26 Chile Recipes That (Might) Make You Sweat

Everyone deserves a little spice in their life. So what are you waiting for? Get on it. (And be prepared to stop, drop, and roll.)
Alex Lau1/25Grilled Corn and Chile Dip
You can assemble this inspired party starter ahead of time, then bake right before you’re ready to serve it.
Juco2/25Tomatoes in Chile-Fennel Oil
Double the chile oil, keep it chilled, and drizzle it over flatbreads, pastas, and all of your grilled meats and vegetables all summer long.
Alex Lau3/25Crispy Brussels Sprouts with Chile Caramel
Smaller brussels can cook in half the time; rely on the visuals, not your timer, to know when they’re done.
Eva Kolenko4/25Lemon-Chile Green Bean Pickles
Brine is what seasons and preserves; without it, your veg will never graduate to pickle status.
Alex Lau5/25Grilled Padrón Chiles with Fish Sauce and Lime
Other not-too-hot chiles are great with the same seasonings if you can’t find Padróns. Look for shishitos or Italian frying peppers instead.

Alex Lau7/25Pomelo Salad with Chile, Lime, Peanuts, and Coconut
A palate cleanser packed with sweet, sour, and salty flavors; taste and tweak the seasonings as you go.
Michael Graydon & Nikole Herriott8/25Snapper Escabèche with Chiles, Garlic, and Oregano
Because it’s so delicate, the flesh can break down when marinated first, sometimes causing the fish to fall apart. A post-grill bath delivers flavor without compromising texture.
Michael Graydon & Nikole Herriott9/25Head-On Prawns with Chile, Garlic, and Parsley
Prawns are great for grilling because they’re much larger and have a slightly thicker shell than your average shrimp, offering insurance against overcooking.
Nicole Franzen10/25Seared Black Bass with Scallion-Chile Relish
With its clean flavor and forgiving, crispable skin, black bass is…no trouble. (Sorry.) Dress it up with a versatile spicy relish.
Michael Graydon + Nikole Herriott11/25Citrus-and-Chile-Braised Short Ribs
If you have any trouble getting short ribs with long bones, go ahead and use smaller pieces.
Linda Xiao12/25Habanero-Marinated Pork Chops with Mustard Greens Slaw
One hard-working pork chop marinade recipe serves two functions, flavoring the pork chops before and after they hit the grill.
Christopher Testani13/25Chile-Cumin Lamb Meatballs with Yogurt and Cucumber
Chef Seamus Mullen serves these robustly flavored meatballs as a shared plate at El Colmado, his New York City tapas bar, but they’re also a great main.
Marcus Nilsson14/25Steakhouse Salad with Red Chile Dressing and Peanuts
The steak can be marinated a day in advance—in fact, it gets better.
Gentl & Hyers15/25Bucatini with Tomato, Guanciale, and Chile
Think of this pasta from Tosca as a carbonara, but with tomatoes in place of the eggs.
Peden + Munk16/25Chile-and-Olive-Oil-Fried Egg with Avocado and Sprouts
To cook the perfect olive oil–fried egg, make sure the skillet is really hot.
Ditte Isager17/25Pork and Squash Stew with Chiles
This stew calls for water instead of stock to be added. The pork shoulder will create a rich cooking liquid on its own.
Eva Kolenko18/25Fresh-Chile Hot Sauce
For the most vibrant, striking hue, stick with one type of pepper.
Marcus Nilsson19/25Rigatoni with Lemon-Chile Pesto and Grated Egg
The butter (yep, a whole stick) mellows the tart lemon sauce and is key to the finished texture.
Christina Holmes20/25Garlic Shrimp with Chiles de Árbol
Take care with these little shrimp: Once they hit the oil, they’ll cook through quickly.

Marcus Nilsson22/25Albóndigas in Red Chile Sauce
In case you were wondering, albóndigas is the Spanish word for meatball. These prove that the Italians aren’t the only players in the game.
Alex Lau23/25Pork Enchiladas Rojas
If you can’t find guajillo chiles, use New Mexico or Californian chiles, and for moritas, try chipotle chiles in adobo.
Christopher Testani24/25Watermelon–Ancho Chile Salsa
This no-cook salsa pairs sweet and juicy watermelon with smoky chiles. Looks like gravy, tastes like summer.
Eva Kolenko25/25Hot Honey
Store honey in a cool, dark place (like the fridge!) to slow oxidation and make it last a while. Then use it on pretty much everything.