Poblano chilli: what it is, heat, taste and uses

What is it?

The poblano chilli is one of the most emblematic fresh chillies of Mexican cuisine. It is wide, of an elongated triangular shape, measures between 10 and 15 cm long and 5-7 cm at the base, with glossy dark green skin (black when fully ripe) and fleshy flesh. It belongs to the species Capsicum annuum and is grown above all in Puebla - from which it takes its name - Zacatecas, San Luis Potosí and Guanajuato. Its heat is low (1,000-2,000 Scoville units), comparable to the dried ancho chilli, which is the dehydrated version of the same poblano. It is the king chilli of stuffed chillies, chiles en nogada, rajas with cream, green mole and many dishes of central Mexico. When it ripens and dries in the sun it becomes ancho or mulato chilli.

Origin and history

The poblano chilli is native to the state of Puebla and has been grown since pre-Hispanic times. Colonial sources mention it as one of the favourite chillies in the convent kitchens of the 17th century, where it was stuffed with picadillos and battered with egg. The best-known legend places the origin of the chile en nogada in the Convent of Santa Mónica in Puebla in 1821, when the Augustinian nuns are said to have created the dish in honour of Agustín de Iturbide and the Trigarante army with the national colours (green of the poblano, white of the nogada, red of the pomegranate). Larousse Cocina points to the poblano as the fresh chilli most used in festive dishes of central Mexico. SADER recognises it as an emblematic fresh chilli, and Puebla is promoting a denomination of origin for the 'poblano chilli of Puebla'. CONABIO documents the genetic diversity of the poblano and the importance of its traditional populations in San Pedro Cholula, Calpan and the central valleys of Puebla.

Characteristic ingredients

The poblano chilli is a Capsicum annuum with a vigorous plant, large fruits (10-15 cm) in the shape of an elongated triangle, thick and fleshy skin, glossy dark green colour when harvested young. If left to ripen, it turns dark red, and when dried in the sun it gives rise to the ancho chilli (a reddish-toned variety) or the mulato (a darker variety). Its heat is very low (1,000-2,000 SHU), so it can be eaten roasted and deveined with practically no heat. To use it, it is roasted whole on a comal or directly over the flame until the skin turns black; it is put in a bag to sweat, peeled, deveined and deseeded. It is then stuffed (cheese, picadillo, fruit and meat for chiles en nogada), cut into rajas to accompany cream and sweetcorn, or blended for green mole. It pairs very well with cheese, cream, sweetcorn, tomato, onion, pomegranate, walnut, peach and panochera apple.

Cultural significance

The poblano chilli is one of the most recognised emblems of Mexican gastronomy. It forms part of the traditional cuisine recognised by UNESCO as Intangible Cultural Heritage. The chile en nogada, a baroque Puebla dish of the 19th century, is considered one of the icons of national cuisine and is made during the Independence festivities (July-September) when the season of the poblano chilli coincides with that of the pomegranate and the walnut. Each year Puebla holds the Chile en Nogada Fair in San Nicolás de los Ranchos and Calpan, the main producing areas of the fresh poblano. SIAP reports Puebla, Zacatecas and San Luis Potosí as the main producers. The crop supports the economy of small agricultural communities, especially in the Valley of Atlixco and the foothills of Popocatépetl. In contemporary cooking, chefs such as Margarita Carrillo and Enrique Olvera have taken the poblano to international fine dining.

Frequently asked questions