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.
John R Stewart says
Mike, Do you have a recipe for hot southern style chow chow? Thanks, John
Mike Hultquist says
John, I have this Chow Chow Recipe here - https://www.chilipeppermadness.com/preserving-chili-peppers/chile-cucumber-chow-chow/. But I want to add another version as well in the future. This is tasty, though!
Catana Lucero says
Hi Mike, I’m currently preparing pickled tomatoes and pickled jalapeños from our garden using your recipes. I want to clarify something. What do you mean by “quick boil.” Is that the same as a “rapid boil,” or does it mean quickly as soon as a boil is achieved? I can’t find any clarification on the internet.
Mike Hultquist says
Catana, yes, it just means bringing it to a boil quickly at high heat. Then you can reduce and simmer as needed. I hope you enjoy them!
Tim says
I just have to say how much I love this site! I look forward to the newsletters and I can't say how many times it's saved me with our abundance of peppers from the garden. everything I've tried turns out great and I've tried a lot. keep up the amazing work!
Mike Hultquist says
Thanks so much, Tim! I'm always glad to be helpful!
William Roberts says
hey Mike. Been an email follower for quite a while. love the tips, tricks and ideas. My friends birthday today and got him your book. He's another Pepper Brother and loves it.
Mike Hultquist says
I greatly appreciate it, William. Thanks for much for spreading the word and buying my book!
Brad Burdick says
I love getting your emails and trying new things. My last experiment was to try your recipe for hot sauce. My tabasco sauce came out fantastic. Friends like it even more than the original. I also did a cayenne pepper sauce and surprisingly it tasted quite similar to the tabasco. Maybe you can explain why.
I could have sworn that you recently posted something about the products that you use. I'm always interested in finding what works best. But I can't find any reference to that. Can you help?
Mike Hultquist says
Hey, Brad. Yes, similar flavors due to the vinegar content and the peppers are similar in heat profile. I do have an Amazon Shop here with links to the products I use and recommend here: https://www.amazon.com/shop/chilipeppermadness
Stephen Tuttle says
Hey Mike,
I'm a long time fan and subscriber to CPM and like you, a transplanted Midwesterner (Michigan - Maine). We just didn't have the good sense to move to warmer climes.
I just tried your Ancho Crusted Porterhouse Steak recipe, albeit with a couple of nice strip steaks I had on hand, and it was AWESOME! My wife was a little leery of it at first, but she was won over by the first bite!
The recipe couldn't be any easier, and the results are magical.
Another win for you good sir, and keep it going!
Steve
Mike H. says
I appreciate it, Steve, and really happy you guys have enjoyed the recipe! There are many more to explore! =)
Russell Fisher says
Hi Mike,
Let me start by saying thank you for your inspiration for sauces, jams, and powders.
Chili pepper madness is my go to resource for all things chill related.
I’ve had some moderate success this year with my super hot.
For the first time I have grown big black mama peppers.
And now that I have them, not sure what to do with them.
Any ideas?
Thanks
Russell
Mike Hultquist says
Hey, Russell. Thanks so much. Got some hot peppers there! Honestly, you can use those peppers in just about any recipe here on the site. You can swap them in for any hot sauce, jam, sauce, you name it. You can mix them with other milder chilies to dial back the heat if needed, or go pure black mama if you want. You might consider dehydrating some to rehydrate later or for making powders, etc. Check out the preserving section for some inspiration. Let me know if anything specific stands out and I'm happy to help more.
Peter says
is there a cost to subscribe to your postings?
Mike Hultquist says
Peter, no, there is no charge. It is free, and you can unsubscribe at any time.
Barry Messer Barry Messer says
Mike, I've been looking for a hot sauce using chocolate, preferably unsweetened. I'll sweeten it later with monk fruit or something like that. I like all chocolates, milk, dark, etc. I just can't have the sugar.
Does such an animal exist? Sometimes people produce small batches of this, but I haven't seen it for a long time now. I want to make a homemade version.
If there is one perhaps you can put it on your list.
Many thanks
Barry
PS. I grew up in Seattle out in White Center and West Seattle areas. I miss it although my wife and I have been in Hannibal, MO for 30 years.
Mike Hultquist says
Hey, Barry. I've had a similar request for a chocolate type hot sauce 3 times this month. I guess I need to add it to my list! Yes, they do exist. Key is balancing it out, but a big issue is personal taste, as some want lots of chocolate flavor, some want more subtle. I'll have to think on this one.
Karen Harris says
Hi Chef! Loved your recipe. Wanted to share....
I've wanted to make this for years. My husband buys the giant jar of walnuts at Sam's Club. I noticed I had all the ingredients except peppers and the pomegranate molasses. It's my birthday, I'm unemployed, I treated myself to a $2.48 jar of roasted peppers and substituted the molasses with 2 tablespoons of Russian dressing at the bottom of a bottle and 1 pack of Burger King sweet and sour dip.
I forgot the lemon juice, I wish I hadn't. IT IS GOOD!!!! THANK YOU.
Karen
Mike Hultquist says
Nice!! Glad you enjoyed it, Karen! I love it.
Maggie says
Omg! Just tried the Bang Bang Shrimp recipe. Came out perfect. Amazing totally yummy flavor. Best ever. Love those peppers
Mike Hultquist says
Wonderful!!! Glad you enjoyed it, Maggie!
darren weimert says
Thanks for running this blog! I'm interested in purchasing paprika so I stumbled across your blog and it's great. My question is: What is the best brand of spanish (or non-spanish) smoked paprika out there? Labels can make the purchaser feel like it's special or high quality but it's not. You can pay $25 for a tube of toothpaste or $2, here are really only to active ingredients in it. Yet, look at the toothpaste choices—endless. Thanks for your blog and if you're able to get back to me, thanks!!
Mike Hultquist says
Hi, Darren. I'm not sure what the best brand of Spanish paprika is, as I haven't tried them all and I'm U.S.-based, so my options are limited. You might check with Spanish resources. I would steer away from the tubes (which are pastes) as you can make your own pastes from the ground product. Sorry, I wish I could help more.
Dan Barclay says
Mike,
I am a begginer in creating my own Hot sauces and salsas, i have tried several of your rescipes (LOVED EVERYONE) wow is all I can say. I was wondering if you have a book with salas ans sauces in it. I would love to pik that up if you do.
Dan Barclay
Grandpa Tex Chili's
Mike Hultquist says
Great to hear, Dan! I do not have a salsas book, but I do have a couple cookbooks listed at the top of the site, with a new cookbook coming out in November!