Welcome to Chili Pepper Madness, where spicy food is always on the menu. We are here to bring you easy-to-follow recipes you can make at home whenever you want, and as SPICY as you want, too.
Hey there, I’m Mike! (Also known as the guy behind Chili Pepper Madness!)
I’m a 2-time cookbook author and lifelong chilihead who’s been obsessed with bold, spicy flavors for as long as I can remember. Together with my wife, Patty, I’ve built Chili Pepper Madness into a go-to resource for anyone who loves adding a kick of heat or bold flavor to their cooking.
My goal is simple: to show you how to take everyday ingredients and turn them into exciting, flavor-packed dishes you’ll love to make and share.
Whether you’re a fan of fiery heat or just a hint of spice, I’ve got recipes, pro tips, and proven techniques to help you bring bold flavors to life in your kitchen. I’m here to help you grow as a cook and maybe as a chilihead, too!
I’m constantly inspired by the incredible ways chili peppers and other vibrant ingredients are used around the world, from comforting American classics with a spicy twist to global cuisines like Thai, Sichuan, and Caribbean, and many other countries.
Every recipe on Chili Pepper Madness is developed, tested, styled, and photographed by me (with help from Patty in the Photography department!) I don’t hire this out like so many other recipe sites. No way! I love bringing my passion for spice to your life!
I started this site over 25 years ago, long before food blogs were a thing, as a way to share my love of chili peppers and hot sauce. It was originally called Jalapeno Madness, but we’ve evolved and we’ve been growing and growing ever since.
We now have millions of visits every month, nearly 200K followers on Pinterest, 78K+ on Facebook, 50K+ on Instagram, and 140K+ on YouTube. I love connecting with you all!
I was even the YouTube Creator of the Day and have a silver plaque from YouTube! How awesome is that?
Patty and I recently made the move from Chicago, IL, to Charlotte, NC, where we’ve been exploring Southern food and BBQ, adding even more depth to our love of spicy cuisine.
We make it a point to travel frequently to study and experience food from around the world. We’ve been all over the United States, the Caribbean, Mexico, Spain, Hungary, Brazil, Argentina, Australia, Hawaii, even Antarctica!
Everywhere we go we seek out culinary knowledge in the form of cooking classes, food tours, and events, all in search of delicious cuisine so I can share what I learn with you.
Whether you’re a seasoned cook or just getting started, I’m here to help you level up your cooking game.
Let’s get spicy together! Check out my Recipe Index with over 1,000 recipes and dive into the world of bold, exciting flavors.
Features
I am proud to have been featured on YouTube Creator of the Day, WGN News, the Dishing Podcast, and Chile Pepper Magazine, where I was a writer for years.
I’ve been featured on CNN, NY Times, Buzzfeed, Taste of Home, Delish, PopSugar, SheKnows, and Parade.
I’ve also been featured by some fellow food bloggers including Recipe Tin Eats, Tastes Better from Scratch, Salt and Lavender and Downshiftology.
What You'll Find at Chili Pepper Madness
- Lots of Easy Recipes. Some recipes take a while to make and require a certain number of steps, but that isn't my focus. You'll find many recipes you can make in 30 minutes or so and don't require a ton of ingredients.
- Customizable Heat Levels. My recipes are spicy, sure, but I do my best to show you how to adjust them to your own preferred heat and spice level. We believe that flavor is the most important thing, not just heat.
- Dishes from Around the World. Spicy food can be found all over the world, and I just love to learn about it. Thai cuisine has some of the hottest food in the world, as does Chinese cuisine, particularly from the Sichuan region. But I follow the spices and peppers all over, from Asia to South America and anywhere I can follow.
- Classic American Dishes. America has so much to offer when it comes to food, especially spicy food with big flavor. You'll find Cajun cooking (a favorite!), dishes from the American south such as BBQ, low country cooking and more, regional favorites and anything I think you'll love.
- Chili Peppers! I am so obsessed with chili peppers, hence the name of the site. I grow a big variety every year, from milder sweet peppers to the hottest of the superhots. And I cook with them all. You'll find a big list of chili pepper types, preserving information, growing information and more so you can seriously rock the garden and make your own unique recipes and spices from scratch.
