factor. Grating cheese from a block of cheese will result in a creamier and more consistent melting experience. Plus, it’s less expensive.

Preparing The Chicken Cutlets

Adding chile peppers to chicken cutlets.
Adding chile peppers and cheese to chicken cutlets.
  • Step 1. Use a meat mallet to flatten the thicker part of the chicken cutlet. Lay the cutlet on a cutting board, season lightly with salt and top with green chiles. As you can see in the photo, you can use chopped green chile peppers or a whole green chile pepper
  • Step 2. Sprinkle on grated cheese.
Rolling chicken cutlets to make baked chicken cutlets.
A pyrex 9 x 13 pan with rolled up chicken cutlets.
  • Step 3. Starting with the narrow end, roll up the chicken cutlet.
  • Step 4: As you roll the cutlets, place them seam side down in lightly oiled 9 x 13″ baking dish.

Baking The Chicken Cutlets

Adding Green Chile to a casserole dish of chicken cutlets.
Adding cheese to a casserole dish of baked chicken cutlets.
  • Step 5: Pour Green Chili With Pork over the rolled chicken breast cutlets.
  • Step 6: Sprinkle on more grated cheese and bake at 350 degrees for 35 minutes.
Green chile cheese baked chicken cutlets on a serving platter.
  • Step 7: You can either serve them straight from the casserole dish, or remove them to a serving platter making sure you get plenty of the Green Chili sauce to pour over them.

Questions You May Have

Do I Need To Secure The Chicken Cutlets With A Toothpick?

I never have and it works just fine. Once the chicken cutlet is rolled and placed seam side down, the whole package stays together well.

About Green Chili With Pork

  • I like to make this recipe after I’ve made a big pot of Hatch Green Chili with Pork. It’s a great way to use the leftovers.
  • You can also check your grocery frozen aisle. Here in Colorado we can purchase Santiago’s Green Chile With Pork. I’ve used it many times for this recipe.
  • Got a favorite local Mexican Restaurant that serves Green Chile With Pork? Purchase some to make this recipe. Here in our neighborhood, I’ve purchased Green Chili from Santiago’s and Los Dos Portrillos. Both delicious options to make these baked chicken cutlets even easier than easy. I’m sure you have a Mexican restaurant that will sell green chili to go.

Tips For Success

  • It’s easy to cut your own chicken cutlets. Just purchase boneless skinless chicken breasts. Press the palm of your hand on the top of the breast and using a very sharp knife cut the chicken breast in half horizontally. Leaning down to eye level to watch your progress helps keep those cutlets even.
  • Choose chicken breasts that are similar in size.
  • You can make these baked chicken cutlets using whole chile peppers or diced chile peppers. Using a whole pepper makes assembly easier and using diced chiles makes them easier to eat. Your choice.
  • Once the chicken has been cut into cutlets, take a meat mallet and use it to even out the cutlets. Plus, those little indents made from the mallet will serve as little indents to capture the salt and pepper.
  • If using frozen Green Chili with Pork, pour it into a bowl and give it a good stir. Frozen food like this can tend to separate. A good stir will restore it’s texture.
  • Don’t have a stash of roasted green chile peppers in your freezer? You can purchase Hatch Chile Peppers delivered to your doorstep.

Resource: If you don’t have access to fresh roasted Hatch Chile Peppers, you can order them straight from The Hatch Chile Store. Headquartered in Hatch, New Mexico, their history and heritage ensure that when you buy their Hatch Green Chile, you’re getting the very best you can find, straight from a family farm. Disclaimer: I have received free product from the Hatch Chile Store.

Serving and Storage

  • I like to serve these baked chicken cutlets with either canned chile beans, or Slow Cooker Cowboy Beans. This keeps the meal rustic in style. Or maybe with a crunchy salad.
  • These baked chicken cutlets will store well in the fridge for up to 5 days and will freeze well if wrapped properly. I like to use zip-loc style freezer bags, making sure all of the air is squeezed out.

Recipe for Green Chile Cheese Stuffed Baked Chicken Cutlets

Green chile cheese baked chicken cutlets served with cowboy beans.

I hope you give this recipe for Southwestern baked chicken cutlets a try. It’s easy and it’s very satisfying with flavor. Your family will love it.

You May Also Like

And if you’re looking for more Mexican recipes, check out my Mexican Southwest Category. You’ll find lots of fun recipes, including the most popular on my site for this easy Mexican Casserole With Ground Beef and Corn Tortillas. Another family favorite.

If you liked this recipe, please leave a star ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ rating in the recipe card below and leave a comment. I always appreciate your feedback and hearing how everything went.

