I relish the sampling of spicy recipes from across the world and thoroughly enjoy the end results of my kitchen work. Fourteen dishes now hang on the walls of my home and are part of my daily life.

They taste delicious and work their way into everyday conversation with unannounced arrivals of “spice-laden” and just-plain-lovely flavors. My current kitchen work revolves around my Spicy Szechuan Noodles, which must have something to do with my not-so-unannounced midweek kitchen dance parties because I am seeing stars.

I am half awake, in a stupor even, lit up like a neon sign with 1.5 million Scoville unit peppercorns, 100 billion Scoville unit chili oil (and why stop there?), and the full battery of spices that make a cook smell like a cook.

The 14 Best spicy recipes

1. Spicy Szechuan Noodles

Szechuan spicy noodles is a brazen and full-flavored dish featuring Sichuan peppercorns, dried red chiles, soy sauce, garlic, ginger, and, of course, noodles. Green onions add a fresh note, contributing to a dish that is, in every way, an aromatic and spicy experience.

Ingredients

Sichuan peppercorns
Dried red chili peppers
Soy sauce
Garlic
Ginger
Noodles (like lo mein or spaghetti)
Green onions#

Instructions

1. The Sichuan peppercorns should be toasted in a dry pan until they become fragrant. They should then be ground into a fine powder and set aside.

2. In a pan, heat oil and add dried red chili peppers; cook until they darken a bit. Take out the peppers and set them aside.

3. In the same saucepan, add the minced garlic and ginger, and sauté them until they are fragrant. Then add the soy sauce and the ground Sichuan peppercorns.

4. Prepare the noodles as directed on the package. Drain them, and mix in the sauce. Then add the sliced green onions and set-aside chili peppers.

2. Spicy Korean Chicken Wings

Succulent chicken wings are the stars of Spicy Korean Chicken Wings. But the real magic lies in their marinade, which is equal parts gochujang (the Korean chili paste that has become a darling of the modern pantry), soy sauce, and honey, with garlic, ginger, and sesame oil chucked in for good measure.

This all makes for a lip-smackingly delightful coating on the wings, without a doubt. But when I eat these, I almost always want them with some kind of accompaniment.

Ingredients

Chicken wings (about 2 pounds)
Gochujang (Korean chili paste)
Soy sauce
Honey
Garlic, minced
Ginger, grated
Sesame oil#

Instructions

1. In a mixing bowl, combine gochujang, soy sauce, and honey. Then, add minced garlic, grated ginger, and sesame oil to the mixture. Whisk together to create the marinade.

2. Place the chicken wings in the bowl with the marinade. Make sure the wings are fully coated with the marinade. Cover and refrigerate. You can do this for 30 minutes, if you’re in a hurry; otherwise, do it overnight, for more intense flavor.

3. Heat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit (200 degrees Celsius). Place the marinated wings on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.

4. Place in the preheated oven for approximately 25-30 minutes, turning the wings over at the halfway mark, until they are thoroughly cooked and have reached a beautifully caramelized state. Serve up fresh and hot.

3. Spicy Thai Green Curry

Spicy Thai Green Curry is a rich, aromatic dish starring coconut milk, green curry paste, and thinly sliced chicken. Paired with Thai eggplants and fresh basil, it serves up a truly delightful—and largely unknown—culinary experience.

Ingredients

• 1 can (400ml) coconut milk
• 2 tablespoons green curry paste
• 300g boneless chicken, thinly sliced
• 1 cup Thai eggplants, quartered
• 1 tablespoon fish sauce
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• Fresh basil leaves, for garnish

Instructions

1. In a saucepan, warm the coconut cream over medium heat until it starts to separate and a thin layer of oil forms on top. Add the green curry paste and stir fry for 2-3 minutes until it is sizzling and deeply flavored.

2. Place the chicken slices in the pan and stir them around in the curry paste to coat them well. Cook them for a bit until they start to cook through—we’re working with thin slices here, so they should be cooking fairly quickly.

3. Add the rest of the coconut milk and the Thai eggplants, and bring everything to a gentle simmer. Stir in the fish sauce and sugar, and let the mixture cook for 10-15 minutes. By this time, the chicken should be completely cooked, and the eggplants tender.

