Chili Powder

This homemade Chili Powder is made with pantry staples and features my secret ingredient: ancho chiles! The perfect balance of smoky, sweet, and aromatic, this blend will bring your meals to life. Dinner will never be boring or bland again!

We all need some more simple spice blends in our lives! I’m here to deliver the goods. Today I have a fantastic homemade chili powder featuring freshly ground ancho chiles. You can use it as a quick way to flavor up meats or veggies before popping them in the oven, or use it to deepen dry rubs, sauces, and so much more.

This extra special ingredient may seem like a pain if it isn’t easily available at your local grocery store, but I promise it’s so worth the online order. Ancho chiles will last upwards of a year stored in your freezer! That will give you plenty of opportunities to make batches of this chili powder. Trust me, you’ll be making this recipe often.

Ingredients

Keep scrolling down to the recipe card for a list of FULL ingredient amounts and instructions or click the “Jump to Recipe” button at the top of the page!

• Whole ancho chiles
• Smoked paprika
• Garlic powder
• Onion powder
• Cumin, ground
• Oregano, dried

What are ancho chiles?

A little known fact is that ancho chile peppers are actually just dried poblano peppers! A poblano looks similar to a jalapeño, just larger. They’re also about half as spicy as a jalapeño making them a great option for those who prefer a more mild pepper experience.

Once dried, the poblano takes on its much darker alter ego rich with sweet and smoky flavor. Ancho chiles are most popular ground to a powder, then used for making mole, enchilada sauce, and/or chili. If you can’t find any ancho chiles at your local grocery store, they’re available in troves to be ordered online.

How to substitute ancho chiles

If you’re waiting on that ancho order to be delivered to your door but you need a quick chili powder fix, you can use substitute: an extra 1 tbsp smoked paprika plus 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper.

This will give you the sweet, smoky ancho flavor with a touch of heat while you wait for the real deal to get to your house. I highly recommend giving the ancho chiles a try! You’ll never try a more deeply flavored chili powder.

How to make chili powder

1. Grind: Remove the stems from the dried chiles. Add them to a spice grinder and pulse until the chilies are pulverized.
2. Mix: Add the powdered Ancho chiles to a bowl along with the rest of the ingredients and mix well to combine. Transfer to an airtight container and store in a cool, dry, place.

What if I don’t have a spice grinder?

You can use a coffee grinder in its place, just make sure to wash it out very well after grinding the chiles as to not spoil your next cup o’ joe. A mortar and pestle will also work if neither a spice or coffee grinder are part of your kitchen artillery.

Don’t worry about completely grinding the chiles down to an absolute powder; that’ll just take too long. It’s absolutely find if you end up with a few larger bits and a variety of sizes of pieces in the pepper.

What can I make with my chili powder?

I go through a serious amount of chili powder in my recipes! It only makes sense that I’ve started making it from scratch. Here are some of my favorite creations featuring your new homemade spice blend:

• The Best Chili Recipe
• One Pot Chili Mac and Cheese
• Spicy New Orleans Shrimp
• Mexican Pork Stew
• White Chicken Chili
• Beef Empanadas
• Beef Tamale Casserole
• Chicken and Sausage Penne Jambalaya
• Chile con Queso

How to properly store spices

I like to store my spices in jars with a screw lid. This is the best airtight way to keep your blends so that they stay fresh and flavorful as long as possible. If you’ve just washed a jar to store your spice blend, make sure it is completely dried before transferring the blend. If there is any moisture, you’ll risk mold growing. Dry the jar well with a towel, then let the jar sit upside down on a drying rack for 20-30 minutes.

It’s also a good idea to label today’s date on your chili powder jar. As your collection grows and the months or years wear on, it’ll be hard to remember when exactly you mixed this blend up. It’ll stay fresh up to 3-4 years.

Did you love this recipe? Try these:

• Cajun Seasoning
• Taco Seasoning
• Fajita Seasoning
• Homemade Poultry Seasoning
• Moroccan Blend
• Jamaican Jerk Seasoning
• Emeril’s Essence