Spicy Dinner Recipes

January 03, 2017
Photo: Justin Walker
Deliver a punch of spice and heat to the dinner plate with these spicy recipes. Fiery and flavorful, these recipes inspired by the cuisines of the world will tickle the flavor buds of all the hot heads in your family and delight eaters who adore global cuisine. Try Mexican-inspired chipotle steak or chorizo-stuffed sweet potatoes. Try your hand at red-hot Indian curries, or stick with the spicy American classic buffalo sauce. Most of these spicy dishes can be dialed down for those with sensitive palates, or cranked up for real chile lovers.
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Spicy Dinner Recipes

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Mojo Flat Iron Steak

Photo: Jennifer Causey

The ultratender flat iron is an affordable alternative to rib-eye. Look for (or request) flat, rectangular steaks—butchered specifically to eliminate the line of tough connective tissue that runs down the middle of the entire cut.

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Braised Collard Greens and Bacon-Pepper Pinto Beans

Photo: Greg Dupree; Styling: Lindsey Lower
View Recipe: Braised Collard Greens and Bacon-Pepper Pinto Beans

We skip the meat main and make sides the focus of the meal—easy to do with garlicky braised greens and pinto beans topped with bacon. Serve with skillet cornbread: Heat a cast-iron skillet on the stovetop while the oven preheats, and swirl in a couple of teaspoons oil before adding the batter. If you can't find collards, substitute stemmed curly kale or turnip greens, checking for doneness at around 20 minutes. For a vegetarian meal, sub vegetable stock for chicken stock and 1 tablespoon canola oil for the bacon drippings.

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Huevos Rancheros Burritos

Photo: Jennifer Causey
View Recipe: Huevos Rancheros Burritos

Roasting the vegetables gives our ranchero sauce intensely rich flavor in just 10 minutes. Be sure to use plum tomatoes, which are meaty and not overly juicy—this will ensure a thick sauce that won't make the burrito soggy.

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Chipotle Hanger Steak with Sour Cream Mashed Sweet Potatoes

Photo: Hector Manuel Sanchez
View Recipe: Chipotle Hanger Steak with Sour Cream Mashed Sweet Potatoes

Hanger steak is a flavor-packed cut of beef from between the rib and the loin. You may have to ask for it at the butcher's counter; if you can't find it, a different flat cut, like flank or skirt steak, works just as well. If your steak is thicker than 1 inch, it may require a slightly longer cook time or a quick finish in a 400°F oven. If you loved grandma's hamburger steak suppers growing up, this grown up version is guaranteed to make you cheer. It has all the comfort-style food you crave in a more attractive, satisfying package.

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Banh Mi Bowls

Photo: Victor Protasio
View Recipe: Banh Mi Bowls

We deconstruct the classic Vietnamese sandwich for a whole-grain bowl that's perfect for make-ahead lunches or dinner. Precooked brown rice takes the place of the traditional baguette. Our quick vegetables are ready in just 20 minutes. If you haven't pickled your own vegetables before, you'll be surprised by how easy it is. Not sure how to use the rest of the chile paste? Try tossing green beans with a couple teaspoons (along with honey, soy sauce, garlic, and canola oil) and roasting, spread a little on grilled cheese, or try it in our Hot and Sour Soup with Tofu.

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Chicken Tinga Tacos

Photo: Jennifer Causey
View Recipe: Chicken Tinga Tacos

These bold and smoky tacos provide the perfect route to reinventing some leftover chicken. Serve them up with a crisp green salad for a light and refreshing weeknight supper.

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Tofu Curry with Lemongrass and Chile

Photo: Iain Bagwell
View Recipe: Tofu Curry with Lemongrass and Chile

Vietnamese cuisine is so influenced by our South Asian neighbors, and this Indian-style curry is the perfect example. Tofu is a source of protein, but it's really a vegetable. This is how we treat it. Meat and tofu can often share a dish for double the umami. You don't need to press the tofu to drain the water for this recipe; a slow pan-fry achieves the same effect and gets the exterior extra crispy. For a vegetarian dish, swap the fish sauce for reduced-sodium soy sauce or the liquid from soaked dried porcini mushrooms.

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Loaded Chorizo Nachos

Photo: Jennifer Causey
View Recipe: Loaded Chorizo Nachos

When we say loaded, we mean it. These nachos require a fork for scooping up all the tasty fillings. Building on a foil-lined pan means instant cleanup: Bring the pan right to the table after broiling, and discard the foil after dinner.

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Sweet and Spicy Carrot Soup

Photo: Jennifer Causey
View Recipe: Sweet and Spicy Carrot Soup

The combination of carrots, Fresno chili, brown sugar, fresh ginger, and green onions give this soup a sweet and spicy flavor.

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Coconut-Lemongrass Chicken Bowls

Photo: Jennifer Causey
View Recipe: Coconut-Lemongrass Chicken Bowls

Marinated chicken simmered in an aromatic coconut broth = flavor building at its finest. This Southeast Asian-inspire bowl is all about big flavor with minimal effort. When working with lemongrass, give the stalk a couple of whacks with the back of a knife before chopping to release its flavorful oils.