4. Add fresh basil leaves as a garnish and serve hot with steamed jasmine rice.

4. Spicy Indian Vindaloo

Fiery, succulent pork is the star of the classic Indian dish Vindaloo. However, it is the marination—the marriage, really, of white vinegar, copious amounts of garlic, and enough red chili powder to make your eyes water and your nose run—that sets this dish apart and drives its over-the-top flavor.

Ingredients

Pork (or chicken, lamb)
500g
White vinegar
1/4 cup
Garlic cloves
8, minced
Red chili powder
2 tablespoons
Ground cumin
1 tablespoon
Ground turmeric
1/2 tablespoon
Vegetable oil
2 tablespoons

Instructions

1. In a bowl, combine the pork with white vinegar, minced garlic, red chili powder, ground cumin, and ground turmeric. Mix well and marinate for at least 4 hours or overnight in the refrigerator.

2. In a large pan over medium heat, warm the vegetable oil. Once the oil is hot, add the marinated pork and cook until the meat has browned and is nearly cooked through.

3. If the consistency is not to your liking, add just enough water to achieve your desired result. Allow the mixture to simmer for another 25-30 minutes. You are looking for tender meat and a sauce that has thickened just so. Finish your dish with correct seasonings served at a pleasing temperature.

5. Spicy Mexican Tacos

The combination of ground beef, chili powder, cumin, garlic, and onions makes these Mexican Tacos an explosion of flavor. They are served in warm corn tortillas, which makes them perfect for an authentic meal, any time of the day.

Ingredients

• 1 lb ground beef
• 2 tablespoons chili powder
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1/2 cup diced onions
• Salt to taste
• 8 small corn tortillas

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Instructions

1. Heat a skillet over medium heat and brown the ground beef. Pour off any excess fat.

2. Add the onions, chopped and rinsed, along with the other ingredients, to the beef. Cook for 5 minutes or until the onions are translucent.

3. Heat the corn tortillas in a separate skillet or in the microwave.

4. To make the tacos, fill each tortilla with the beef mixture and top with whatever you desire. Serve right away.

6. Spicy Jamaican Jerk Chicken

A flavorful dish with a kick, Jamaican jerk chicken, is marinated in a mixture of allspice, thyme, Scotch bonnet peppers, soy sauce, garlic, and brown sugar, then grilled to perfection.

Ingredients

• 4 chicken breasts or thighs, bone-in and skin-on
• 1 tablespoon allspice
• 1 tablespoon dried thyme
• 1-2 Scotch bonnet peppers, minced
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar

Instructions

1. Combine the allspice, thyme, Scotch bonnet peppers, soy sauce, garlic, and brown sugar in a blender or food processor. Blend until smooth to create the jerk marinade.

2. Put the chicken in a large, resealable plastic bag or a shallow dish. Pour the marinade over the chicken, making sure each piece is well coated. Marinate in the refrigerator for at least 3 hours, but preferably overnight.

3. Heat your grill to medium-high heat. Take the chicken out of the marinade and put it on the grill. Grill the chicken for about 6-8 minutes per side, or until it is fully cooked and doesn’t have any more juicy red or pink stuff in the middle. You may need to adjust the cooking time up or down, depending on just how thick (or thin) the chicken parts are that you’re grilling.

4. Make the chicken rest for a few minutes before serving. This allows the juices to redistribute within the meat, boosting flavor and tenderness. Now, dig into your spicy Jamaican jerk chicken!

7. Spicy Sriracha Shrimp

Vibrant and bold, this dish features large shrimp that are marinated in a spicy blend of Sriracha sauce, soy sauce, and honey, along with minced garlic and lime juice. The shrimp are seared and then served over a bed of amped-up fried rice.

Here’s how to make the dish:

Ingredients

• 1 pound large shrimp, peeled and deveined
• 2 tablespoons Sriracha sauce
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 tablespoon lime juice

Instructions

1. In a big bowl, combine the Sriracha sauce, soy sauce, honey, garlic, and lime juice and whisk them together.

2. Place the shrimp in the bowl and toss to coat. Allow the shrimp to marinate for about 15-20 minutes.

3. In a large skillet, heat medium-high heat and the olive oil. When the oil is shimmering, add the shrimp in a single layer; cook 1-2 minutes on each side until they’re pink and opaque.

