Hatch Chiles can be found all over grocery stores and markets alike this time of year. They are a seasonal treat. Get in on the action with this delectable Bacon-Wrapped Shrimp-Stuffed Hatch Chile recipe and enjoy them while you can!
Every year grocery stores across the Southwest begin hauling in crates and piles of Hatch Chiles, and I go crazy for them by the bushel. Since I grew up in the Midwest, I wasn’t familiar with these particular chiles. I was introduced to these regional peppers when we moved to Texas. I was intrigued by the arrival–and subsequent annual celebration–of this regional specialty.
Hatch Chiles are named for the town in New Mexico where they are grown. In terms of the time of year we see them here in Texas, mid-late Summer is when these smooth-skinned, long green chiles show up around town. In fact, our largest grocery store chain here, called HEB, has its’ own Hatch Chile Festival. This time of year they not only pile them all around the stores, but sell items flavored with these tasty peppers from tortillas, to meats, to baked goods. These chiles are a big deal around here!
I started thinking of what I could stuff in these beauties. Lo and behold, Texas shrimp were on sale. The light bulb in my head went off immediately! I figured if I could stuff a jalapeno with creamy cheese and wrap it with bacon, I could do the same with these peppers. And add some local protein like shrimp, to boot!
Yes, another My Midlife Kitchen creation was born. And yeah, I’ll be making this until the last of the Hatch Chiles leave the stores this season! Spicy, salty, creamy–all the great things that make a perfect (and simple!) mid-week dinner special enough for company. Served over rice with some additional shrimp & cotija cheese, this creation was an instant hit.
You’ll never want Hatch Chile season to end!
| Servings | Prep Time |
| 3 people | 20 minutes |
| Cook Time |
| 15 minutes |
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While that may be a lot of words to use in a recipe title, which descriptor would YOU leave out? Each part of this dish is as important as the next, and none more than the gorgeous, seasonal Hatch Chiles. That spicy note infuses through each and every bite of this incredible dish. You'll be wishing Hatch Chile season came around more often!
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- 3 large Hatch Chiles, deseeded
- 1 lb. medium precooked shrimp
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tbsp. fresh cilantro, finely chopped
- 1/4 cup ricotta cheese
- 1/2 cup cotija cheese, crumbled
- 6 sliced bacon
- 2 cups rice, cooked
- Slice chiles lengthwise up to stem. Clean out seeds and white membrane from each chile. In a medium bowl, mix cheeses & cilantro.
- In a medium skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat. Saute shrimp & garlic until shrimp are pink and cooked through, 5-8 minutes. Set aside.
- In each chile, spread cheese mixture. Top with 3-4 shrimp, depending on size of shrimp.
- Wrap each chile in two slices of bacon, overlapping each slice, leaving very little chile left uncovered.
- Preheat broiler to 500 degrees. Broil chiles for 10-15 minutes, or until bacon begins to crisp.
- Serve immediately either as an appetizer, or as a main dish over cooked rice topped with remaining shrimp & cotija cheese.
Like any other pepper, Hatch Chiles can be mild or can be quite spicy. In this particular case, I wound up with one that was mild and easy-going to eat about half way up the chile, and then BAM! I was sweatin' and reaching for ice cubes to numb my mouth. My husband thought I was fun to watch, and calmly ate his without any consternation. But that's the fun of trying any chile, right? You never quite know from pepper to pepper, or bite to bite, which part of the chile's flavor profile you'll get!
Have you ever had Hatch Chiles? What is your favorite way to enjoy these seasonal beauties?
I’ve heard about Hatch chilies but have never bought or even tasted them. Now that you’ve paired them with two of my favorite foods (bacon and shrimp), I must run out and find some to try them.
If you can find them up north, Laura, I highly recommend giving them a try! So darned tasty. :o)