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Chorizo and Kale-Stuffed Sweet Potatoes

Photo: Jennifer Causey
View Recipe: Chorizo and Kale-Stuffed Sweet Potatoes

A combo of super lean ground turkey and rich ground pork gives you the ideal mix of flavor and texture while staying nice and light.

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Steak Tacos

Photo: Jennifer Causey
View Recipe: Steak Tacos

In Latin cuisine, a little bit of blistering on tortillas, peppers, onions, and garlic adds pleasant smoke and incredible complexity to a dish. The marinade for our Steak Tacos depends on this for bold taste that can stand up to the Toasted Chile Salsa.

If you're ready for a real game changer, make your own homemade tortillas instead of buying the bagged kind. If you're in a pinch, the La Tortilla Factory corn tortillas are the next best thing to homemade.

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Chili-Garlic Shrimp with Coconut Rice and Snap Peas

Photo: Jennifer Causey
View Recipe: Chili-Garlic Shrimp with Coconut Rice and Snap Peas

Shrimp cook quickly (under 5 minutes), and a big batch takes just a couple of minutes more than a small one. Reheat for just a minute, or the shrimp may become rubbery. For even more coconut flavor, replace the 1/4 cup water in the rice mixture with coconut water.

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Linguine and Clam Sauce

Photo: Jennifer Causey
View Recipe: Linguine and Clam Sauce

Traditionally made with crushed red pepper, this recipe uses fresh chiles. Serrano chiles are hot; for less heat, use Fresno chiles.

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Seared Chicken Breasts with Green Piri Piri Sauce

Photo: Jennifer Causey
View Recipe: Seared Chicken Breasts with Green Piri Piri Sauce

The piri piri sauce transforms simply seared chicken; it would also be delicious over steak, fish, or roasted vegetables. Piri piri is a bright herb-and-chile sauce popular in Portugal and parts of Africa. It's traditionally red, but we go green with fresh poblano, jalapeño , and cilantro. Seed or omit the jalapeño for less heat.

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Beef Tenderloin Steaks with Chipotle Butter and Bell Pepper Sauté

Photo: Jennifer Causey
View Recipe: Beef Tenderloin Steaks with Chipotle Butter and Bell Pepper Sauté

Make sure the cast-iron skillet is hot before adding the steaks so that they get a nicely browned crust on both sides. We like both red and orange peppers, though just one color will work. In place of tenderloin steaks, you can also use top blade steaks or petite tenders.

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Buffalo Quinoa Burgers

Photo: Jennifer Causey
View Recipe: Buffalo Quinoa Burgers

Make your own veggie burgers—they come together quickly and easily with the help of a food processor. You can form the patties ahead of time: Wrap them in plastic wrap and refrigerate up to two days. They’ll end up holding their shape even better in the pan. If serving to kids or folks with sensitive palates, you can omit the hot sauce mixture and simply serve the patties on buns with the usual burger condiments: ketchup, mustard, mayo. Serve with veggies and ranch dressing for a fun and lighter alternative to fries.

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Korean Shrimp BBQ Bowl

Photo: Hector Sanchez
View Recipe: Korean Shrimp BBQ Bowl

This is a great way to make use of leftover veggies. Mushrooms, cabbage, spinach and carrots are topped with a fried egg and drizzled with a spicy aioli sauce for an irresistible meal.

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Zucchini and Bean Burritos

Photo: Jennifer Causey
View Recipe: Zucchini and Bean Burritos

The bean mixture acts as a barrier between the tortilla and the zucchini, so the burritos stay crisp.

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Snapper Fra Diavolo

Photo: Jennifer Causey; Styling: Claire Spollen
View Recipe: Snapper Fra Diavolo

A Fresno chile gives the devilish sauce its heat.

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Eggs in Purgatory

Photo: Hector Manuel Sanchez
View Recipe: Eggs in Purgatory

We're not entirely certain about the history of this classic recipe's name, but perhaps it has something to do with the spicy kick of the sauce. Our version is a shakshuka-like dish in which fiery harissa paste and heady spices slowly infused a rich tomato sauce where eggs gently poach. Look for jars of harissa with the Middle Eastern foods in your supermarket; you can substitute a half to full teaspoon of crushed red pepper in a pinch. The cook time for the eggs depends on the specific heat of your slow cooker. We offer a range of 15 to 20 minutes, so start checking at 15 minutes (or a couple minutes earlier) to ensure the eggs get done to your liking. Serve with warm whole-wheat pita.

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Spicy Thai Red Curry Beef

Photo: Jennifer Causey
View Recipe: Spicy Thai Red Curry Beef

This single-skillet supper is a quick ticket to rich, exotic flavor. Don't shake the coconut milk before opening; you want to keep the thick cream layer separated.

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Spicy Ethiopian Red Lentil Stew

Photo: Oxmoor House
View Recipe: Spicy Ethiopian Red Lentil Stew

First up is a spicy, Ethiopian-inspired red lentil stew. Berbere, Ethiopia's signature spice blend, includes garlic, ginger, coriander, femigreek, and allspice in addition to a big pinch of ground chiles. Look for it at well-stocked supermarkets. For a change of pace, skip the rice and serve with our Teff Injera Flatbread.