And, don’t forget to subscribe to my newsletter for more delicious recipes and cooking tips. Make it a delicious day … every day.

Baked chicken cutlets sutffed green chile peppers and cheese.
Print Recipe
5 from 1 vote

Chile Cheese Stuffed Baked Chicken Cutlets

These easy cheesy green chile stuffed, rolled and baked chicken cutlets is a recipe you need to try. Topped with Pork Green Chili, they're simply irresistible.
Prep Time20 minutes
Cook Time30 minutes
Course: Main Course Chicken
Cuisine: American/Mexican
Servings: 8
Calories: 374kcal
Author: Lea Ann Brown

Ingredients

  • 4 Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts Cut into 8 cutlets.
  • 1 Tablespoon Kosher Salt
  • 1 teaspoon Freshly ground black pepper or New Mexico Red Chile Powder, if you want this recipe spicier.
  • 8 good-sized Hatch Ghile Peppers roasted, peeled and seeds removed
  • 3 cups Cheddar Cheese measured after shredding
  • 28 ounces Green Chili with Pork 3 ½ cups
  • ¼ cup Heavy Cream Or Sour Cream (optional)

Instructions

  • Lay a chicken cutlet on a cutting board, season lightly with salt and pepper and top with a whole roasted and cleaned chile pepper, or about ¼ cup of chopped chile peppers.
  • Sprinkle on a couple healthy tablespoons of grated cheese.
  • Starting with the narrow end, roll up the chicken cutlet. As you roll the cutlets, place them seam side down in lightly oiled 9 x 13" baking dish.
  • Use a whisk to combine cream or sour cream with the green chili. Pour Green Chili With Pork over the chicken breast cutlets.
  • Sprinkle more grated cheese over the cutlets and bake covered with foil at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.

Notes

Tips for Success
  • It’s easy to cut your own chicken cutlets. Just purchase boneless skinless chicken press. Press the palm of your hand on the top of the breast and using a very sharp knife cut the chicken breast in half horizontally. Leaning down to eye level to watch your progress helps keep those cutlets even.
  • Choose chicken breasts that are similar in size.
  • You can make these baked chicken cutlets using whole chile peppers or diced chile peppers. Using a whole pepper makes assembly easier and using diced chiles makes them easier to eat. Your choice.
  • Once the chicken has been cut into cutlets, take a meat mallet and use it to even out the cutlets. Plus, those little indents made from the mallet will serve as little indents to capture the salt and pepper.
  • If using frozen Green Chili with Pork, pour it into a bowl and give it a good stir. Frozen food like this can tend to separate. A good stir will restore it’s texture.

Nutrition

Calories: 374kcal | Carbohydrates: 13g | Protein: 28g | Fat: 24g | Saturated Fat: 13g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 7g | Trans Fat: 0.01g | Cholesterol: 104mg | Sodium: 1735mg | Potassium: 614mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 887IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 356mg | Iron: 4mg

Chile Cheese Stuffed Baked Chicken Cutlets … They’re What’s For Dinner

Southwest Instant Pot Scalloped Potatoes With Green Chiles

By 16 Comments

Creamy, cheesy, and just the right amount of spicy—these Instant Pot Scalloped Potatoes with Green Chiles are anything but ordinary. Velvety layers of potatoes are pressure-cooked to perfection in a rich sauce infused with roasted green chiles and melty cheese, delivering bold flavor in a fraction of the time.

Instant Pot Scalloped Potatoes with Green Chile Sauce.

Here’s how to make scalloped potatoes with a Southwestern twist—green chiles—in under an hour.

I love taking a classic recipe and tinkering with it. Sometimes to make it easier, always to make it better, and more than likely to add a little Southwestern flair. And that usually includes adding New Mexico Hatch Chile Peppers or some New Mexico Chile Powder. And in this case, I’ve done both. But first let’s talk logistics.

How To Make This Recipe Work For You

Cut resistant glove to use with mandolin

Use a Mandolin to slice the potatoes. It’s a genius shortcut. The best way to insure that potatoes are sliced evenly, so they’ll cook evenly is to use a mandoline. My OXO Mandoline has settings for ⅛ inch and it works like a charm. And I highly recommend purchasing a cut-proof glove. Using your hand rather than the slicer device that comes with the mandolin is much more manageable. But also dangerous. These gloves keep those fingers cut-free.

I am an Amazon Affiliate and have provided Amazon links to these products. If you purchase using these links, I receive a small commission with no extra charge to you.

Chicken Broth

These Instant Pot Scalloped Potatoes are made with chicken broth, rather than drenched in a lot of milk or cream for the sauce. Which makes this a somewhat healthy scalloped potato recipe. The creamy sauce comes from adding ½ cup sour cream and cheese.

