Hatch Chile Hush Puppies

Hatch chile hush puppies are crispy on the outside and soft and fluffy on the inside with a spicy green chile kick! They're perfect for a summer fish fry and can be fried or baked. (vegetarian, gluten-free option)

One of my family's favorite things to do is get everyone together for a big fish fry! My brother-in-law loves to fish on the gulf coast, and my dad and brother are fishermen, too. So every once in a while, it's fun to get everyone together and put all those fish to good use with a laid back, outdoor Southern fish fry. 

What fish fry is complete without hush puppies? I gave a classic hush puppy recipe a spicy twist for hatch chile season with these hatch chile hush puppies. No more dry, bland hush puppies at your next fish fry - these might even steal the show!

Why You'll Love These Green Chile Hush Puppies

These hush puppies are simply delicious - an absolute must at any Southern fish fry. The hatch green chiles add the perfect spicy kick to the flavorful, tender, dense (in a good way) cornmeal hush puppies with crispy, golden exteriors. 

These green chile hush puppies also have an option to bake them if you're trying to avoid a mess. I understand that frying is messy and not always ideal inside the house. They won't be quite the same, but they're still delicious.

How to Make Hatch Chile Hush Puppies

1. Make the cornmeal batter. Mix the dry ingredients, add the milk and beaten eggs, and stir in the onion, garlic, jalapeño and hatch chiles.
2. Scoop the batter into 1-inch balls using a small cookie scoop (like this one) or rolls into balls. 
3. Fry hush puppies in at least 3 inches of oil heated to 350°F, turning halfway through until golden.
4. Enjoy hush puppies hot with tartar sauce.

Tips For Making The Best Hatch Chile Hush Puppies

• Get the oil hot before frying. Use a thermometer to measure the temperature. Too-hot oil will burn the outsides before the insides get fully cooked, while too-cold oil will saturate the hush puppies with oil and turn them soggy.
• Don't over-crowd the pan. Trying to cook too many at once will cause the oil to get too cold. 
• Drain the hush puppies on a cooling rack with paper towels underneath to keep them crispy. You can keep them warm in the oven on the warm setting (or as low as your oven will go) while you cook the remaining hush puppies. 

More Delicious Hatch Chile Recipes You'll Love

• Green Chile Chicken Mac and Cheese
• Healthy Hatch Chile Crab Cakes
• Hatch Chile Salsa Verde
• Green Chile Chicken
• Green Chile Mexican Breakfast Casserole
• Hatch Chile Margaritas

Did you make this recipe? Please leave a star rating in the comments!

Hatch Chile Hush Puppies

Hatch chile hush puppies are crispy on the outside and soft and fluffy on the inside with a spicy green chile kick! They're perfect for a summer fish fry and can be fried or baked. (vegetarian, gluten-free option)

• Author: Kaleigh
• Prep Time: 15 minutes
• Cook Time: 10 minutes
• Total Time: 25 minutes
• Yield: About 25 hush puppies 1x
• Category: side dish
• Method: fried
• Cuisine: Southern

Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

• 1 ½ cups cornmeal
• 1 ¼ cup flour (I use white whole wheat)
• 1 tsp fine sea salt
• 3 tsp baking powder
• ¼ tsp baking soda
• ⅛ tsp cayenne pepper
• Pinch black pepper
• 3 large eggs, beaten
• 1 ½ cups milk
• ½ cup onion, diced
• ½ jalapeño, seeds removed and diced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 3 hatch chiles, roasted, seeds removed and diced (or 1 small can)
• oil for frying (I use peanut oil)

For the Tartar Sauce:

• ½ cup mayo or plain Greek yogurt
• 1 small jalapeño, diced
• juice from 1 lemon, about 2 tbsp
• 2 tbsp cilantro leaves, chopped
• 2 tbsp green onion, chopped
• pinch fine sea salt
• pinch black pepper

Instructions

For the hush puppies:

1. Stir together dry ingredients in a large bowl. Stir in beaten eggs and milk.
2. Add onion, jalapeño, garlic and chiles and stir to combine.
3. Scoop or roll the batter into 1-inch balls.
4. Heat at least 3 inches of oil to 350°F in a large dutch oven or skillet with high sides.
5. Working in batches, fry hush puppies in at least 3 inches of oil heated to 350°F until cooked through, about 2-3 minutes, turning once while cooking to brown both sides.
6. Use a slotted spoon to remove hush puppies from the oil and place on a cooling rack with paper towels underneath to drain.

If baking:

1. Make batter as instructed above, adding ¼ cup oil with the milk and eggs.
2. Pour batter into greased mini muffin tins.
3. Bake at 350°F until golden and insides are cooked through, about 8 minutes.

For the Tartar Sauce:

1. Stir together all ingredients and chill until ready to serve.

Notes

• For gluten-free, use your favorite gluten-free cup-for-cup flour.
• For dairy-free, you can use club soda or seltzer water in place of milk.
• Keep hush puppies warm in the oven on the warm setting or as low as it will go while you fry the remaining hush puppies.
• Get the oil hot before frying. Use a thermometer to measure the temperature. Too-hot oil will burn the outsides before the insides get fully cooked, while too-cold oil will saturate the hush puppies with oil and turn them soggy.
• Don't over-crowd the pan. Trying to cook too many at once will cause the oil to get too cold.

Keywords: green chile hush puppies, baked hush puppy recipe, hatch chile hush puppies