How Many Ways Can You Try New Mexican Chiles?
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Many US states have a state bird, flower, motto, and/or song. New Mexico is the only state with a state question. Their state question, “Red or Green?” can be answered with red, green, or Christmas! It’s not about your favorite color or favorite holiday. It’s about how you want your chile!
We’re not talking about the spicy stew, chili, or the country in South America, Chile. New Mexican chiles are chile peppers that have been grown in the state for hundreds of years. They are green peppers that can mature into red peppers. The state’s altitude, climate, and soil make for the perfect growing environment, especially within the Hatch Valley. A variety of chile types are grown, but the state is most known for hatch chile.
As the chile capital of the world, New Mexicans take their chile very seriously! Chile is a staple of New Mexican food. Good luck trying the local cuisine if you don’t like spicy food. While the spiciness can vary from chile to chile, there is usually some kick. Chile is typically found in sauces on enchiladas, tamales, and burritos. It’s not only reserved for main dishes though.
I thought it would be fun to try New Mexican chiles in as many different types of food as possible. When in New Mexico, right? The following were some of my favorite ways I tried the state’s claim to fame and my recommendations where to try it in Albuquerque and/or Santa Fe. How many different ways can you try chile?
I don’t know what could be more important than eating but if you want to do more than eat in New Mexico, read my New Mexico guide and my post on what to do in Santa Fe.
How Many Ways Can You Try New Mexican Chiles?
New Mexican Chiles in Entrees
On most New Mexican restaurant menus there will be some variation of the following dishes below.
Burritos
What
You don’t go to New Mexico without having a burrito. Burritos are appropriate for every meal of the day. They are usually filled with vegetable and meat goodness and wrapped in a flour tortilla. With scrambled eggs and potatoes the breakfast burritos are the best. They often have bacon, chorizo, or another kind of meat. Sometimes there are beans, but there is always chile on or in the burrito! When asked the state’s official question, make sure to choose Christmas!
Where
I loved how perfectly Christmas the chile arrived over my breakfast burrito at The Pantry Rio. Carne adovada is an option to add to the burrito. It’s a New Mexican style pork dish with a chile sauce, of course. With beans on the side, even I (a very hearty eater) couldn’t finish my food in one sitting. The Santa Fe restaurant serves breakfast and lunch year-round. Dinner is available in the summer only. On nice days ask for a table at the outdoor patio.
Santafamous Street Eats is a food truck across the street from the NM Capitol. It’s only open weekdays from about 7am – 2pm. Not only is it one of the best breakfast burritos in Santa Fe, but at $5 it is also one of the cheapest!
Enchiladas
What
Enchiladas are very similar to burritos. The main difference is that they usually only have one cheese or one meat inside of a corn tortilla. The chile sauce is smothered on the outside. Instead of a rolled tortilla, New Mexican enchiladas are sometimes flat and stacked.
Where
Tres Colores in Santa Fe is a good place to try a stacked enchilada. It’s a casual spot where you order at the counter and then sit indoors or outdoors.
Tamales
What
Tamales are made with a corn based dough. They are cooked and often served in corn husks. The filling is usually meat, beans, or cheese. After the red or green chile is poured on, you will have a New Mexican tamale!
Where
Church Street Cafe is a cool spot in Old Town Albuquerque. It looks small from the outside, but there are many unique rooms inside and a great garden patio out back.
Alongside chile, frijoles (beans) are New Mexico’s other state vegetable. Beans are also part of the three sisters alongside corn and squash. These three foods are in many New Mexican dishes. The tamale plate is a good way to eat all of these New Mexican classics in one meal. The corn is used to make the tamale and frijoles and calabacitas (squash) can accompany the vegetarian or pork tamales. Last but not least, chile covers the tamales.
Frito Pie
What
Frito pie is one of New Mexico’s favorite comfort foods. It’s often served right in a bag of Fritos. Meat is added alongside cheese and sometimes onions, jalapeños, or other taco-type toppings. In this state you know there is going to be chile!
Where
Fritos were invented in Texas, but New Mexico claims to have created frito pie. The Five and Dime General store, the former Woolworth’s in Santa Fe, argues that they were the first place to serve it back in the 1960s. Whether it was first or not, you can still eat it there right out of the bag just like people did decades ago.
Only a few feet away at the Plaza Cafe, taco pie is served on a plate. This one had a real kick to it!
Green Chile Cheeseburger
What
You can find a hamburger in any state, but one with green chile is a New Mexico invention. It doesn’t take long to learn everything tastes better with New Mexican chiles added!
Where
The Green Chile Cheeseburger Trail will give you enough options to have a green chile cheeseburger from a different place every week for a year! Needless to say I haven’t tried them all, but I can recommend the Burger Stand at Burro Alley in Santa Fe. I have since had a burger and realized I am forever spoiled by green chile on a burger. Burgers will never be the same without it. The Burger Stand also has really good sweet potato fries with paprika, cinnamon, and sugar.
