28 Dinner Recipes for When You’re Craving Something Spicy

February 26, 2020

Turn up the temperature with these spicy and bold dishes. These recipes are packed with heat thanks to peppers like chiles and jalapeños. Add flavor to your dinners with recipes like Spicy Meatloaf with Collards or Pan Fried Trout with Red Chile Sauce. End your day with recipes that are sure to bring the heat.

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1 of 28

Spicy Jerk Shrimp

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Here's a shrimp sheet pan supper that's roasted and caramelized to perfection! The pineapple in this recipe makes a sweet sauce that balances the heat of the Jamaican jerk seasoning. Source: Diabetic Living Magazine

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Tofu Cucumber Salad with Spicy Peanut Dressing

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Making tofu tastier can be as simple as tossing it in a knockout sauce like this Sichuan-inspired peanut dressing. To make this cucumber salad recipe a meal, add rice noodles and double the dressing. Serve with an extra drizzle of sesame oil and sliced scallions. Source: EatingWell Magazine, September/October 2017

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Chili-Rubbed Tilapia with Asparagus & Lemon

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Tilapia, a relatively plentiful fish, has the unfortunate reputation of being dull. All it needs is a spice rub, a familiar barbecuing technique that works just as well indoors. You could also use this rub on chicken breasts or toss it with lightly oiled shrimp before cooking. Source: EatingWell Magazine, April/May 2005

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Butterflied Grilled Chicken with a Chile-Lime Rub

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A quick and efficient way to cook a whole bird on the grill is to butterfly, or "spatchcock" it. When cooking a whole chicken on the grill, try searing the chicken first over direct heat then finish cooking over indirect heat (as instructed in this recipe). That way you avoid the all too common problem when grilling--chicken burned on the outside and raw in the center. For best flavor, let the chicken marinate in the rub overnight in the refrigerator. Serve with lime wedges and fresh salsa. Source: EatingWell Magazine, March/April 2010

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Bean Burgers with Spicy Guacamole

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These bean burgers will even please carnivores. The cornmeal coating gives a pleasant crunch and smoked paprika, cumin, cilantro and guacamole add Southwestern flavor. Source: EatingWell Magazine, September/October 2009

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Arepas with Spicy Black Beans

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These corncakes are a common style of flatbread in Colombia and Venezuela. Arepas are made with precooked cornmeal and served warmed with butter or cheese, or split open and filled, or topped, as we've done here. Our arepas filling is loaded with fragrant spices and vegetables to elevate the dish. Source: EatingWell Magazine, December 2019

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Korean Chicken Soup

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This quick and easy spicy chicken soup recipe is made with leftover cooked chicken and is spiked with garlic, ginger and hot sauce.

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Baked Sriracha-Coconut Chicken Tenders

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A mixture of egg and Sriracha brings heat to these homemade chicken tenders and also helps the crunchy blend of puffed rice cereal and coconut chips stick. The tenders are then baked for a quick and healthy meal--no frying required. Source: EatingWell Magazine, November 2019

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Chile-Lime Cauliflower Quesadillas

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Poblano peppers add a touch of heat to these vegetarian quesadillas, but a sweet bell pepper is tasty, too, if you want something milder. Start these quesadillas in the oven and finish them off in a skillet for melty cheese and crispy tortillas. Source: EatingWell Magazine, March 2020

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10 of 28

Spicy Meatloaf with Collards

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Plenty of dark leafy greens deliver the moisture needed to balance lean ground pork and beef in this spicy meatloaf recipe. Serve any leftovers with extra ketchup as meatloaf sandwiches. Source: EatingWell Magazine, September/October 2015

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Pan-Fried Trout with Red Chile Sauce

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This chile pan sauce is much lighter than one you'd pair with enchiladas or burritos, to keep from overwhelming the delicate trout. Source: EatingWell Magazine, September/October 2010

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Spicy Cioppino

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San Francisco's Italian immigrants developed this stew to use the abundant local seafood. We've opted for farm-raised tilapia and scallops, but feel free to experiment with whatever is fresh.

