How to Eat Hatch Chiles (and How to Roast Them at Home)

If you grew up anywhere near the Southwest, you’re probably familiar with hatch chiles, also known as hatch green chiles. When driving through the region from late summer to early autumn, you’re guaranteed to see big barrel roasters full of chiles smoking outside of grocery stores and farmers markets. Their slightly sweet, smoky, and earthy aromas can be smelled for miles, and if you haven’t had the chance to taste hatch chiles yet, you’re in for a treat. Many things, from the area’s climate to the historic rituals surrounding the chile, make hatch chiles unique. Ahead, we spoke to a hatch chile expert to learn more about how to eat them and what makes them special.

Hatch Chiles, Explained

Contrary to what you might think, hatch chiles aren’t an actual type of pepper. Rather, they’re a variety of peppers grown around Hatch, New Mexico. That same region boasts many different types of peppers that may not necessarily be household names, such as Sandia, Matador, Big Jim, and many more. Each of these peppers is grown for different purposes, like their heat level and size. Hatch chiles are unique because they are far more than just a spicy pepper. They are a nice blend of spicy, smoky, and sweet. 

In the Southwest, hatch chiles are used like most people use salt says Nate Cotanch, founder of Zia Hatch Chile Company. They act as a way to season food and enhance and complement its overall flavor. Their mild, earthy, and slightly sweet flavor makes this possible. To Cotanch and many generations of families in the Southwest, they represent even more than that. “They’re a piece of home and family. They hold so much meaning and sentimental value,” he says. 

Hatch chiles are just as versatile as any other pepper—they can be eaten raw, but they’re most often either pickled or roasted, diced, and canned or turned into salsa.

Hatch Chile Spice Level

As mentioned before, since hatch chiles are not one specific kind of pepper, they can vary in terms of their flavor and spice level. They have a large range on the Scoville Heat Scale (a measure of the capsaicin levels in chiles)—measuring anywhere from 1,000 to 8,000 units. 

For reference, habanero chiles range from 100,000 to 350,000, while sweet bell peppers come in at a whopping zero units. So, while they have a large range, hatch chiles generally fall somewhere between a smoky poblano chile and the slightly spicier jalapeño.

Seasonality

Cotanch compares hatch chiles to grapes grown in Napa or Sonoma counties. “The growing region around Hatch, New Mexico is incredibly unique and can’t really be replicated anywhere else,” he says. Just as Northern California’s temperate climates are ideal for grapes grown for wine, the hot days, cool nights, and rich mid-altitude desert soil give way to the perfect growing conditions for these peppers. Cotanch says these conditions are at their best during the late summer and early autumn months, which is the main reason why hatch chiles have such a short, sweet, and fleeting seasonality.

How to Roast Hatch Chiles

Traditionally, hatch chiles are roasted in large barrel roasters that slowly rotate to evenly cook the peppers. The process is pretty labor intensive, but viewed by many in the region as a seasonal tradition. It involves roasting, peeling, and optionally dicing the peppers before packaging, canning, or storing them. 

You can roast your own hatch chiles at home using your oven’s broiler says Cotanch. Here’s how:

1. Preheat the broiler with the rack approximately 6-inches below the heating element. 
2. Line a rimmed baking sheet with a piece of aluminum foil. 
3. Wash and dry the hatch chiles and arrange in an even layer on the prepared baking sheet. 
4. Broil, flipping the chiles once, until blackened and charred all over, about 5 minutes per side.

How to Eat Hatch Chiles

Many of the flavors found in Southwestern cooking are inspired by the cuisines found south of the border—and offer a great direction for eating these delicious peppers.

• Hatch chiles work beautifully in dishes like enchiladas, chile rellenos, and huevos rancheros, adding a subtle but different flavor than you’d get from jalapeño or serrano chiles. 
• Quick breads like cornbread and flaky biscuits can only be improved by adding a few tablespoons of diced hatch chiles—especially if you stir some sharp grated cheddar into the batter. 
• Serve diced roasted chiles with other condiments for burgers and hot dogs, or mix some of the chiles into the ground meat mixture before grilling. 
• Hatch chiles love to share the stage with corn; add them to your favorite corn dishes—we love them in our Hatch Chile Corn Pudding.
• Add some to scrambled eggs with cheese and eat with tortillas for the perfect breakfast tacos.
• Stir some into rice with fresh cilantro and lime juice—burrito bowls will never be the same. 
• Instead of using poblanos or jalapeños, turn the roasted chiles into homemade green salsa.
• Add a few spoonfuls of diced chiles to pesto to add a touch of heat—it’s great drizzled over chicken or shrimp kebabs. 
• Mix with softened butter to make a spreadable compound butter for other seasonal vegetables, such as corn, zucchini, eggplant, and tomatoes. 
• Finally, anywhere you’d use everyday canned chiles, you can use hatch chiles. Reach for a jar of roasted hatch chiles when making creamy queso, nachos, tortilla soup, or pork stew.