The Instant Pot and Cooking Starch

Using the Instant Pot to make scalloped potatoes is a breeze. There’s something about cooking any starch under pressure that results in a creamier experience. Take for instance, this recipe for Instant Pot Mac and Cheese. There’s science behind those creamy results.

With that said, let’s take a look at this recipe for Instant Pot Scalloped Potatoes.

Ingredients You’ll Need:

Ingredients to make instant pot scalloped potatoes.
  • 3 pounds potatoes, preferably Yukon Gold.
  • Chicken Broth
  • Pepper Jack Cheese: I’m keeping this potato casserole on the Southwestern side and on the “creamy white” by using Pepper Jack Cheese. You can use any good melting cheese such as Monterey Jack, Muenster or even cheddar cheese.
  • Onion, sweet onion please.
  • Chile Peppers: Roasted and chopped Hatch Chile Peppers preferred. Choose mild or medium heat level.
  • Sour Cream: Full fat please. A scalloped potato recipe is no time to worry about a few fat calories by purchasing low fat sour cream. You’ll be disappointed in the creamy texture by sacrificing fat content.
  • Kosher Salt and Freshly Ground Black Pepper
  • New Mexico Red Chile Powder: If you don’t have access to New Mexico Red Chile Powder, substitute Ancho chile powder. I don’t recommend using Cayenne. It’s a hotter chile powder and more suitable for Southern Dishes.

Pro Tip: Purchase good quality cheese and grate it yourself. Pre-grated cheese in bags includes additives to keep it from clumping, which will also compromise the melting factor. Grating cheese from a block of cheese will result in a creamier and more consistent melting experience. Plus, it’s less expensive.

How To Make Scalloped Potatoes In The Instant Pot

Cooking diced onions in the instant pot.
Cooking chicken broth and diced onions in the instant pot to make scalloped potatoes.
  1. Step 1: Select Saute and add butter to the pressure cooker pot. When butter is melted, add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally until the onion is tender, about 5 minutes.
  2. Step 2: Add 1 cup chicken broth, salt and pepper to the onions.
Cooking sliced potatoes in the Instant pot to make instant pot scalloped pottoes.
  1. Step 3: Put a steamer basket in the pressure cooker pot. Add the sliced potatoes. Lock lid in place, select High Pressure and 4 minutes cook time and start. When timer beeps, turn off pressure cooker and do a quick pressure release. Once the pressure valve pops up, carefully remove potatoes and steamer basket. Place potatoes in a greased 9×13 oven safe casserole.
  2. Step 4: Stir chile peppers, sour cream and cheese into cooking liquid that’s left in pressure cooker.
Instant pot scalloped potatoes in a white casserole dish.
Instant pot scalloped potatoes in a white casserole dish.
  1. Step 5: Pour the sauce over potatoes. Use a large spoon to gently turn and mix the sauce with the potatoes. Don’t stir, you’ll break the potatoes.
  2. Step 6: Top with remaining shredded cheese. Cook at 350 degrees for 15 minutes or until cheese is melted and sauce is bubbly.

Tips for Success

  • You will need a steamer basket insert for your Instant Pot. Simply using the trivet will make this recipe more difficult.
  • Knife skills. Don’t have a mandolin? Practice, practice, practice. For this recipe to cook evenly and come out perfect, one must slice the potatoes evenly and at ⅛ inch thick. That way the potatoes will cook evenly and the recipe will work with the cook time of four minutes. If the potatoes are cut thicker, the time setting will need to be adjusted. 
  • Want a little crust on top of those scalloped potatoes? Once you transfer the potatoes to a casserole serving dish, place them under the broiler for about a minute. The cheese will form a bit of a crust for additional flavor and texture.
  • Sauce too thin? If for some reason the sauce is thinner than you prefer, just add in some more cheese while it’s pipping hot. The cheese will melt easy and thicken the potatoes.
  • Mushy Potatoes? Perhaps the potatoes have been sliced too thin, please stick to the ⅛″ rule for this recipe.
  • Not Spicy Enough? We love spice around our house, but for all my recipes, I include measurement amounts to result in a warm mildly spiced dish. You can choose a hotter chile pepper to make them spicer, or add a bit more red chile powder.

About Roasting Chile Peppers

Living in Colorado, we’re lucky to have chile roasters pop up on street corners and parking lots. These large machines roast the peppers and then bag them so you can bag them for your freezer once home. It’s a big job to roast them yourself. You can purchase roasted chile peppers delivered straight to your door from the Hatch Chile Store. Or purchase canned chiles on the Mexican aisle at your local supermarket.

how to clean roasted chile peppers

Questions You Might Have

Do Thin Sliced Potatoes Cook Well In The Instant Pot?

