Chile de Árbol
Chile de árbol — "tree chili" in English, named for the woody stems on its tall plants — is a slender, vivid-red Mexican chile built for clean heat. At 15,000–30,000 Scoville units it sits well above a jalapeño but short of a habanero, with a sharp, grassy, faintly nutty flavor and very little sweetness. It's almost always sold dried, whole or ground, and it's the workhorse behind fiery table salsas (salsa de chile de árbol) and infused chili oils. A few pods deliver a lot of punch.
Heat & Scoville
Chile de Árbol runs 15,000–30,000 SHU — classified as Hot. SHU ranges vary by cultivar and growing conditions; treat these as commonly cited guides, not lab-exact numbers.
Flavor profile
Sharp, clean, grassy heat with a slightly nutty edge. The go-to for table salsas and chili oils.
Origin: Dried Mexican chile.
Forms & how to use
Typically sold dried. Common forms: dried whole, ground, chili oil, salsa.
- salsa roja
- chili oil
- table salsa
- heat boost
Substitutes
Chile de Árbol in chili & recipes
FAQ
How hot is chile de árbol?
Hot but manageable — about 15,000–30,000 Scoville Heat Units, several times hotter than a jalapeño.
What is chile de árbol in English?
Literally "tree chili," named for the plant's tall, woody, tree-like stems.
What's a good chile de árbol substitute?
Cayenne for a similar clean heat, or pequín and japones chiles for a closer flavor match.