Updated on April 9th, 2023
If you are always enjoying a hot and spicy dish, you must have come across canned green chilies in your recipes. Notably, you should know that green chili peppers are delicious and have several health benefits that make them even more appealing to consume.
Green Chilies Nutrition Facts
Green peppers have a medium to high heat level, and their smokey flavor makes them one of the most prevalent ingredients in cuisines – especially in India.
However, what can I use instead if you don’t like the heat of the canned green chilies, or if you don’t have any in your house or your local grocery store doesn’t have any in stock?
I will answer this question by walking you through some of the finest canned green chilies substitutions so you can always make a recipe even if you don’t have any canned green chilies on hand.
What is Canned Green Chilies
Green chilies (also known as Hatch Green Chiles) are a spicy, somewhat sweet, and earthy ingredient that can enhance the spicy, slightly sweet, and earthy flavor of foods such as Relleno, Quesadillas, and other melted cheese dishes.
If you like smoky meals, harvest it early (before it ripens – when it is still green) and roast it; it will have a smoky and forward flavor.
Green chiles are available in different varieties – fresh, pickled, or canned. From the canned versions, it’s possible to make whole, sliced, or chopped chilies.
The common procedure while canning green chilies allows preservatives such as calcium chloride and citric acid. In addition, most canned green chilies are all roasted, resulting in a soft, consistent texture.
You can use them in a wide range of foods, including appetizers, soups, stews, egg dishes, main courses, snacks, and sauces.
Canned Green Chilies Uses in Recipes
Canned green chilies are an economical and effective way to add a burst of flavor to recipes. You can incorporate this versatile ingredient into a variety of cuisines.
- Green Chili Black Beans
- Spanish Rice
- Simple Green Chile Tomato Salsa
- Mexican-styled Green Chili Chicken Casserole
- Stuffed Green Chili
- Green Chili Rice
- Green Chili and Chicken Fajitas
- Green Chili Chicken Stew
- Green Chili Chicken & Potato Skillet
- Baked Penne Pasta with Green Chilis
- Beef Green Chili
- One Pan Keto Green Chili Chicken
- Cheesy Green Chili Rice
- Creamy Beef and Green Chili Casserole
- Green Chili Meatballs
Canned Green Chilies Substitutes
Canned green chilies are an essential addition to several tasty recipes. This is a good reason to also learn about other excellent substitutes you can introduce to your recipe when it calls for canned green chilies and you don’t have any on hand.
I have highlighted some fine canned green chilies alternatives for your recipe:
Jalapeno Pepper
If you are in a pinch – or the spiciness isn’t enough for you in a recipe – you can easily substitute canned green chilies for jalapeno peppers.
The jalapeno pepper is a medium-sized chili pepper pod commonly harvested and consumed when still green. However, it can also be fully mature and turn red, orange, or yellow on rare occasions.
Notably, because of their high heat level – which may significantly modify the flavor – jalapeno peppers are frequently used as a spicy seasoning added to a recipe rather than as major ingredients.
Green chilies are usually roasted or fried before cooking, but jalapeno peppers are best when used raw in uncooked recipes. Nonetheless, they still taste amazing when cooked.
Most grocery stores should have jalapeno peppers, so that’s not a problem. Moreover, they can be kept fresh in the refrigerator for two weeks.
Poblano Pepper
Poblano peppers are a decent substitute for green chili peppers when you find yourself in a pinch.
These green peppers have a smoky flavor and a heat rating of 1000 to 2000 SHU. Therefore, if you wish to add smoky tones, you can use them instead of green chiles.
The poblano peppers have pods approximately 4 inches long, dark green in hue, then ripen to a dark red or brown tint. They’re usually picked when they’re still green for regular recipes and cooking.
These mild peppers are huge, and their skins are thick, making them ideal for stuffing since they will hold up well in the oven. They are frequently roasted, peeled, or dried when cooking with them.
You can easily incorporate poblano peppers in your recipe if you want to spice up your dinner. Notably, they are delicious, especially when you decide to roast them.
Banana Peppers
Since they are easy to come by and have moderate heat, banana peppers may be considered the most popular green chili substitute.
Banana peppers have a slightly acidic, fruity flavor with a mild to medium level of spiciness on the Scoville Scale, scoring between 500 units. They will work wonderfully to replace green chiles in your recipe thanks to their tanginess – no need to worry that they may be too overbearing, that’s not the case.
Furthermore, the hotness of the peppers varies depending on their maturity, so you may need to use more to obtain the same level of spiciness as canned green chilis.
Notably, banana peppers can be eaten raw or pickled, and they are typically used in salsas, stews, and dips. They also go nicely with various sorts of meat and work well in sandwiches and salads.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What sort of chiles are in canned green chilies?
Green chilies are commonly packaged as Anaheim (New Mexico chile), Poblano, or Pasilla, generally milder chilies. Green chiles are used in various cuisines, including appetizers, soups, stews, egg dishes, main courses, snacks, and sauces.
Is there a difference between chilis and peppers?
Chilies belong to the genus “Capsicum,” while peppers belong to “Piper.” Piperine, a molecule associated with a biting sensation, is found in the berries of Piper genus plants. Though peppers are typically described as “hot,” chilies are significantly spicier than peppers.
Are green chilies simply red ones that haven’t ripened yet?
Green chili is a red or yellow chili that hasn’t fully ripened. Green chilies ripen and turn red in the same way that fruits do.
Conclusion
Canned green chilies are a key ingredient in many of our favorite meals. These tasty vegetables range from mild to spicy, and they give depth to soups, sandwiches, salsas, and more.
Fortunately, there are a variety of substitutes for green chilis, some of which are hotter and others of which are softer, so depending on the flavoring or spice you’re looking for, you’ll be able to uncover something that tastes similar to green chilis.