- Superhot Recipes. Yes, I have many recipes for those chiliheads at the top of the scale, including recipes with ghost peppers, scorpion peppers, the Carolina Reaper and more.
- Hot Sauce Recipes. This is where I began! I love making my own hot sauce and can show you how to make many different types, including fermented and non-fermented.
I hope you'll explore the site and learn for yourself.
A Bit About Mike
- I'm the Content Creator. I make all the recipes and write them up, as well as write all of the content here on the site. Everything comes from me. I style the dishes and take some of the photos, but that is primarily Patty's job, which leaves me more time to cook!
- I'm a Cookbook Author. I am the author of "The Spicy Food Lovers' Cookbook", "The Spicy Dehydrator Cookbook", and others. By my books alone, you can tell that I am a spicy food aficionado.
- I'm a Screenwriter. Yes, I am a produced screenwriter. Here is the IMDB link if you'd care to take a look. My produced credits include the movies VICTIM, ARENA (starring Samuel L. Jackson and Kellan Lutz) and 12 FEET DEEP. I've been hired to write studio scripts and have optioned others as well. I'm still actively writing.
- I'm a Fiction Writer. I love to write fiction, mostly darker stuff, horror, thrillers. I've published fiction novels and numerous short stories, and have even edited an anthology. I'm also an active member of the Horror Writers Association and get to vote for the Stoker awards. See more about my screenwriting and fiction.
- I'm a Beer Lover. I love craft beer and actively explore local breweries. My favorites are IPAs, Pale Ales and Wheat Beers, though there are so many to enjoy.
A Bit About Patty
- I’m the Photographer, Organizer and Anything Needed. I feel super lucky to be able to do this job full time and I love every minute of it. It’s so great to wake up each morning excited about your job. I’m so passionate about food and love seeing all of you making the recipes and finding your own enjoyment in the dishes.
- I Love Gardening. I love growing our own peppers, tomatoes and other yummy delights. Fresh herbs and produce make every dish taste so much better and I find so much joy in growing it ourselves.
- I Love Spicy Food. Working on our Madness websites has been very rewarding for me. I’m a total converted chilihead now and crave the spice that Mike cooks all the time. There is rarely a dish served in our house without a chili pepper in it, or some sort of spicy flavor blast, and I love it.
- I Love Traveling. I love planning trips and going on them. We moved to North Carolina not too long ago so we could be between the mountains and the beach. I love to relax on the beach with a book or go hiking in the mountains and now we can do this very easily. I also love foodie trips and traveling all over the world. I'm always looking to experience the food in various places. And I love to plan parties, with food always being the most important part.
Some Recent Favorite Recipes
- Pollo Asado Recipe. Mexican roast chicken is so good! It's the ultimate roast chicken with bone-in chicken marinated in citrus and spices, quick grilled then roasted for big flavor. So tender and juicy.
- Kung Pao Chicken Recipe. This is the ultimate stir fry with chunks of marinated chicken stir fried with peppers, scallions and peanuts and an easy but flavorful sauce. Nice and spicy.
- Tikka Masala Recipe. This recipe is a creamy Indian-style curry with chunks of yogurt-marinated roasted chicken simmered in a flavorful curry sauce. It is very comforting and perfect for any curry lover.
- Texas Chili Recipe. A bowl of perfection right here! This Texas chili is authentic, meaty, just the right amount of spicy, and not a chili bean in sight.
- Grilled Jerk Chicken Wings. These chicken wings are huge on flavor, with wings rubbed down with loads of jerk seasoning, then grilled until nice and crispy. Fire up that grill, my friends!
- Smoked Jalapeno Poppers. This is the ultimate party food with bacon wrapped jalapeno peppers stuffed with loads of melty cheese and seasonings, then smoked for the most outstanding flavor. These will be your new favorite poppers!
- Homemade Buffalo Sauce Recipe. This is so easy to make with hot sauce, butter, Worcestershire sauce, vinegar and more – it’s so much better than anything you can grab from the store.
- Muffaletta Sandwich Recipe. I love this one! This is the ultimate sandwich from New Orleans, piled high with Italian meats, cheese, and a homemade spicy olive tapenade. Feeds a crowd!
