I Stopped Putting Chili Powder In My Chili. Now I Use Habaneros, And It Tastes Twice As Good

Cooking up a big pot of chili that you can enjoy over multiple days or a cozy weekend is one of life's great culinary pleasures. For many of us, it was our first experience with meal prepping since one cook leads to days worth of food. One of the best things about chili is how customizable it is. There are numerous secret ingredients for chili that have been passed down through generations of families (such as cinnamon), and these lesser-known ingredients for a traditional pot of chili should be celebrated. 

There's nothing wrong with cooking a pot of chili the way grandma used to make, but we suggest replacing the typical chili powder, which adds smoky chili flavor, and cayenne powder, which is commonly used to achieve spicy heat, with a fresh (or freshly frozen) habanero. Yep, one whole habanero; it delivers a bright, floral flavor with a nice, even heat throughout each bite of chili. For people who prefer a mild-to-medium spice level, fear not; using only a single habanero and cooking it down with aromatics (such as sautéed onions, garlic, tomato sauce and paste, and beef fat) is delicious and doesn't torch your taste buds. If you prefer it less spicy, remove the ribs (the white internal parts of the pepper) and omit all the seeds. Those are what bring the heat.

Chili con carne is famous for its fresh jalapeños diced on top of the beans and meat in the base chili. While that's a delicious method to add an extra kick, you can also cook down jalapeños to flavor your chili. Remove the ribs and seeds to achieve a milder heat (just like when preparing habanero chili), then cook them down with the aromatics. When you substitute chili powder and cayenne powder with a well-roasted jalapeño, you still get that smoky, rich flavor. It's just different; a little fresher, a little brighter, and earthy.

If you love the sweetness that cornbread provides at the bottom of your chili bowl, you should know it complements the fruity essence from the habanero extremely well. However, suppose you're intimidated by straight-up habaneros in your chili but still want to lean into a sweet-and-spicy flavor. In that case, you can always infuse honey with habaneros for a milder flavor that pairs well with cornbread, plus you have the bragging rights of making your own hot honey. You can also consider candied jalapeños, which are much sweeter and also incredibly flavorful.