Absolutely! Just like you, I was worried about overcooking sliced potatoes in the pressure cooker. The 4-minute cook time kept the potatoes tender but not falling apart. And I’ve found that starchy foods and the pressure cooker get along very well.

What Kind Of Potatoes Are Best For Instant Pot Scalloped Potatoes

A low starch potato is a must for this recipe. Use either Yukon Gold or Red-Skin Potatoes. A russet potato is a high starch potato and will tend to fall apart after cooked. Save those russets for Baked Potatoes.

Where Do I Find Hatch Chile Peppers?

Many local grocers have frozen chopped chile peppers in the freezer section. You can also purchase canned on the Mexican aisle. Want the real McCoy? Check out my article about all things chile peppers. Chili vs Chile. It’s a great resource to learn more about our favorite capsicum and where to purchase.

Variations and Add Ins

  • Make it a meal: Add some cooked cubed ham steak or even some bacon bits. Cooked shredded or cubed chicken breast is also a good choice here.
  • Vegetarian: Swap out vegetable broth for the chicken broth.

Storage

  • Store these scalloped potatoes in an air tight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. I like to use the microwave to reheat individual servings.
  • Can you freeze scalloped potatoes? You can, but the creamy sauce may separate once thawed. These potatoes are fragile, so use a spatula to turn and mix them to re-mix the sauce.

What To Serve Them With

Anything and everything. Scalloped potatoes are a classic side dish that go well with any main course meat.

Try them with your favorite grilled steak like this Grilled T-Bone Steak. Or with a hearty chicken entree like these BBQ Grilled Chicken Halves.

Scalloped potatoes go hand in hand with Classic Meatloaf. Or take a look at this Perfect Grilled Pork Tenderloin recipe.

Green Chile Instant Pot Scalloped Potatoes Recipe

Instant Pot Green Chile Scalloped Potatoes in a casserole dish.

This recipe is everyone’s creamy cheesy dream. This unique recipe using a sour cream sauce is one your family will love and devour. And with Hatch chile peppers, these Instant Pot Scalloped Potatoes will warm your soul.

And don’t miss the most popular potato recipe on my site for Savory Cast Iron Skillet Potatoes. And more side dish ideas in my Side Dish Category.

And if you’re a Hatch Chile Pepper freak-o like us, take a look at my guide dedicated to our favorite chile peppers, Chili vs. Chile

If you liked this recipe, please leave a star ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ rating in the recipe card below and leave a comment. I always appreciate your feedback and hearing how everything went.

And, don’t forget to subscribe to my newsletter for more delicious recipes and cooking tips. Make it a delicious day … every day.

Instant Pot Scalloped Potatoes with Green Chile Sauce.
Print Recipe
5 from 3 votes

Instant Pot Scalloped Potatoes With Green Chiles

Instant Pot Scalloped Potatoes. Classic scalloped potatoes get a kick of heat from roasted Hatch Chile peppers and a much quicker cook time thanks to the Instant Pot. This scalloped potato au gratin is made even creamier with Sour Cream and cheese.
Prep Time20 minutes
Cook Time19 minutes
Coming to pressure and pressure release20 minutes
Total Time59 minutes
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: Southwestern
Servings: 8
Calories: 308kcal
Author: Lea Ann Brown

Equipment

  • 6-Quart Instant Pot
  • Steamer Basket to fit 6-qt Instant Pot

Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • 1 cup onion chopped, about 1 medium onion
  • 1 cup chicken broth
  • 3 Pounds Yukon gold potatoes sliced ⅛ inch thick, about 8 med potatoes
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ¼ teaspoon pepper
  • 1 cup Chile peppers roasted, seeded, chopped, preferably Hatch
  • ½ cup sour cream Full fat please.
  • ½ teaspoon New Mexico Red Chile Powder or ancho chile powder. Use ½ – 1 teaspoon. Depending on heat tolerance level.
  • 1 ½ cups Shredded Pepper Jack cheese Or plain Monterey Jack, measured after shredded
  • ½ cup Shredded Pepper Jack Cheese or Monterey Jack tor topping the casserole

Instructions

  • Select Saute and add butter to the pressure cooker pot. When butter is melted, add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally until the onion is tender, about 5 minutes. Add 1 cup chicken broth, salt and pepper to the onions.
  • Put a steamer basket in the pressure cooker pot. Add the sliced potatoes. Lock lid in place, select High Pressure, 4 minutes cook time and press start.
  • Once the cook time is over and timer beeps, turn off pressure cooker and do a quick pressure release. Carefully remove potatoes and steamer basket from the pressure cooking pot. Place potatoes in a greased 9×13 oven safe dish.
  • Stir chile peppers, chile powder, sour cream and cheese into cooking liquid in pressure cooker. Pour over potatoes. Use a large spoon to gently mix sauce with the potatoes.
  • Top with remaining shredded cheese. Cook at 350 degrees for 15 minutes or until cheese is melted and sauce is bubbly.