New Mexican Chiles in Meats
Sausage
What
Sausages are common at fairs, festivals, and other outdoor events. Green chile sausages aren’t quite as common!
Where
Red Mesa Meats cooks their green chile pork sausage at the Saturday farmers market at the Railyard. The sausage on a stick is a great twist from a traditional sausage. Mustard is an option, but you’re on a New Mexico chile foodie adventure so get the Christmas sauce which is a spicy honey drizzled on top.
Beef Jerky
What
If you’re a fan of beef jerky, then you need to try the local New Mexican version.
Where
Oakeley’s Jerky Company is based in Santa Fe. All their beef jerky and beef sticks are locally made in New Mexico. Make sure to visit the store in Old Town Santa Fe for a generous helping of samples including the red chile and green chile jerkies.
New Mexican Chiles in Soups
Posolé
What
Spelled posole or pozole, this is a traditional soup made with corn. It originated from the Aztec Empire in Mexico and became an important soup for indigenous people in the southwest. Now it’s easy to find on many New Mexican restaurant menus.
Originally in Mexico it was served at celebrations with human flesh! Luckily after the Spanish conquest cannibalism was banned. Not to fear, the posole you will enjoy today typically includes pork or chicken instead! It can be blanco (white), rojo (red), or verde (green). Red or green chile serves as a star ingredient in the last two versions.
Where
I tried red chile beef bone posolé at the Indian Pueblo Kitchen at the Indian Pueblo Cultural Center in Albuquerque. It wasn’t too spicy, but the amazing fry bread is the perfect accompaniment if it does get too spicy.
Other Soups
What
If posole doesn’t appeal to you, there are plenty of other stews and chowders that feature chile. Even chicken soup in NM will often have green chile in it!
Where
The corn chowder with green chile at The Shed was very good on a cool night. The complimentary garlic bread is the perfect accompaniment. The Santa Fe restaurant has a beautiful outdoor patio. Make reservations ahead of time as the restaurant fills up fast!
New Mexican Chiles in Breads and Sweets
Chocolate
What
Researchers believe Indigenous people in New Mexico were trading for and consuming cacao many years ago. Instead of the chocolate bars and truffles of today, they drank it as an elixir. Today New Mexican chocolate shops create chocolates both in traditional and modern ways.
We all know and love chocolate, but have you had it with chile in it before? Albuquerque and Santa Fe are home to several artisan chocolate shops making bars and barks infused with chile. Many truffle and candy flavors also include chile.
Where
Eldora Chocolate in Albuquerque gives private behind the scenes tours of their small local shop and kitchen. It’s a great way to try a variety of their chocolates, including their chili blast chocolate bar! I was warned to start with a medium spice chocolate bar (zesty mango pinon) and then graduated to the chili blast. It certainly was a blast of heat! I wouldn’t be able to eat a whole bar in one setting. Well I suppose you shouldn’t do that anyway!
Santa Fe is full of chocolate shops. Kakawa Chocolate has a variety of chile products including chocolate covered chiles, chile elixirs, chile solid dark chocolates, and chile caramels. The green chile caramel was the perfect flavor combination of chile, chocolate, and caramel.
Chocolate Maven is full of delectable baked goods. Right now they are baking their red chile chocolate pecan pie! You’ll be delighted with the wide array of chocolate offerings at Señor Murphy Candymaker. I had a milk chocolate chile cream. It’s amazing how good chile tastes in every form!
Learn more about all five of the chocolate stops on the Santa Fe Chocolate Trail in my Santa Fe guide.
Bagels
What
Bread is a basic food found around the world. Most cultures have a bread that they are known for. Indigenous people baked horno bread and fry bread. They can both be found throughout the state. You probably won’t be surprised to learn that chile is added to all kinds of bread too!
Where
Boultawn’s Bagelery is a cute cafe with a menu and bakery case full of scrumptious baked goods. After having their green chile cheese bagel I will believe their claim of having the best bagels in New Mexico!
New Mexico Food Tours
Are you short on time or want some help putting together your New Mexican chile checklist? A food tour is a great way to try a lot of places in a short period of time, while learning about New Mexico from a local. The Flavors Food Tour of Santa Fe includes many of the foods mentioned in this post like green chile cheeseburgers, enchiladas, and chocolate. The Flavors Tour of Old Town Albuquerque also includes New Mexican chile favorites like posole.
On your next visit to New Mexico, make sure you keep count and see how many ways you can try New Mexican chiles! If I helped you discover new ways to try New Mexican chiles, please consider supporting me by buying me a coffee!
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