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Spicy Shrimp Tacos

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These spicy shrimp tacos owe their kick to a smoky chipotle shrimp seasoning blend. Cooling avocado and tangy pico de gallo round out the flavor. This vibrant, easy dinner comes together in a flash, making it perfect for busy weeknights. Source: EatingWell.com, February 2020

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Chili Cornbread Casserole

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Here's a fun way to serve chili and cornbread together. Don't let the ingredient list intimidate you--this casserole is easy to make and a real crowd pleaser. Source: EatingWell Magazine, September/October 2010

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Thai-Style Chopped Salad with Sriracha Tofu

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Prep four days' worth of high-protein vegan lunches using just four easy ingredients from your local specialty grocery store, including a veggie-heavy salad mix as a base. Because this salad mix is hearty, you can dress these bowls up to 24 hours before serving to allow the flavors in this healthy chopped salad to marry. If you can't find a hearty mix, go with broccoli slaw or shredded Brussels sprouts. Source: EatingWell.com, September 2019

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Slow-Cooker Chile-Rubbed Pork with Corn & Black Beans

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With minimal hands-on prep and only a couple hours in the slow cooker, you end up with incredibly flavorful, spice-rubbed pork and a bean-and-corn side dish, which easily converts to a next-day salsa. We promise this isn't like any slow-cooker pork tenderloin you've ever had. Source: Everyday Slow Cooker

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Spicy Tofu Hotpot

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Warm up a chilly evening with this light but satisfying one-pot meal. The tofu absorbs the flavors of this fragrant, spicy broth, making it anything but bland. Look for fresh Chinese-style noodles in the refrigerated case of your supermarket alongside wonton wrappers. Source: EatingWell Magazine, September/October 1996

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Spicy Pecan Popcorn Chicken

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These spicy and crunchy pecan-crusted chicken nuggets are paired with a quick, creamy ranch dip. If you can't find coarse breadcrumbs, substitute Grape-Nuts cereal instead. Source: EatingWell Magazine, March/April 2012

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Chipotle & Corn Chowder

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The smoky flavor of the chipotle peppers in this recipe combines with corn to make a bordertown chowder with substance and sizzle; the Southwest at its best! Source: Diabetic Living Magazine

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Paprika & Red Pepper Soup with Pistachio Puree

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Richly satisfying, this luscious-looking soup made with red bell peppers gets a touch of heat from Thai chiles. For an extra-nutty flavor, puree an additional 1/4 cup shelled pistachios with 1/4 cup water and serve the soup with a dollop of this pistachio puree on top. Source: EatingWell Magazine, Soup Cookbook

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One-Pan Spicy Okra & Shrimp

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Serve spicy blackened shrimp and tender vegetables over aromatic basmati rice for an easy skillet supper. Use precooked microwave rice so you don't have to mess up another pan. This one-pan dinner is perfect for company, but easy enough to make on a weeknight. Source: 400 Calorie Recipes

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Thai Chicken Satay with Spicy Peanut Sauce

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Spicy peanut sauce is the perfect match for these Thai-marinated grilled chicken strips.

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Slow-Cooker Spicy Plum-Glazed Meatballs

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Tender, tangy, spicy, sweet--these slow-cooker meatballs might become your new go-to dish. They cook in the crock pot for only about an hour and a half, so they're a great dinner solution on days when you don't have much time for dinner prep. Consider wearing gloves when shaping the meatballs to make cleanup a cinch. Source: Everyday Slow Cooker

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Ranch Chiles Rellenos with Ancho Chile Salsa

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Poblano chiles are the traditional choice for chiles rellenos. They have great flavor, but may be too spicy for some tastes. Anaheim chiles are reliably mild substitutes. For a larger crowd, the recipe can be doubled. Serve the chiles rellenos with beans and rice. Adapted from Cooking with the Seasons at Rancho La Puerta: Recipes from the World-Famous Spa (Stewart, Tabori & Chang, 2008) by Deborah Szekely and Deborah M. Schneider with Chef Jesús González, Chef of La Cocina Que Canta. Source: EatingWell Magazine, January/February 2009

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Sofia's Chicken Paprikash

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Brilliant red paprika, the main seasoning in Hungarian cooking, gives this light version of chicken paprikash its color. Vary the heat by using hot, sweet or a combination of paprikas. Serve over whole-wheat egg noodles with a side of steamed broccoli and a cool fruit salad for dessert. Source: EatingWell Magazine, March/April 2007

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Chipotle-Marinated Pork Tenderloin

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A tenderloin is the ideal dinner for two: easy, fast and simple. Pair it with some grilled asparagus and corn on the cob. Source: EatingWell Magazine, August/September 2006

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Instant Pot Orange-Jalapeño Chicken Wings

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These sweet-hot tender Instant Pot chicken wings boast a balance of orange and lime. They're very tangy and very sticky, so be sure to serve with lots of paper towels! Source: 400 Calorie Recipes

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Slow-Cooker Red Chile-Beef Tacos

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The meat in these slow-cooker tacos gets incredibly tender, thanks to plenty of time in the crock pot. The sauce in this dish is smoky and rich from the chiles, onion, fire-roasted tomatoes and beef. Toast the tortillas, if you'd like. Source: Everyday Slow Cooker

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