Notes

Tips For Success:
  • You will need a steamer basket insert for your Instant Pot. Simply using the trivet will make this recipe more difficult.
  • Knife skills. Practice, practice, practice. For this recipe to cook evenly and come out perfect, one must slice the potatoes evenly and at ⅛ inch thick. That way the potatoes will cook evenly and the recipe will work with the cook time of four minutes. If the potatoes are cut thicker, the time setting will need to be adjusted. 
  • The best way to insure that those potatoes are sliced evenly is to use a mandoline. My OXO Mandoline has settings for ⅛ inch and it works like a charm. And I highly recommend purchasing a cut-proof glove. Using your hand rather than the slicer device that comes with the mandolin is much more manageable. But also dangerous. These gloves keep those fingers cut-free.
NOTE: I have omitted the chile peppers and chile powder in this recipe to make classic Instant Pot Scalloped Potatoes. If you want to omit the peppers, there is no adjustments needed for the recipe.

Nutrition

Calories: 308kcal | Carbohydrates: 34g | Protein: 12g | Fat: 15g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 42mg | Sodium: 466mg | Potassium: 856mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 615IU | Vitamin C: 62mg | Calcium: 256mg | Iron: 2mg

Green Chile Instant Pot Scalloped Potatoes … They’re What’s For Dinner

Chili vs Chile

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What’s the difference? Chile, Chille or Chili?

And don’t forget to scroll to the bottom of this article for Hatch Chile Recipes.

Mirasol chile ristra.

There are a lot of Mexican and Southwestern recipes that come out of my kitchen and when searching my recipes, you’ve more than likely noticed the words chili, chile and maybe even chilli. Are they the same thing? Do they each mean something different?

Here in Colorado, we’re proud of our Pueblo Chile Peppers, and we can’t get enough of neighbor’s crops to the South, New Mexico Chile peppers. The grass is always greener?

We also like to eat Chili style soup. In this article, I’m going to explain how I use the words chili or chile in our Colorado culinary arena.

Table of contents

Chile vs Chili cartoon.

Cartoon credit: Ricardo Cate, New Mexico Cartoonist.

Chile with an “e”

The short answer is: The word “chile” with an e, in reference to food (rather than the country) refers to a capsicum pepper. A capsicum pepper, red or green chile peppers, or chiles for plural. Here in Colorado we acquire chile peppers grown in Southern Colorado and throughout New Mexico.

In addition, any hot pepper I refer to in recipes, such as Poblano, Jalapeno, Ancho, Pasilla, Serrano, Chile de Arbol, etc. are all chile peppers.

You’ll also find the word chile in recipe titles describing Southwestern dishes that use a lot of chile peppers like, Red Chile Sauce or Enchiladas with Red Chile Gravy. These dishes will feature a particular type of chile pepper, therefore the use of the words chile with an “e” appears in the title of the recipe.

Another great example is this recipe for Green Chile Stew, which is made with lots of green chile peppers, beans and potatoes It’s a stew, but not a “chili” soup.

Chili with an “i”

When we speak of “chili” with an “i”, we’re referring to a thick and rich chili soup style dish. Most people are familiar with Chili con Carne, (Spanish for Chili with meat) which is customarily made with ground or chopped beef. It can also include beans and spices. The blend of spices used to make chili type soup is called Chili (with an “i”) Seasoning.

However, New Mexico has a Chile Con Carne made with dried red New Mexico chiles or with a single red chile powder, herbs and spices. I’ve seen it spelled both as chili con carne and chile con carne.

Spelling Variations

There are other spellings you can see for chile peppers, such as chilli, chilly and chillie, chillies, chillies and of course, chili. From what I can tell, the spelling appears to be a cultural thing. For example, the spellings “chilli and chillies” are commonly used in the U.K., Europe and India to describe a capsicum pepper.

Chile Powder vs. Chili Powder

The spelling of these spices have a significant distinction in my recipes. Substituting one for the other will change the flavor outcome to something you totally unexpected. If you use the wrong spice mix.

What is Chile Powder?

Chile Powder is a single spice powder ground from dried chile (capsicum) peppers. It’s not the same as chili powder, or chili seasoning. When you look at the ingredients of chile powder, you should only see “chile peppers”, “dried red chile peppers” or “dried cayenne peppers”. Very seldom will you see a second ingredient unless it’s another chile pepper. Ancho (dried red poblanos), serrano, habanero, paprika, cayenne, Anaheim, mulato (dried brown poblano) are all chile peppers that can be found in chile powder form.