- See Mike's Favorite Recipes and Patty's Favorite Recipes.
Gerry says
Mike, when I was in Thailand, any small local restaurant had a small bowl of sliced peppers, red or green, floating in a fluid that looked like vinegar/water. A teaspoon of liquid with a half dozen chili pieces made the meal. Is this as simple and uncomplicated as it needs to be?
Mike Hultquist says
Gerry, yes, that's pretty common in many cuisines around the world, simply chilies in vinegar, from Hawaiian pepper water to Puerto Rican pique. The chilies infuse the vinegar with flavor and heat, and the vinegar pickles (preserves) the chilies. There are many variations. Wonderful stuff!
Bill Krumbein says
I love carnitas. I love BBQ ribs. Have you created a carnitas dry rub to use on ribs?
Mike Hultquist says
Hey, Bill. I don't have that specifically, but I do have some blends you might try:
Carne Asada Seasoning: https://www.chilipeppermadness.com/recipes/carne-asada-seasoning-recipe/
Chili Powder: https://www.chilipeppermadness.com/recipes/chili-powder/
This Fajita Seasoning might get close: https://www.chilipeppermadness.com/chili-pepper-recipes/spice-blends/homemade-fajita-seasoning/
See all of my Spice Blend Recipes here: https://www.chilipeppermadness.com/chili-pepper-recipes/spice-blends/
John R Stewart says
I am wanting a recipe for hot chow chow. Do have one?
Mike H. says
Hi John. How about this one?
Bruce says
Hi Mike. My name is Bruce and I subscribe to your recipes. I grow my own peppers and love making hot sauce creations. My question concerns labeling the product. Do you know of any truly free label templates? Great site and recipes.
Thanks.
Mike Hultquist says
Hey, Bruce. Sorry, I don't know any of those. I'm sure there are a number of them out there. Good luck! I appreciate it!
Christine J Paull says
Do you have any recipes for Portuguese linguica?
Mike Hultquist says
Not on the site, but that is actually on my list. Hopefully soon!
Dee Timbers says
I had misplaced the name and recipe for that jar of wonderfulness in my refrigerator. Finally! Salsa Macha! No refrigerator should be without.
Mike Hultquist says
Yes, I love Salsa Macha!
Shelley Produn says
No matter where I look I do not see a pre-order form for your new cookbook-Flavor Madness.
I would like to pre-order.
Mike Hultquist says
It's up NOW, Shelley! Thanks for your support!
Dr. Michael M. Ellis says
What is the name of your latest book? Will Amazon.com carry it?
Mike Hultquist says
It is "Flavor Madness" - I have information here: https://www.chilipeppermadness.com/flavor-madness-cookbook/. It will be sold only through the web site for the foreseeable future. Thanks for your interest and support!
Jeanette says
Your recipe for chicken and sausage gumbo I definitely want to make this fall. I know you touched upon not using okra which I don't like. Could I just leave it out and make the recipe without it, or do I have to make adjustments? I like both zucchini or green beans, but I'm not sure if they will add to it.
Mike Hultquist says
Jeanette, you can definitely make gumbo without okra. No problem at all. Easy to skip with no adjustments. Enjoy!
Israel Adames Hernandez says
Question? What are the ingredients for making any hot sauce?
Mike Hultquist says
See my Hot Sauce Recipes here: https://www.chilipeppermadness.com/chili-pepper-recipes/hot-sauces/
Claude says
I just wanted to thank you for your wonderful recipes. I live in a small village in the middle of the mountains in central Mexico. I am a retired chef, and fortunately, I can get hold of most of the chiles in your recipes. I thought I ate spicy enough but some of your recipes have really surprised me. I feel very lucky to have found your site. Also thanks to your wife, now that I know all she does to get the recipes posted. May you both have a long, wonderful life, full of blessings.
Mike Hultquist says
Thank you so very much, Claude. You are too kind. I'm very glad to be helpful.
Cheryll K says
Question: when to use corn tortillas and when to use the white flour tortillas? I never which to buy or make with each variety.
Mike Hultquist says
It's really about flavor choice, Cheryll. I feel the yellow corn tortillas have more "corn" flavor. Either will work for pretty much any recipe.