Habanero
The habanero is a small, lantern-shaped chile of the species Capsicum chinense, the hottest chile used in Mexican cooking and the signature chile of the Yucatán Peninsula.
Description
Larousse describes the habanero as a soft, globular fresh chile about 4 cm long and 3 cm wide, light green when young, then yellow and finally orange. It is the only Capsicum chinense chile used in Mexico and is considered the hottest. Its native range is given as the Caribbean, the coasts of South America and Yucatán. Most Mexican cooks prefer it green or yellow; the orange stage has a different aroma.
Use
The habanero is the classic chile of Yucatecan cooking, eaten fresh, raw, roasted or cooked but rarely dried. It is the base of the Yucatán's table sauces, from simple habanero salsa with sour orange to xnipec, and is sliced into the pickled red onions served with cochinita pibil.
Protection
The chile holds a Mexican denomination of origin under the name Chile Habanero de Yucatán.
Reviews
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See also
References
- "Chile habanero". Larousse Cocina (Diccionario enciclopédico de la Gastronomía Mexicana). Retrieved 2026-10-10.
- "Salsa de chile habanero". Larousse Cocina (Diccionario enciclopédico de la Gastronomía Mexicana). Retrieved 2026-10-10.
- "Prepara cochinita pibil desde cero: receta tradicional yucateca". Excélsior. Retrieved 2026-10-10.