Is chile piquin the same as chiltepin?

Both belong to the same wild variety Capsicum annuum var. glabriusculum, but chiltepin usually refers to the round fruit of the north-west (Sonora, Chihuahua) while piquin designates the more oval fruit of north-eastern Mexico. Sharing botanical origin, in northern Mexico the names are often used interchangeably.

How hot is dried chile piquin?

Its pungency ranges between 40,000 and 70,000 Scoville units, similar to chile de arbol but more concentrated for its size. A pinch is enough to season a salsa for several people, so it is best to add it little by little and taste before adding more.

How is the classic chile piquin powder made?

Lightly toast the dried chillies on a comal without burning them, let them cool and grind them in a molcajete or mill with sea salt and, optionally, citric acid or dehydrated lime. The powder is kept in an airtight jar and used to spice up fruit, popcorn, micheladas or as a dry rub.

Where is chile piquin grown in Mexico?

Most production comes from Tamaulipas, particularly from the sierra of El Mante, Llera and Soto la Marina, as well as Nuevo Leon and San Luis Potosi. It is also gathered wild in Veracruz and Hidalgo. In recent years it has begun to be domesticated in family gardens.

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Dried chile piquin: the spicy powder of the north-east

What is it?

Dried chile piquin is one of the smallest wild chillies of Mexico, also known as chile pequin, chiltepin or chile mosquito depending on the region. It is grown and gathered mainly in the north-east of the country, in states such as Tamaulipas, Nuevo Leon and San Luis Potosi, where it grows wild on hillsides and in gardens. Once dried, it is ground to prepare the classic piquin chilli powder that brings the spicy touch to spiced fruit, table salsas, micheladas and snacks. Its flavour is intense, earthy and deeply hot, with a range of 40,000 to 70,000 Scoville units, placing it among the hottest dried chillies of the Mexican repertoire.

Origin and history

Chile piquin is one of the oldest Capsicum cultivated in Mesoamerica. Studies by CONABIO and SADER indicate that the genus Capsicum was domesticated more than 6,000 years ago and that wild varieties such as piquin are the ancestral form of the cultivated chilli. Fray Bernardino de Sahagún described in the sixteenth century several small chillies used by the peoples of the altiplano and the Gulf coast. In north-eastern Mexico, rural communities have gathered wild piquin since before the colonial period to sun-dry it and preserve it throughout the year. During the twentieth century, gathering was professionalised in Tamaulipas and is exported as a regional product. Today it is considered an identity crop of the north-east and is protected as a priority phytogenetic resource by the federal government through SADER.

Characteristic ingredients

Dried chile piquin is obtained by leaving the fruit to ripen on the plant until it reaches an intense red colour and harvesting it when it starts to dehydrate. It measures between 5 and 10 millimetres, is rounded or oval and keeps the stalk intact. Once dried it is ground with salt to produce the typical reddish powder. There are two main commercial forms: whole dried chile piquin and the ground powder, the latter often mixed with sea salt, citric acid or dehydrated lime. In Tamaulipas piquin is gathered in open hill country, while in Nuevo Leon and San Luis Potosi it is already grown in family gardens. The plant is perennial and produces small but very abundant fruits. Its capsaicin content is high, so a pinch is enough to season; the powder keeps its pungency better if stored in an airtight jar away from light.

Cultural significance

In north-eastern Mexico chile piquin has an identity value comparable to that of nopal or maize: it appears in family salsas, table powders and antojitos. It is the base of the classic powder with salt and lime sold in markets, fairs and kiosks to spice up mangoes, jicamas, cucumbers and sweets. The Tamaulipas region of El Mante and Llera holds festivals devoted to the gathering of wild piquin, and SADER recognises this chilli as a strategic agri-food product for its economic value to rural communities that depend on seasonal gathering. The traditional cuisine of Panuco, the Huasteca and the sierra of Tamaulipas uses ground dried piquin in roasted cabrito, northern fajitas and the typical molcajete salsa. Furthermore, it is considered a gastronomic symbol that connects migrants from the north-east with their place of origin, present in family parcels sent to the United States.

Related recipes

Now that you know what it is, try cooking it at home with our step-by-step recipes:

Wild Piquín Chilli Salsa

Ingredients to cook it

Find where to buy authentic ingredients in Mexican shops in the US:

Frequently asked questions

Is chile piquin the same as chiltepin?: Both belong to the same wild variety Capsicum annuum var. glabriusculum, but chiltepin usually refers to the round fruit of the north-west (Sonora, Chihuahua) while piquin designates the more oval fruit of north-eastern Mexico. Sharing botanical origin, in northern Mexico the names are often used interchangeably.
How hot is dried chile piquin?: Its pungency ranges between 40,000 and 70,000 Scoville units, similar to chile de arbol but more concentrated for its size. A pinch is enough to season a salsa for several people, so it is best to add it little by little and taste before adding more.
How is the classic chile piquin powder made?: Lightly toast the dried chillies on a comal without burning them, let them cool and grind them in a molcajete or mill with sea salt and, optionally, citric acid or dehydrated lime. The powder is kept in an airtight jar and used to spice up fruit, popcorn, micheladas or as a dry rub.
Where is chile piquin grown in Mexico?: Most production comes from Tamaulipas, particularly from the sierra of El Mante, Llera and Soto la Marina, as well as Nuevo Leon and San Luis Potosi. It is also gathered wild in Veracruz and Hidalgo. In recent years it has begun to be domesticated in family gardens.