4. Hot shrimp are for serving, with lime wedges if you want garnishing.

8. Spicy Sichuan Hot Pot

Sichuan Spicy Hot Pot is a potent, heady dish that leads with the flavors of Sichuan peppercorns, dried chili peppers, and doubanjiang. When combined with a chicken or beef broth base, fresh ginger, and copious amounts of garlic, the result is a dish that is, well, hot in any number of ways—temperature, spice, and even flavor intensity.

Ingredients

• 1 cup Sichuan peppercorns
• 2 tablespoons dried chili peppers
• 3 tablespoons doubanjiang (fermented broad bean paste)
• 6 cups chicken or beef broth
• 2 inches fresh ginger, sliced
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 4 tablespoons vegetable oil

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Instructions

1. In a large pot, medium heat brings the vegetable oil to a state suitable for cooking. The next ingredient, which is not quite an ingredient, is the Sichuan peppercorns. They get added along with the dried chili peppers, and both are stir-fried until they could be described as aromatic. You should be able to smell them by now. Should you not smell them, you almost must not have been following this cooking process closely enough.

2. Add the garlic, minced, and the ginger, sliced, to the pot, and sauté for another 1-2 minutes until fragrant.

3. Combine the doubanjiang and continue cooking for about 2 minutes. Allow the sauce to meld together.

4. Add the chicken or beef broth, ramping the mixture up to a boil. Reduce it to a simmer, and keep the whole pot going for a good 30 minutes at least. You want it to simmer long enough to get everything well acquainted and, most importantly, for the flavors to marry.

9. Spicy Paprika Spanish Patatas Bravas

Spanish Patatas Bravas is a classic Spanish tapas dish. The dish features diced crispy russet potatoes.

The potatoes are seasoned with smoked paprika and hot paprika. Patatas bravas is served with a sauce that is made from canned diced tomatoes and mayonnaise.

Ingredients

2 large russet potatoes, peeled and diced
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
1 teaspoon hot paprika
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup canned diced tomatoes
Salt to taste

Instructions

1. Your oven should be set to 400°F (200°C) in advance. Should you not have a sleep function on your oven, use a kitchen timer for 10 minutes and keep checking your oven until ready. While waiting for your oven to signal to you that it is time to heat up, prepare your potatoes. That is, should you have some to work with. The following is a no-holds-barred recipe that expects you to have 2 cups of diced potatoes on hand. Coating these in olive oil should feel like a luxurious experience. To this, you should add ½ teaspoon of salt, ¼ teaspoon of smoked paprika, and a lucky ¼ teaspoon of hot paprika.

2. Arrange the potatoes on a baking sheet and bake for 25-30 minutes, or until they are crispy and golden brown.

3. During this time, process the mayonnaise with the diced tomatoes in a blender until smooth to make the bravas sauce.

4. The bravas sauce should be drizzled over the potatoes that have been roasted.

10. Spicy Peri-Peri Grilled Chicken

The spicy, peri-peri, grilled chicken allows the tender chicken thighs to shine in a marinade that has just the right amount of olive oil, peri-peri sauce, and garlic to not crowd the chicken’s natural flavor. Smoked paprika, lemon juice, and a little zest from the peri-peri sauce give the chicken an addictive flavor that begs for seconds.

Ingredients

• 4 chicken thighs (bone-in, skin-on)
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 3 tablespoons peri-peri sauce
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
• Salt and pepper to taste

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Instructions

1. In a bowl, mix together olive oil, peri-peri sauce, minced garlic, lemon juice, smoked paprika, salt, and pepper. This creates a flavorful marinade.

2. Thoroughly coat the chicken thighs with the marinade and allow them to marinate in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour or, for the best flavor, overnight.

3. Heat your grill to a medium-high temperature. Cook the chicken thighs on the grill for approximately 6-8 minutes per side, or until they are completely done and the internal temperature is at least 165°F (75°C).

4. Take the grilled chicken off the heat and allow it to rest for a few minutes prior to serving. Relish your spicy peri-peri grilled chicken!

11. Spicy Buffalo Cauliflower Bites

Spicy Buffalo Cauliflower Bites offer a zesty twist on classic appetizers, featuring cauliflower florets coated in a garlic-flavored batter. They are perfectly baked, then mixed into a spicy Buffalo sauce of melted butter for maximum flavor.

