What Is Chili powder and How Can I Use It?
Here's everything worth knowing about chili powder and how to pick it, what it is, how to store it, and what to use instead, plus 1,606 recipes to cook tonight.
What is chili powder?
Chili powder , chile powder or chilli powder is a piquant ("hot") spice made entirely or mainly from powdered hot chili peppers.
The peppers may be virtually any hot pepper including cayenne, ancho, jalapeño, New Mexico, and pasilla chilis. The piquance ("heat" or "spiciness") of the powder varies widely depending on which are used, and their proportions if several types are mixed.
Nutrition
Nutrition Facts
Serving Size 1 tbsp (7g)Quick facts
Where to find chili powder: Chili powder is usually found in the spices section or aisle of the grocery store or supermarket.
Food group: Chili powder is a member of the Spices and Herbs US Department of Agriculture nutritional food group.
- In Chinese
- 辣椒粉
- British (UK) term
- Chili powder
- en français
- poudre de chili
- en español
- chile en polvo
How much does chili powder weigh?
| Amount | Weight |
|---|---|
| 1 tbsp | 7 grams |
| 1 teaspoon | 2 grams |
Related
Spices and Herbs
Recipes using chili powder
There are 1606 recipes that contain this ingredient.
Always Loved Vegetarian Chili
Vegetarian Chili with bulgur and vegetables--Vegetarian chili: hot satisfying dish for fans of meatless mains.
Mom's Gazpacho
Fresh vegetable gazpacho with tomatoes, cucumbers, zucchini, and bell peppers. Quick cold Spanish soup ready in 10 minutes, perfect for summer lunches.
Meatball Chili Stew
Tex-Mex meatball chili stew with crushed tortilla chip-bound meatballs simmered in picante sauce, tomatoes, and kidney beans. Topped with cilantro and more tortilla chips for crunch.
Refried Beans & Cheese Bread
This bread can either accompany or replace the Southwestem breakfast staple of refried beans topped with cheese or wrapped in a flour tortilla.
Buffalo & Beans
Buffalo and beans is a hearty chili that mixes ground bison with ground beef, kidney beans, sweet peppers and mushrooms. Long-simmered for deep flavor, leaner than all-beef chili and meatier than pure bison.
Beefy Chunk & Cheese Chili
Curried beef and kidney bean chili topped with sharp cheddar and fresh scallions. The unexpected curry powder addition transforms a basic chili into something with serious depth and global flavor.
Pressure Cooked Chili Con Chickpeas
Pressure-cooked chickpea chili swaps beef for nutty garbanzos, building heat from toasted cumin seeds, chili powder, and a generous handful of fresh cilantro. A meatless one-pot weeknight chili.
Easy Gazpacho
Simple gazpacho with fresh garden vegetables in tomato or V8 juice. Classic cold soup that's vegan, gluten-free, and ready in 20 minutes with no cooking required.
Chasing Chili
Chasing chili builds a slow-simmered base with ground beef chuck, lean pork, soaked pinto beans, and whole cumin seeds. A two-meat, scratch-bean chili built for a crowd.
Herb Chili Burgers
Mediterranean herb chili burgers blend ground beef with chopped tomato, black olives, garlic, dill, lemon zest, and chili powder. A grilled patty with serious global flavor.
Hamburger with Variations
Cheese-stuffed hamburger patties with four global variations: French with brie, Mexican with Monterey Jack, Italian with mozzarella, and Greek with feta. Grilled over charcoal.
Mom's Favourite Chili
Mom's chili stacks beef, kidney beans, tomatoes, and a quiet blend of cumin, oregano, and basil into a slow-simmered family-style pot. Old-school weeknight chili with a long-simmer payoff.
Amazing Cincinnati Chili
Cincinnati's iconic chili simmers with warm spices like cinnamon, allspice, and cocoa powder, creating a Greek-influenced meat sauce perfect for ladling over spaghetti.
Chili Soup
Hearty chili soup with ground beef, kidney beans, strained tomatoes and a surprising swirl of cream. Simple to make with just a handful of ingredients, simmers low and slow.
Homemade Mashed Potatoes Appetizer
What to do with day old bread.Don’t throw away.Try this recipe.
4th of July Grilled Fresh Corn
Mexican street-corn-inspired grilled corn rubbed with lime wedges dipped in chili-amchoor spice. Vegetarian summer BBQ side with bright tang and gentle heat.
Kukul Mus Thakkali or Chicken & Tomato Curry
Kukul Mus Thakkali, a Sri Lankan chicken and tomato curry with coconut milk, lemongrass, curry leaves, fenugreek and cardamom. Marinated and simmered for rich, layered flavor.
Meatless Monday Chili
Vegan chili made hearty with marinated tempeh, kidney beans, mushrooms, and a long simmer in tomato and vegetable stock. Deep, savory, slow-cooked Meatless Monday meal.
Mango Chutney #2
Homemade mango chutney with brown sugar, ginger, garlic, raisins, and warm spices. Slow-simmered to jam consistency and aged four weeks for deep flavor.
Homemade Raw Banana Chips
Homemade raw banana chips, thin slices of green banana fried crisp in coconut oil and tossed with salt, black pepper, and chili. A savory, spicy South Asian snack that beats the store-bought bag.
Homemade Fried Bread
Sri Lankan savory fried bread snack made by dipping spiced bread triangles in a chickpea flour batter and frying until crispy. Best served hot with tomato chutney tucked inside for a street food experience.
Chili Spiced Beef & Bean Stew
A succulent dish that brings some variety to dinner and a tantalizing flavor everyone will enjoy!
Chili N'Awlins
Chili N'Awlins is a New Orleans-style beef and pork chili with green chiles, oregano, and a Cajun edge. Topped with corn chips, sharp cheddar, and shredded lettuce for a hearty crowd-feeder.
