Green Chile 101
What is it? And why is it on everything? Here's what you need to know about this Mile High must-try
You’ve just moved to Colorado, and you find yourself in a local restaurant, craving something hearty. You scan the menu. Your eyes land on a smothered burrito, a local favorite. You place your order and, without missing a beat, your server smiles and asks, “Red or green?”
No, they aren’t talking about Christmas lights or asking about your favorite color. Your server is asking about one of the state’s most burning questions: red or green chile?
If you’re new here, you may be confused. Chile? Don’t they mean chili? Not quite.
Chile vs. Chili
In Colorado and much of the Southwest, “chile” refers to a spicy, stew-like sauce that’s made from roasted chile peppers—either red or green, depending on ripeness and roasting—and often includes pork. Green chiles turn red as they ripen and lose chlorophyll, changing both their color and flavor.
After chiles are roasted, they are steamed for easy peeling and seeding, then chopped up and added to a pot of onions, garlic, broth, spices, and pork. The end result is a delectable sauce that’s poured generously over everything from burritos and enchiladas to eggs and fries.
“Chili,” on the other hand, usually refers to a ground beef and bean stew more common in Texas or the Midwest. It’s tasty in its own right, but around here, it’s all about the chile.
Colorado vs. New Mexico
The state’s most famous chiles are grown in Pueblo, Colorado, about two hours south of Denver. The semi-arid climate is perfect for growing peppers, a tradition that dates back to the 19th century. The namesake Pueblo pepper, however, was created much later—in the 1990s, by Colorado State University agriculture professor Michael Bartolo. Bartolo took a prized green chile pepper seed passed down from his uncle and used it to develop new and improved varieties.
The now-famous Pueblo pepper packs the perfect punch. Its heat ranges from 5,000 to 20,000 Scoville heat units (SHU), which measures the pungency or spiciness of peppers based on the concentration of capsaicin. The heat in a Pueblo chile is comparable to a spicy jalapeno.
Just south of Colorado lies another perfect place for growing peppers: Hatch, New Mexico, just 100 miles north of the U.S.-Mexico border. Hatch green chiles are a result of an ongoing breeding effort at New Mexico State University, which began in the early 21st century. Hatch green chiles are not as spicy as Pueblo chiles, ranging from 500 to 3,000 Scoville heat units.
Since the creation of the Pueblo chile, Colorado and New Mexico have engaged in a friendly rivalry over which state has the best pepper. Over the years, both states have exchanged jabs. In 2019, New Mexico took out a billboard near Pueblo which read “137 miles to real green chile.” That same year, Colorado Governor Jared Polis celebrated Whole Foods’ decision to sell Pueblo green chiles in its stores calling it the “best chile in the world” and joked that New Mexico stores will only be offering the “inferior New Mexico chile.”
Setting the roasts aside, the rivalry has added some flavor—pun intended—to the region’s rich chile culture.
Where to get green chile
You can get green chile year-round on your favorite dishes and in grocery stores. However, if you’re looking for the freshest chiles or even to make your own sauce, the best time is during the fall. For a true taste of tradition, head to Pueblo, where it all began. Each year, on the third weekend after Labor Day, the city hosts a chile festival celebrating the region’s rich agriculture and bountiful fresh chiles. No matter where or how you eat your chile, enjoy the heat!