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 3-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! Learn more about my philosophy and how I test all of my recipes.
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, 176K+ on Facebook, 58K+ on Instagram, and 230K+ 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 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.
Barb DeMartin says
I am concerned if my serrano pepper mash is any good. I removed seeds before running through food processor. I packed in jars, and put on a salt brine, then put a weight on top, and sealed with saran wrap. I have removed the white stuff off the top and sides several times. The mash is several months old, has been kept in recommended temp ranges, smells slightly sours, tastes okay, but is mushy except for the skins. I can taste the heat of the peppers, but should I proceed with a sauce or toss? This is my first time doing this.
Mike Hultquist says
Hi, Barb. It's odd to keep getting the white stuff. Sounds like it's kahm yeast, based on what you're smelling/tasting. Kahm yeast is smooth. If it is fuzzy, you should likely toss it. Really trust your senses here, eyes, nose, taste.
Cynthia Weaver says
I made a batch of hotsauce using a variey of peppers including ghost pepper, habenaro and serenos and used your sereno pepper receipe. this is my third year making it. i noticed this time after a couple weeks in the fridge unopened I am seeing separation of the pepper pariculates and clear liquid. i have not seen that before. the bottles are already sealed and have been refridgerated the whole time. i did ferment them a bit longer than normal and might have used a bit more brine in the cooking process than it calls for, is this normal? should I be concerned? When I shake the bottle it reblends but I just wondered as I havent seen this in the past.
Mike Hultquist says
This is completely normal, Cynthia, due to the amount of liquid. As you've done, you can just shake it and it comes back together. All good! Enjoy!
Mari says
Hello Mike,
I’ve made the fermented pepper sauce using a variety of peppers over the last years, including this one. This year, my newly bottled (and refrigerated) sauces are bubbling/fizzing when I shake them. Should I be concerned? Do I need to do heat the sauces and bottle them?
Thank you for your insight.
Mari
Mike Hultquist says
Hi, Mari. It's possible they are still slowly fermenting if you didn't cook them. Refrigeration slows fermentation, but doesn't always stop it. You can simply burp the bottles now and then to avoid them exploding, or cook them off, though this negates the probiotic benefits.
Kym says
Hola Mike,
No Brazilian recipies? Brazilian cuisine has some incredible dishes from the state of Bahia with lots of different peppers; vegetables, seafood, etc. My favorite is Moqueca de camarao and Acaraje. I lived in brazil for 23 years and ate my way through every state. Brazil has incredible food, especially from the north!
Mike Hultquist says
Thanks, Kym. I have a number of South American recipes, mostly Peruvian, but am working my way into Brazilian. I actually have a recipe for moqueca in my cookbook. More soon, I hope!
William says
I didn't find a recipe for laksa. Do you have one?
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-australia-67259696
Thanks for the great Bo Kho and Yukgaejang recipes.
Mike Hultquist says
I have this on my list, William. I hope to get to it soon!
Robin says
Afternoon Michael,
I'm a confirmed chilli head and have produced my own hot sauce variations based on recipes I have seen. Being in London (England) we have a few shops that have differing chilli types, finding things to do with scotch bonnets isn't a problem, but we have a local chop that have a lot of Sivri biber (turkish chillis) both sweet and mild and wondered if you had any ideas, recipes or advice as to how to use these as I know I can get them in abundance.
Thanks
Robin
Mike Hultquist says
Hi, Robin. Thanks for commenting. There are many ways you can use the Sivri Biber peppers, and honestly, you can sub them into just about any recipe on this site. They do make great sauces and powders, so I would keep that in mind. Also consider jellies/jams and relishes.
LB says
Hi Mike:
I have 2+ lbs Lemon Spice Jalapeño’s fermenting. Do you have any suggestions for making a hot sauce that highlights their bright yellow color, as well as tastes good?
Mike Hultquist says
LB, you really can use just about any of my hot sauce recipes with them, but here are 2 you might consider:
https://www.chilipeppermadness.com/chili-pepper-recipes/hot-sauces/fermented-aji-garlic-hot-sauce/
https://www.chilipeppermadness.com/chili-pepper-recipes/hot-sauces/sweet-garlic-chili-hot-sauce/
Dana Rule says
Hi Mike, I have a recipe that calls for 2 tsp finely chopped, canned, chipotle chili peppers in adobo sauce.
I don't have canned chipotle chili peppers, but I do have both Adobo spice blend powder & Chipotle chili pepper powder.
Could you please advise how much of each of these powders I could use to substitute for the 2 tsp finely chopped, canned chipotle chili peppers in adobo sauce? I have tried googling it every which way, but can't find an answer to this.
Thank you so much!
Dana
Mike H. says
Hi Dana, substituting dry spices isn't perfect in terms of texture and flavor, but hey, it can work if you are in a pinch. Keep in mind that both powders can be quite strong, so it is important that you start small and taste your dish as you add them. Add more only if you are 100% sure that you need to. For the amounts, I would probably start with 1/2 - 1 teaspoon of adobo spice blend powder and 1/4 - 1/2 teaspoon of chipotle powder. If that's enough to your preference - great. If not - increase a bit and taste after each addition. And please come back to let me know the proportions you will end up with!
Ronald Mocny says
The armadillo eggs....cook before or after freezing?
Thanks, Ron
Mike Hultquist says
Ronald, you can freeze them after assembly (before cooking), then bake them from frozen until cooked through. Enjoy!
Doug says
Hi Mike— I fell in love with both the mustard and tomato based Matouk’s hot sauces while traveling in Trinidad many years ago. Do you have any clone recipes for those on your site? The one that looks similar is the Jamaican scotch bonnet but I don’t recall cumin or Chayote in the Matouk’s.
Glenn Huszti says
Hi Mike,
I see some hot sauce recipes were you put the ingredients in the blender and blend till smooth and then add to add a sauce pan and simmer on low for some period of time. Is it advisable if I have some high end blender like a Vitamix or Blendtec and instead of blending ingredients and adding to saucepan to continue to blend on the soup setting until I achieve the same temperate as the simmer does? I am only on my third attempt at making sauce and it has been a lot of fun.
Pam says
I just wanted to say that I absolutely love your gumbo recipe. Thank you for sharing.
Mike H. says
I appreciate taking the time, Pam. Enjoy!
Dave says
I grow elderberry, 50 lbs this year . Best year in ten years . I’m making some reductions with hot peppers. Anyone else ?
Jennifer D Griffith says
HI, I am new to dehydrating. I started yesterday and just looking for some tips, my significant other and his brother are about to start a cooking show here soon (you tube and tick toc) anyhow we are always cooking, and I buy so many different seasonings I figured why not try to start making my own for them as well. I am glad I came across your page!
Mike Hultquist says
Thanks, Jennifer! Happy dehydrating!