85 chili flake recipes

Texas-style chili con carne with diced beef, whole red chili pods, paprika, and a cornmeal-flour thickener. No beans, no tomato, just deep meaty heat from a long slow simmer.

Homemade Cajun chicken nuggets coated in onion soup mix, breadcrumbs, chili powder, cumin, and thyme. Pan-fried or microwaved. Makes about 5 dozen bite-sized pieces for a crowd.

A wonderful rich flavored dinner sausage with Italian cusines.

Spicy, creamy cheese dip loaded with green chiles, cumin, chili powder, and sour cream. The kind of party dip that empties the bowl before halftime and has everyone begging for the recipe.

Creamy kidney bean dip spiked with green chilis, red pepper flakes, garlic, and melted cheddar cheese. Serve warm with tortilla chips for a crowd-pleasing party appetizer.

Farm sausage is homemade country pork sausage seasoned with sage, herbs, and a kick of chili and red pepper. Shape it into a log, chill overnight, then slice and fry. No casings, no special gear, just real sausage from scratch.

Cajun chicken nuggets pan-fried in a spiced breadcrumb and onion soup mix coating with chili powder, cumin, thyme, and red pepper flakes. Kid-pleasing appetizer with grown-up Southern heat.

Lobster or shrimp fra diavolo in a spicy tomato sauce with red wine, hot peppers, garlic, and fresh herbs, tossed with pasta. Italian-American seafood at its boldest.

Roasted cauliflower with capers, anchovy-lemon dressing, and toasted garlic bread crumbs. A Sicilian-inspired side that caramelizes sliced cauliflower and finishes it with briny, crunchy punch.

Kentucky Colonel's pork BBQ sauce is a thin, vinegar-based basting sauce with black pepper, chili powder, Worcestershire, hot sauce, dry mustard, and butter. A tangy, peppery Kentucky-style mop sauce that's all heat and no tomato.

Thai jungle curry paste (kaeng paa) pounded from shallots, garlic, galangal, lemongrass, dried chilies, kaffir lime leaf and shrimp paste. Fiery, herbal base for water-based Thai curries.

Moroccan eggplant salad with fried eggplant, garlic, cumin, and red pepper dressed in olive oil and lemon juice. A warm-spiced appetizer served at room temperature.

A generous hit of paprika with a hint of cumin and chili powder in this rendition of a homemade Andouille sausage recipe.

Smoked hamburgers cooked low and slow in a water smoker with 8 seasoning variations. From savory herb to chili cheese to sesame, one basic burger mix becomes a week of different flavors.

Miniature quiches loaded with cheddar, bell pepper, and Tex-Mex spices. Crustless, two-bite party appetizers baked in a muffin tin until the centers just set.

Basic Cincinnati chili simmered, not browned, so the beef stays fine and silky, spiced with cinnamon, allspice, and cumin. Ladle it over spaghetti for a 3-way or onto a hot dog for a classic cheese coney.