Chili Ala Capt. James Mcdonnell
Beef and Italian sausage chili with a tablespoon of instant coffee for depth, two kinds of beans (kidney and refried), and a Monterey Jack topping. Captain's recipe.
Cheesy Chili for a Crowd
Cheesy chili mac for a crowd with ground beef, kidney beans, tomatoes, and melted cheddar cheese sauce over pasta. Family-friendly one-pot chili that feeds 12.
Guacamole Burgers
Grilled guacamole burgers topped with homemade avocado salsa, chili powder, and red pepper on toasted English muffins. A smoky, creamy Mexican-inspired burger recipe ready in 30 minutes flat.
Alamo Chili
A simple but savory chili made with succulent stewing beef, pinto beans and jalapeno peppers.
Bullard's Best Yet Chili
Bullard's chili pairs lean venison with pork in a hearty bowl of pinto beans, tomatoes, peppers, and cilantro, seasoned with chili powder and cumin. A from-scratch wild game chili worth cracking a beer for.
Tikka Chicken
Chicken pieces marinated in spiced yogurt with ginger, garlic, turmeric, and coriander, then grilled on skewers until charred and tender. Authentic Indian chicken tikka at home.
Coffee Liquor Dipper Wings
Coffee liqueur dipper wings: chicken wings marinated in a Kahlua-spiked barbecue sauce with chili powder, cumin, hot sauce, and honey. The party wing with a deep, smoky-sweet kick.
Bob's Chili Con Carne
Pressure cooker chili loaded with ground beef, kidney beans, and warm spices. Ready in 45 minutes with rich, slow-cooked flavor in a fraction of the time.
Vegan Enchilada Corn Tortillas
Melt In Your Mouth Vegan Corn Tortillas! Yellow Corn Tortillas Were Used In This Dish!! Quick And Easy To Make!5
Beef & Beans
Slow cooker beef and beans with cubed chuck, salt pork, and pinto beans simmered in tomato paste, garlic, chili powder, and cumin. Old-school cowboy comfort food, low and slow until the beef pulls apart.
Crockpot Pumpkin Turkey Chili
Crockpot pumpkin turkey chili: lean ground turkey and peppers simmered with tomatoes, real pumpkin, and chili powder. The pumpkin melts in for a velvety, subtly sweet, lighter chili.
Southwestern Potato Salad II
My version of Bobby Flay's very distinctive southwestern, egg-less potato salad from his restaurant, Mesa Grill. Make sure you pour the sauce over the potatoes while they're still warm to ensure the flavors soak in. This salad goes nicely with grilled meat, poultry or seafood.
Chavos Taco Seasoning
This is my favorite recipe for tacos with a mixture of New Mexican Cuisine as well as other ethnic recipes.
Pan Roasted Pork Loins
Pan-roasted pork loin chops coated in a bold homemade dry rub of chili powder, cumin, garlic, and oregano, marinated overnight, then seared and roasted. A simple spice-rubbed dinner with big Southwestern flavor.
Mexican Chicken Chili
Mexican chicken chili blends home-ground chicken breast with a little lean beef, simmered low and slow with warm spices and tomatoes. Topped with avocado, a dollop of yogurt, and fresh cilantro for a lighter bowl.
Chernobyl Chili
Chernobyl Chili: a big-batch ground beef and red kidney bean chili with 4 tablespoons of chili powder and serious heat. Cooked in the microwave then served from the crockpot. Built for a crowd.
Chili with Kidney Beans
Chili with kidney beans is a hearty crowd-size beef chili built on garlic-browned ground beef, peppers, tomatoes, and red kidney beans, simmered low with chili powder, cloves, and bay. Crowd cooker for game day.
Pinto Bean & Feta Cheese Quesadillas
Pinto bean and feta cheese quesadillas with a chunky bean puree seasoned with jalapeno, cumin, chili powder, and red onion. A hearty vegetarian quesadilla with a Mediterranean-Mexican mash-up.
Meatballs in Tomato Sauce
Meatballs in tomato sauce is so popular at our daily cooking, it is delicious and filling, and everyone loves it!
Modified Chili Con Carne
A from-scratch chili con carne made with dried pinto beans, lean ground beef, and a smoky blend of cumin, oregano, and chili powder. Simmers into a thick, soul-warming bowl that's lower in sodium than most.
Homemade Coconut Rotti -Srilanka
Sri Lankan coconut roti (pol roti), a rustic pan-fried flatbread packed with shredded coconut, fresh chili, and curry leaves. No yeast, ready fast, and made to scoop up fish or chicken curry.
Carol's Moosewood Vegetarian Chili
Moosewood-style vegetarian chili with kidney beans, bulgur wheat, fresh tomatoes, peppers, and a warm chili-cumin spice mix. A hearty, protein-rich plant-based main from the iconic Ithaca cookbook tradition.
Creamy Guacamole Dip
Creamy guacamole dip blends ripe avocados, grated onion, lemon juice and chili powder, sealed under a layer of Miracle Whip to prevent browning. A retro Midwestern party-tray favorite.
Hearty Bean Soup
Hearty bean soup combines kidney beans, sweet corn and tomatoes in a chili-cumin spiced broth, topped with shredded cheddar. A 35-minute pantry meal that feels like it simmered all day.
Chile Cheese Tortilla Stacks
A crowd pleasing appetizer to take to any party or serve it with a Mexican Caesar salad for a meatless meal.
Franks' Chili Beans
Old-fashioned chili beans from scratch with dried pinto beans, ground beef, red chili sauce, and a splash of vinegar. A six-hour slow simmer for deep, rich, no-shortcuts flavor.
