What Is Thai bird's eye chili peppers and How Can I Use It?

Thai bird's eye chili peppers is easier to cook with than it looks. Here's how to choose, use, and store it, what to substitute, and 30 recipes to get you started.

What are thai bird's eye chili peppers?

The bird's eye chili (thai chili) plant is a perennial with small, tapering fruits, often 2-3, at a node. The fruits of most varieties are red, some are yellow, purple or black. The fruits are very pungent. The flowers are greenish white or yellowish white.

The bird's eye chili is small but packs quite a lot of heat. At one time it was even listed as the hottest chili in the Guinness Book of World Records but other hotter varieties of chili have since been identified.

The fruit of the bird's eye chili is popularly used as a spice and as a chili condiment in Filipino, Indonesian, Malaysian and Thai cuisine. It is what gives local dishes, such as the Filipino bicol express, their fiery zing.

The chilies can also be used to flavor vinegar. The leaves are also edible and can be eaten as a vegetable, for instance in the Filipino dish tinola.

Where found

Thai bird's eye chili peppers are usually found in the produce section or aisle of the grocery store or supermarket.

In Chinese:	泰国鸟眼辣椒
British (UK) term:
en français:	les piments d'oiseau thai
en español:	chiles ojo tailandés de pájaro

Recipes using thai bird's eye chili peppers

There are 30 recipes that contain this ingredient.

Chilled Cucumber & Woodear Mushroom Salad

Nutritionally boost your day with this chilled cucumber and wood ear mushroom salad, it’s an effective way of getting flavour and nutrients rolled up into one meal. Eating cucumber, a chilled one especially, not only thaw any encumbrances in the digestive tract, but also goes flavourfully on the tongue. Wood ear mushroom, commonly sold in Asian markets, is a dear ingredient-mate of the cucumber in the cooking of this tantalizing salad. If you’re struggling to find wood ear mushrooms then Oyster mushrooms would be an excellent replacement. Furthermore if you don’t have access to Japanese cucumber, then the ordinary type of cucumber would be perfectly fitting too. Also if you’re buying them fresh, then instead of boiling, blanch them by dropping the oyster mushrooms into boiling water for 30 seconds to a minute at the most, then submerge them in an ice bath to stop the cooking process. The glossy look of this salad is not only pleasing on the eye, but contributes perfectly to a balanced diet. Wood ear is known for its ability to reduce cholesterol in the body, aid blood circulation, and improve melanin and keratin efficiency too. Cucumber will not be left behind as it can also help in weight loss, hydration, is good for eyesight, among other benefits. And if you take a look at the other ingredients, sesame seed, ginger, lime etc. you should definitely add this to your recipe book! Let us get into its preparation without further ado. Shall we….

Thai Grilled Chicken with Sweet Chile Dipping Sauce

This was a great recipe! I've made it several times.

Thai Tamarind Chicken Stir Fry

Tired of cooking chicken the plain old style? How about making it Thai style this time! And with a hint of tamarind added to it, there is no way you can keep yourself from licking the last morsel of it left off the plate. What’s more? It is quick and easy to make and can be prepared in a jiffy whenever you have unannounced guests at home. A classic Thai recipe, this sweet and sour chicken stir fry even though is a meal by itself but when served with fragrant jasmine rice they take the eating experience to a whole new level. Try is right away!

Crispy Salmon on Tatsoi with Spicy Thai Sauce

This quick and easy dish will bring rave reviews from your family or your guests. You can also grill the fish fillets, any kind of fish will work well; using Asian tatsoi instead of baby spinach is also a great option. This is a kind of recipe that you want to make again and again after the first time.

Modified General Tso's Chicken

This recipe is a combination of the best parts of many other General Tso's Chicken recipes I have seen.

Thai Ham & Chicken Salad

Colorful Thai salad platter with shredded chicken, sliced ham, blanched napa cabbage, carrots, and red pepper in a punchy lime-soy-garlic dressing with toasted almonds.

