There aren’t too many rhetorical differences in cooking that slip people up as much as chile powder vs. chili powder. Even as you read them back to back, your mind probably slipped over that one letter difference like it was nothing. In fact the problem is compounded by the fact that a lot of people just straight-up use chile and chili interchangeably, not recognizing the unique specificity in the latter. If you cook enough and you live in the United States, you almost certainly have chili powder in your pantry (and Gordon Ramsay keeps it in his pantry too), but you probably haven’t given much thought to chile powder at all. While the two are certainly similar, they are very much not the same.
The issue is knowing what these spices are actually named after. You may think that chili is a pepper, but it’s technically not — although common usage has made that the case in the United States. Chili refers specifically to the Southwestern stew, not peppers. While it usually does have some ground peppers in it, it’s a mix of spices that originated as a flavoring for chili recipes, which is how it got the name. Chile is the technically correct way of referring to the peppers, as in “habanero is a type of chile.” Confused yet? You’re not alone, it’s a mistake a lot of people in the U.S. have been making for years. And while both contain chiles, the two spices can actually lend pretty different flavors to your dishes.
Chili powder is a spice blend, while chile powders are centered on one type of pepper
Because chili powder is used as a flavor base for the stew, it contains a blend of different spices meant to give the dish more depth. Chili powder can contain different mixes of chiles depending on the brand, but the most common are cayenne and paprika. Beyond that, it usually contains other staples like cumin, garlic powder, onion powder, and oregano. It’s more of a complete seasoning experience meant to be something you can dash right onto steak or grilled corn and be done with it. And while cayenne by itself is quite spicy, because chili powder is mixed with other ingredients, it tends to be more mild and balanced.
Chile powders tend to add more unique flavors and be named after the specific types of chile they’re made from. So for chile powder, you can find ancho chile powder or guajillo chile powder. Because they are made from one type of ground chile, you get a more intense but one-note taste from these spices. Ancho chile powder will give you the fruity and smoky flavor its namesake is well known for, while chipotle chile powder will also be smoky but more fiery. These spices will add a wonderfully intense chile flavor to dishes and can also be used to make your own spice blends. You’ll really want to have both chili powder and chile powders at your disposal.