You can purchase green chile powders, or red chile powders.

You can also find smoked chile powders such as chipotle, which is commonly a smoked jalapeno pepper. You can also find smoked serrano, and smoked paprikas or unique hybrids such as murupi amerela, from Brazil and urfa biber, a pepper from Turkey. So many peppers to experiment with.

The different colors of chile powders could be due to the type of chile or the amount of seeds that are included when grinding the chile. The more seeds that are added to the grinding process, the lighter the color of the powder.

Chimayo Chile Powder

New Mexico Chimayo Red Chile Powder in a small glass container.

My choice when cooking with New Mexico Chile Powders lies with Chimayo Chile Powder.

Highly sought after and with an exquisite copper red color and a bold flavor, it simply can’t be beat.

The chile powder from the Chimayo New Mexico area in Northern New Mexico is a sweet, medium heat chile. It’s my chile powder of preference for my recipes, and I’m lucky to live close enough to the village of Chimayo to purchase it in locally. To read more about this highly prized chile, I like this article from The Chimayo Chile Brothers.

Be cautious of purchasing packages of chile powder labeled Chimayo Chile Powder. It only comes from Chimayo, New Mexico and comes with a pretty price tag. I’ve seen bags of chile powder labeled Chimayo that are selling for $3.00. I doubt this is authentic. Bags sold in Chimayo sell for $15 – $25.

A sign Chimayo New Mexico. Holy Chile

In the village of Chimayo I trust purchases from the Trading Post next to El Santuatio de Chimayo. I’ve also feel comfortable with my purchases from Ortega Weaving in Chimayo.  The photo above comes from a location very near to the famous church.

  • Pure Chimayo Red Chile Powder comes from Chimayo, New Mexico
  • Chimayo Chile comes from a less common strain of pepper, called Capsicum annuum Chimayo.
  • This distinctive smaller chile has been adapted to live in the high and dry arid climate of northern New Mexico.
  • The chile is grown in small batches from original heirloom seeds passed down from generation to generation.
  • The local families in Chimayo have been farming this strain of chile for over four hundred years.
  • Chimayo Red Chile powder is wonderful in any Southwestern dish as it maintains its heat without being overwhelming.
  • It’s excellent in soups, chili, stews, and sauces.

Chile powder comes from almost every corner of New Mexico, for example, the red chile powder from Southern New Mexico is redder, bolder and a meaty chile powder that works in Southwestern dishes like my Hatch Green Chili with Pork.

Each chile powder, whether purchased in Colorado or New Mexico, has a different flavor profile and, in many cases, a different heat level. And in New Mexico, where is where I get most of my chile powders, you can find chile powders from many different regions of the state.

Substituting Chile Powders

Subtituting one chile powder for another is usually simple, however at times it can be tricky. For example, cayenne and habanero powders are much hotter than most chile powders, so use these sparingly.

Most chile powders can be substituted equally. For example, if you see one of my recipes that calls for 1 teaspoon of New Mexico red chile powder, you could always substitute a serrano, aleppo, or ancho powder in equal amounts.

I don’t recommend substituting chile powder with chili powder. The only time to use chili powder is when making a Texas type chili soup.

Cooking With Chile Powders

A variety of packets of New Mexico Red Chile Powders

As far as cooking with New Mexico Chile powders, I like to buy as many packages as I can and do taste tests. Have fun and enjoy paprika, smoked paprika, ancho, smoked serrano, and chipotle chile powders.

I like to reserve Cayenne in more southern inspired meals because of its heat level.

It’s fun using chile powders, and endless number of recipes that benefit from a little or a lot.

Chili Powder, or Chili Seasoning (with an “i”)

Chili Powder, with an “i” is a spice blend usually made from chile powder, garlic and onion powder, and perhaps cumin and other herbs and spices. Chili powder is used in Texas style chili recipes and a variety of chili con carne dishes. There are times that chili powder can be used as a substitute for chile powder, but not always. Because it is a spice mix, each brand of chili powder has its own flavor profile and all of them are quite different from a pure single chile, chile powder.

Chile Peppers

Colorado Chile Peppers, The Pueblo Chile Pepper

Mirasol Chile Plant

Most of the chile pepper crops grown in Colorado come from the Southern part of our state.

The majority of chile peppers grown in Colorado are Mirasol peppers. However, Big Jim varieties are also common. The name mirasol means “looking at the sun”. It grows reaching for the sun rather than handing down from the plant. And in dried form are called Guajillo peppers. This dried pepper pod is easy to find and commonly used in Mexican And Southwest Recipes.