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Kale-and-Chorizo Soup

Photo: Jennifer Causey
View Recipe: Kale-and-Chorizo Soup

Inspired by the classic Portuguese dish caldo verde, this soup takes on a rich flavor from Spanish chorizo—so that little other seasoning is required. Be sure to pick up firm, cured Spanish chorizo (seasoned heavily with paprika and typically sold in links) and not soft, raw Mexican chorizo—a delicious but totally different product. Or you can use kielbasa, though the soup will take on a smokier personality.

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Grilled Buffalo Chicken Tacos

Photo: Jennifer Causey
View Recipe: Grilled Buffalo Chicken Tacos

We took the finger-licking beauty of a Buffalo wing experience and wrapped it in a tortilla—because that's how you win a weeknight.

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Sausage, Shrimp, & Quinoa Skillet

Jennifer Causey
View Recipe: Sausage, Shrimp, & Quinoa Skillet

This 20-minute quinoa skillet is a play on dirty rice, and it uses only five ingredients (not counting cooking oil). Precooked quinoa keeps it superfast, but you can cook quinoa from scratch and still have dinner ready in less than 45 minutes. Spicy chicken sausage is lean and adds lots of flavor; you can swap in a chicken or turkey andouille sausage if you prefer. To round out the meal, serve with roasted asparagus or green beans, or opt for a crunchy romaine salad tossed with a bright, tart vinaigrette.

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Spicy Buttermilk Chicken and Vegetable Kebabs

Photo: Jennifer Causey
View Recipe: Spicy Buttermilk Chicken and Vegetable Kebabs

Making your own spice blend is worth it. For starters, salt is the main ingredient in jarred spice blends. Making your own lets you control the sodium and use fresh ingredients. You can make the kebabs and buttermilk mixture a day ahead and refrigerate until you're ready to cook.

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Quinoa Bibimbop Bowls

Photo: Jennifer Causey
View Recipe: Quinoa Bibimbop Bowls

Jalapeno seeds add heat to the spicy-sweet beef mixture; remove the seeds and membranes before mincing for sensitive palates. Haricots verts are the snap bean's slender French cousin and cook in a couple of minutes for an easy side or crisp-tender stir-in for many dishes. Raw radishes are fine, but pickled, sautéed, or roasted is divine. You'll wonder how you ever did without them.

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Slow Cooker Chicken Tikka Masala

Photo: Jennifer Causey
View Recipe: Slow Cooker Chicken Tikka Masala

We love the heat level in this slow cooker take on tikka masala to fend off winter chill. If the spice kick is too much for your family, you can cut the red pepper down by half without losing any of the dynamic flavor layers.

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Cajun Shrimp Linguine

Photo: Jennifer Causey
View Recipe: Cajun Shrimp Linguine

A jolt of ground red pepper spice things up nicely, while creamy half-and-half smoothes out the edges. Serve with Lemony Broccoli Spears.

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Chicken and Black Bean Enchiladas

Photo: Jennifer Causey
View Recipe: Chicken and Black Bean Enchiladas

Chipotles can be a touch spicy but you can use only half of what's called for to decrease heat and still get great smoky flavor.

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Chicken Anticuchos

Photo: Dylan + Jeni
View Recipe: Chicken Anticuchos

Over the last decade, Peruvian cuisine has come into Los Angeles' Latin American-dominated food scene, and it has come in swinging. It didn't just bring its famous sashimi-like ceviches; it also brought the Peruvian tradition of yakitori-like anticucho skewers. The brushed-on sauce, loaded with plenty of Peru's bright, fruity, yellow aji pepper, makes these skewers practically habit-forming. Don't say we didn't warn you.

Look for aji amarillo paste, a spicy Peruvian seasoning made from yellow chile peppers, in Latin markets. It's wonderful in marinades and meat rubs.

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Minced Beef with Bok Choy and Fried Egg

Photo: Brian Kennedy
View Recipe: Minced Beef with Bok Choy and Fried Egg

In just 20 minutes, this meaty dish pops with flavor. For a little extra heat and a pop of color, drizzle a few drops of Sriracha over the eggs right before serving.

 

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Carne Asada Pizza

Photo: Iain Bagwell
View Recipe: Carne Asada Pizza

This beefy pie delivers all the zingy flavors of a street taco: tangy lime, pungent onion, fragrant cilantro, and smoky, spicy chiles. The three-cheese blend offers extra meltiness.
 

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Braised Brussels Sprouts with Chorizo and Garlic

Photo: Jennifer Causey
View Recipe: Braised Brussels Sprouts with Chorizo and Garlic

With chorizo, spice and everything nice, this brussels sprouts side dish has a fiery kick that's to-die-for.

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Pork Loin Medallions with Spicy Greens and Provolone

Photo: Jason Varney
View Recipe: Pork Loin Medallions with Spicy Greens and Provolone

We've put a quick and lean spin on Philly's popular slow-roasted pork shoulder Italian hoagie by using tenderloin and turning the dish into a sort of warm salad. Serve with thinly sliced Italian bread, if desired.

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