Tom Yam Goong (Thai Hot & Sour Soup)

Authentic Tom Yam Goong, Thailand's legendary hot and sour shrimp soup with lemongrass, kaffir lime leaves, bird's eye chilies, and straw mushrooms. Fiery, sour, and brimming with plump shrimp. On the table in 40 minutes.

Captain's Table Bbq'D Roast

Grilled 5-pound beef roast studded with garlic, soaked in a white wine and Dijon marinade, then glazed with a honey-soy-ginger sauce spiked with Thai chili. Feeds 6 hungry people.

Sali Jardaloo Murgi (Chicken with Apricots & Potatoe)

Parsi chicken curry with dried apricots, whole spices, and crispy potato straws. A sweet-tangy Indian dish with cinnamon, cumin, cardamom, and a vinegar-sugar balance that makes the sauce unforgettable.

Fred's Schezuan (Sichuan) Sauce

Well, this is NOT non-fat, but is low fat. It's kind of a Schezuan sauce I guess, of my own invention. If I could figure out how to avoid using the oil it would be non-fat.

Chicken Curry (Dhawan)

Fragrant North Indian chicken curry built on toasted cumin, cardamom, and cloves with a rich tomato-onion masala base. This home-style Dhawan family recipe simmers tender chicken breast in warming spices in under 45 minutes.

Glen's Ring of Fire Bran Muffins

Spicy bran muffins loaded with Thai chilies, jalapeño, and habanero rings, plus dried fruit, walnuts, and warm spices. Bold breakfast baking for heat seekers.

Lentil Chilli

A hearty vegetarian lentil chili simmered from red lentils, kidney beans, tomatoes, peppers, and fresh chili. High in protein and fiber, easy to make in one pot, and as fiery as you like.

Simple Coconut-Sesame Noodles

A very simple dinner for when you don’t have a lot of time to prepare a meal. Use brown rice noodles instead of the white variety to take advantage of the additional fibre they contain. Add other steamed / fresh vegetables to make the meal more substantial.

Indian Hot Chicken Curry

Hot Indian chicken curry blooms cumin and cardamom in oil, then builds a tomato-onion masala with ginger, garlic, and Thai chili. Garam masala spiced, served over rice.

Asinan (Sweet & Sour Cucumber Salad)

Indonesian cucumber salad featuring crisp vegetables in a tangy sweet and sour dressing with peanuts and chilies. Refreshing side dish that balances rich main courses with bright, pickle-like flavors.

Saus Kacang

Saus kacang is an Indonesian peanut sauce made with ground chili, garlic, shrimp paste, peanut butter, tamarind, and coconut milk. The classic satay dipping sauce.

Indonesian Curried Crab

Indonesian curried crab simmers cracked whole crab in a rich coconut curry built on a fresh-ground paste of galangal, lemongrass, chili and candlenuts, balanced with sour tamarind. Fragrant, fiery, gloriously messy.

Thai Curried Chicken with Coconut Milk

Thai-style chicken curry simmered in coconut milk with a homemade paste of bird's eye chiles, ginger, toasted rice, cashews, and warm spices. Layered, fragrant, and built from scratch.

Sajor Bayam (Spinach-Corn Puree)

Sajor bayam - Indonesian spinach and creamed corn puree with coconut milk, shrimp paste, garlic, and bird's eye chili. A rich, spicy Southeast Asian vegetable side dish.

Healthier Nasi Lemak

Considered the national dish of Malaysia, nasi lemak is a breakfast staple in Singapore hawker centres, but is also recognised as one of the least healthy breakfast options - no surprise since lemak means 'fatty' and refers to the rich white rice cooked in coconut cream. When served with fried chicken, the dish really does pack a calorific punch. However, with a few tweaks and substitutions it is possible to create a healthier version of the dish to enjoy on weekends at home with family.