The Pueblo chile pungency ranges between 5,000 and 20,000 Scoville Heat Units, the measurement method used to rank chile heat. Pueblo chilies are comparable in heat to moderate jalapeno peppers, and are usually a little warmer than cayenne peppers. 

The growing conditions in Southeastern Colorado make for some of the best chile available. Hot, dry, sunny summer days, combined with our rich soils and pure Colorado Rocky Mountain water yield some of the hottest and most flavorful chilies. Watch out for the little ones – I’ve been told they’re the hottest.

New Mexico Chile Peppers

Extra Hot Hatch Chile Peppers in a bushel basket

There are several New Mexico chile varieties grown across the state of New Mexico. But the Hatch chile peppers are highly coveted. There is not a variety of chile called Hatch Chile”. Simply stated, for a chile pepper to be labeled “Hatch” it must be grown in the Hatch Valley in Southern New Mexico.

Known as Hatch peppers, these chiles are more than a single type. In fact, there’s a wide selection of sub-varieties grown in the Hatch Valley,  that fall under the title of “Hatch chiles” which gives Hatch peppers a wide swing on the Scoville scale. I like this article from the Hatch Chile Festival website explaining the varieties of peppers grown in the Hatch Valley.

What Chimayo Chile Peppers look like.

The Native American Chimayo chile is a small chile, about five inches  long.  The lower part of the pod is bent and its stem top indents like a royal crown. The growing conditions in Chimayo New Mexico contribute to this chile pepper’s distinct flavor and identity. Just like wine, it’s all about the terroir.

If chile peppers are simply labeled as New Mexico Chile Peppers, they can come from any part of the state.

The town of Hatch, New Mexico (population 1,600) and the Hatch Valley region are home to some of the most coveted chile peppers on the market.

If you have ever lived in or visited New Mexico, you likely know that New Mexico chile peppers are part of the rich culture and heritage that the state is famous for. And of course they’re famous for their Hatch Green Chile Recipes.

Pueblo Chile vs Hatch Chile,

Compared to New Mexico Hatch Chile, Pueblo Chiles are bigger, meatier and hotter. And I’m here to say, has a more notable chile flavor.

Hatch green chiles are grown in the Hatch Valley in New Mexico about 500 miles to the South of Pueblo, Colorado. Each state believes that their unique growing conditions yield the better tasting pepper.

Pueblo chile vs. Hatch chile. There seems to be a bit of a rivalry between Colorado and New Mexico regarding the status of which state grows the best caspicums. However, when declaring a winner, it all comes down to personal taste. In other words, a debate that may never be laid to rest.

Are Hatch Chile Peppers Hot?

A variety of chile peppers are grown both in New Mexico and Colorado. Along with those varieties come a variety of heat levels. Hatch Chile Peppers and Colorado Chile Peppers will be labeled mild, medium, hot or even extra hot.

New Mexico “Red or Green”

In 1999, the New Mexico legislature adopted an official state question; “red vs. green chile”. If you have dined in a traditional New Mexico restaurant, you have likely been asked which type of chile pepper sauce you prefer, a red or green. If you’re not asked that question, more than likely its not traditional New Mexico cuisine, but rather Tex-Mex.

Basically, a red chile pepper is one that’s been left on the plant long enough that the pepper turns red. Most chile peppers are harvested as green. When you’re asked if you want “red or green” they’re asking if you want a New Mexico Red Sauce or Green Sauce. Or you can ask for both, which is referred to as “Christmas”.

Resources: Where To Buy New Mexico Chile Products

I’m fortunate with my geographical proximity to New Mexico and Southern Colorado. I can easily drive South to purchase and stock up on chile products.

To those of you who don’t have access and want to purchase Colorado or New Mexico chile products, fresh, dried or powders, please buy from companies that are located within these states. Unfortunately it’s been found that that some vendors sell “New Mexico chile products”, but the chile comes from outside of New Mexico. New Mexico has a state law that makes it illegal to knowingly sell chile or chile products labeled “New Mexico-grown” if the chile wasn’t grown in New Mexico.

Below is a list of New Mexico chile product suppliers. I am not endorsing these companies, it’s just a resource for you. So let’s start shopping.