Ingredients
1 medium cauliflower, cut into florets
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup water
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 cup Buffalo sauce
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

Instructions

1. Set your oven to 450°F (230°C) to heat while you prep the baking sheet. Parchment paper is best, though greasing the sheet works in a pinch.

2. In a big mixing bowl, combine the flour, water, and garlic powder. Whisk them together until they form a nice batter. You should have approximately equal parts of flour and water, and the garlic powder should be evenly distributed throughout the mixture. Then, really get in there and toss the cauliflower florets in the batter.

3. Position the cauliflower, coated, on the baking sheet prepared to receive it, and allow it to bake for a duration of 20 minutes.

4. As the cauliflower bakes, blend the Buffalo sauce with melted butter. After 20 minutes, give the baked cauliflower a tousle in the sauce, return it to the oven, and bake it an additional 10 minutes until it has crisped up to your desired level of crisp.

12. Spicy Arrabbiata Pasta

Arrabbiata pasta is a traditional Italian recipe served with penne, olive oil, minced garlic, crushed tomatoes, and red pepper flakes. The dish is typically garnished with a hint of fresh basil for a fragrant finish.

The result is a very spicy, simple, and delicious pasta sauce.

Ingredients
12 ounces pasta (penne or your choice)
3 tablespoons olive oil
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Fresh basil leaves, chopped (for garnish)

Instructions

1. Prepare the pasta as directed on the package until it reaches the desired level of doneness, which for us is al dente. Drain the pasta and set it aside.

2. In a big skillet, warm olive oil over medium heat. Stir in the minced garlic and red pepper flakes; sauté them for about 1 minute until they are aromatic.

3. Incorporate the tomatoes that have been crushed and season with salt and fresh black pepper. Allow the sauce to simmer for 10-15 minutes, stirring it only when necessary to maintain the sauce’s texture.

4. The cooked pasta should be combined with the sauce, and the two should be tossed together so that the pasta is completely coated with the sauce. Before serving, add some fresh basil leaves to the top of the dish as a garnish.

13. Spicy Cajun Jambalaya

Hearty and wholesome, Spicy Cajun Jambalaya is a dish that combines juicy diced chicken breast, flavorful smoked sausage, tender shrimp, and aromatic long-grain white rice, all simmered together in a rich blend of chicken broth, diced tomatoes, and Cajun seasoning.

Ingredients

1 pound of chicken breast, diced
1 pound of smoked sausage, sliced
1 pound of shrimp, peeled and deveined
2 cups of long-grain white rice
4 cups of chicken broth
1 can (1

4.5 oz) of diced tomatoes
1 tablespoon of Cajun seasoning#

Instructions

1. In a big pot or Dutch oven, sauté diced chicken and smoked sausage over medium heat until nicely browned.

2. Combine the rice, chicken broth, tomatoes, and Cajun seasoning in the pot. Stir well to combine.

3. The combination should be taken to a boil and then allowed to reduce to a low heat. It should be covered and allowed to simmer for 20 minutes or so, or until the rice has cooked.

4. Put the shrimp in the pot, and add a few other ingredients to make the dish more palatable. Stir the shrimp and other ingredients as you cook them for 5 minutes, and don’t be afraid to get a little hot. When the shrimp are pink and the other ingredients mingle with them in a less-than-mellow way, serve them over your favorite kind of pasta.

14. Spicy Harissa Moroccan Tagine

The colorful and aromatic Moroccan tagine has harissa paste, chickpeas, and dried apricots in supermarket vegetable broth. The result is a vibrant, comforting meal that is mostly just savory with a touch of sweetness.

Ingredients

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons harissa paste
1 can (14 oz) chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1 cup vegetable broth
1 cup dried apricots, chopped

Instructions

1. In a large tagine or heavy-bottomed pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat. When the oil is warm, add the chopped onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is completely softened and just beginning to turn golden, about 5 minutes.

2. Combine the garlic and the harissa paste in a pan, and cook until they release their aromas, about 1–2 minutes.

3. Incorporate the chickpeas, vegetable broth, and minced apricots. Stir to combine, and bring to a simmer.

4. Cover and cook on low heat for approximately 20–25 minutes, letting the flavors mix and the broth reduce somewhat. Serve hot.