Fans of McDonald’s and of peppers in general who don’t live in New Mexico may not be as familiar with Hatch green chiles. So what’s so special about them, and what do they taste like? Are Hatch green chile peppers spicy?
According to Food & Wine, Hatch chiles all come from Hatch, New Mexico, and there are different varieties of the chile. The spice level of these chiles depends on the type, but Chili Pepper Madness says that they can be around as spicy as a jalapeno or two-thirds less spicy.
Here’s what chef Nate Cotanch told Food & Wine he does with Hatch green chiles: “The big thing about Hatch Chiles is their overall versatility since you can use them in basically any dish. They’re great for stews, sautés, sauces, and dips like queso, hummus, or salsa.
They’re also perfect for topping a burger or pizza with. Growing up, we even put them in our apple pie at Thanksgiving. The way that the sweetness of the apples mixes with the flavorful, smokiness of the spiced chiles works really well.” So, should McDonald’s put Hatch chiles on its famous apple pie?