  • Hatch Chile Store: A family business who has been growing chile in the Hatch Valley since the beginning, literally! 5th generation descendants of Joseph Franzoy, the first commercial chile farmer in Hatch, New Mexico. They offer a large variety of products including roasted and peeled chile peppers, and a large variety of chile products. They ship fresh or frozen chiles to your door step.
  • Made In New Mexico: An online store for New Mexico Salsa, Hatch Green & Red Chile powder and salsas. Handmade gifts, distinctive Spanish and Native American arts and crafts, tasty New Mexican foods, turquoise and silver jewelry, unique Southwestern-style home decor products, books about New Mexico, bath products, Ristras, Wreaths and other Chile products.
  • Cervantes (for an assortment of chile products, sauces and salsa) – They also have a New Mexican restaurant In Albuquerque, New Mexico.
  • Chile Monster: They provide Hatch chile, Lemitar chile, Tamales, Rellenos, Salsa’s, Seasonings, Tortillas, Biscochitos, Ristra’s, Cookbooks, Frontier Restaurant Products, Garcia’s Kitchen Products, Complete Dinner Packages from New Mexico, and New Mexico Gift Boxes.
  • Chimayo Chile Brothers: Authentic New Mexico chili, chile powder, posole and blue corn.
  • Hatch Chile Express: Owner Jimmy, is a third generation chile farmer with the legacy of being the son of Jim Lytle, the founder of the Big Jim variety of chile pepper. Their store offers shipping of frozen chile peppers, salsas, dried chile pods and jewelry.

Resources: Where to Buy Colorado Chile Products

  • Musso Farms: Located just east of Pueblo, Co, in the Arkansas Valley, Musso Farms is a mass producer of chile peppers. They also run a store front and Farmer’s Market. They sell fresh chile peppers, chile powders, salsa’s and more. They ship to your doorstep.
  • LuLu’s Farm: Located Northeast of Denver in Brighton, CO., Lulu’s offers a great selection of local fresh Colorado produce, when in season. They offer a good selection of frozen chile peppers, and dried chiles and chile powders. During pepper season, they operate a chile pepper roasting station to purchase fresh roasted Colorado grown and New Mexico Chile Peppers.
  • The Chili Guys: Located on Federal Blvd, in Denver. The Chili Guys are the largest distributer of fresh and dried green and red chili in Colorado. During season they receive fresh peppers every 1 – 2 days fresh from farms. They specialize in Hatch Chile Peppers, and dozens of other varieties. Check out their on-line store for shipping information. They also carry pinon nuts, New Mexico style beef jerky and a variety of chile powders and snacks.

How To Store Roasted Chile Peppers

  • How To Store Roasted Chile Peppers? I always purchase a large amount of roasted whole chile peppers. When I get home, I divide them into individual zip-lock style freezer bags, eight per package and then seal and freeze them after using my beloved vacuum food sealer machine.
  • How Long Do Hatch Chiles Last In The Freezer? Popped into the freezer they keep for months and retain their flavor beautifully. To use, just thaw, cut off the tops, remove seeds and  most of the charred skin.
  • I like to leave a few small chunks of that smoky skin for extra flavor. 
  • Don’t need to use 8 chiles at a time? Just put the 8-pack of chile in the microwave for 1 minute. After 1 minute, pull out the amount of chiles that you need and put the rest back in the freezer.

Chile Pepper Events

Both Colorado and and New Mexico celebrate chile pepper harvest in a big way:

The Chile and Frijoles Festival, Pueblo, Colorado

Held in September The Chile and Frijole Festival was created to promote Pueblo’s rich agriculture and encourage our community, and region, to buy local fresh products at any of the numerous farm stands and specialty shops available during the festival and year-round.

The event features live entertainment, street vendors, cooking competitions, and chilies, chilies, chilies! Held downtown along Union Avenue, the festival draws Pueblo residents as well as people from across the state and around the nation.

The Hatch Chile Festival

The Hatch Chile Festival is held in Hatch, New Mexico. Considered to be the “chile capitol of the world”, the festival is held on Labor Day Weekend at the Hatch Municipal Airport.

In Conclusion

Is it normal to get so obsessed with chile peppers? For us here in Colorado, it’s completely normal.

Each Fall, we celebrate the arrival of Hatch Chile peppers and our locally grown Pueblo Chile Peppers. Parking lots and roadside stands fire up their chile roasting drums and the aromas of New Mexico chiles fill the air.

We evangelize and we obsess. We talk constantly about them, we dig out our hatch green chile recipes, and we add chile peppers to almost everything we cook.

And we stock our freezers with baggies full of the roasted chile peppers.

With all of that information, I hope I’ve whet your appetite for recipes using Hatch Chile Peppers or Pueblo Pueblo Peppers in recipes. To learn more about recipes using chile peppers, check out the following posts here on my blog.

Hatch Chile Recipes

Let’s start with the most popular Hatch Chile Recipe on my site for Hatch Green Chili with Pork.

Green Chili with Pork. Colorado style with plenty of Hatch Green Chile and unique spices.

More Hatch Chile Recipes