Bird's eye chili, also known as Thai chili, is a type of chili pepper commonly used in Southeast Asian cuisine. It is known for its fiery heat and distinct flavor, which adds a unique kick to dishes. However, this chili is not always readily available or you just might not have any but need them for a recipe! That's a bit problematic if you want to use them to create an authentic Southeast Asian dish at home. Fortunately, there are several bird's eye chili substitutes that you can use in your cooking.
Jump to:
- 🤔 What is a bird's eye chili?
- 🌟 Where to buy bird's eye chili
- 🌶 Best Substitutes for Bird's Eye Chili
- 1 Serrano Pepper
- 2 Jalapeno Peppers
- 3 Habanero Peppers
- 4 Cayenne Pepper
- 5 Scotch Bonnets (also known as Bonney pepper)
- 6 Chile De Arbol
- 7 Chili Powder (or chili flakes)
- 💠FAQs
- 📋 Summary
- Recipes with bird's eye chili
- 💬 Comments
🤔 What is a bird's eye chili?
First, let's cover what bird's eye chili peppers actually are. Bird's eye chili peppers, also known as Thai chili (or Prik Kee Noo), is a small, fiery-hot chili pepper that is commonly used in cuisine from Southeast Asia. It is about 1-2 inches long (as pictured) and is usually green when unripe and turns red or orange as it ripens.
Like all chilies, the bird's eye chilli is related to bell peppers, but bells peppers are not spicy! In fact, they don't have any heat in them at all. They're all just a part of the capsicum family.
A bird's eye chili has a distinct, pungent flavor and is known for its high level of heat, which ranges from 50,000 to 100,000 on the Scoville Heat Scale.
It is used in a variety of spicy food including curries, like Thai Green Curry or Thai Red Curry stir-fries like Thai Basil Tofu, as well as sauces, marinades and salads like this Papaya Salad, to add spice and flavor.
It can be easy to use too many and end up with a very spicy dish! This has happened to us on (at least) a few occasions. They look so small and innocent but they really pack in the heat.
🌟 Where to buy bird's eye chili
Bird's eye chili is a staple ingredient in many Southeast Asian countries such, as Thai and Vietnamese cuisine, but it has also become popular in many other parts of the world as well. They're often used for their intense heat to create spicy food like Massaman Curry or even a Khao Soi noodle soup.
They're found in most standard grocery stores and are usually sold as fresh peppers rather than ground or dried. If your local grocery store doesn't have them, they can most likely be found at asian grocery stores, if you have one nearby.
Fun fact: even though this chili is used the most in Southeast asia, all chilies are actually initially derived from South America!
Now, let's get into all of the best bird's eye chili substitutes that you can use...
🌶 Best Substitutes for Bird's Eye Chili
1 Serrano Pepper
Serrano peppers are a type of chili pepper that is commonly used in Mexican cuisine. However, it is a very common type of chili. If you go to the supermarket and pick up a packet of 'own brand' or unlabelled chilies, it's likely to be a serrano pepper. They're often around 5 cm or 2" long and are wider at the top than the bottom.
The serrrano pepper is a lot milder than a bird's eye chili but is probably one of the best bird's eye chili substitutes. However, it has a slightly different flavor profile. The serrano pepper is usually either red or green and it's probably the most commonly used chili pepper, in my opinion. And they can be used to make spicy food from many different countries!
Overall, the serrano pepper is a great all-round chili for dishes that require a medium to high level of heat. It's one of the best substitutes for bird's eye chili, so don't overlook the very common serrano pepper!
Scoville heat units: 10,000-25,000
Ratio to substitute serrano pepper for bird's eye chilies: 1:1 (but adjust to taste)
2 Jalapeno Peppers
Jalapeño pepper is a type of chili pepper that is commonly used in Mexican and Tex-Mex cuisine. It has a mild heat - it scores 2,500-10,000 on the scoville chart, which is milder than a bird's eye chili but still adds a nice kick to dishes, like in these tofu quesadillas.
The jalapeno pepper is one of the better substitutes for bird's eye chili, especially in dishes that require a mild to medium level of heat overall. They're often preserved in jars and used to top dishes like nachos or in burgers.
Jalapeno peppers are often confused with fresno chili peppers, due to their size and shape. However, we wouldn't recommend fresno chili as a substitute for bird's eye chili, as it's not very spicy and contains a unique smoky flavor. So be careful of that!
We'd recommend using fresh jalapeno peppers, rather than jarred jalapeno peppers so that you don't also get the vinegar taste added.
Scoville heat units: 2,500-10,000
Ratio to substitute bird's eye chilies with jalapeno pepper: 1:1
3 Habanero Peppers
Habanero pepper is a type of chili pepper commonly used in Mexican cuisine. It is one of the spiciest chili peppers available in shops and it has a slightly fruity flavor.
The habanero pepper is a good substitute for bird's eye chilies in dishes that require a high level of heat, but also has fruity notes and is slightly spicier.
Both scotch bonnet pepper and habanero pepper are significantly hotter than bird's eye chili, as they both offer intense heat. So, be sure to use them sparingly and adjust the amount according to your heat tolerance.
When substituting bird's eye chili with a scotch bonnet pepper or habanero pepper, keep in mind that they have distinct fruity notes.They may change the overall taste of the dish. It is best to use them in dishes that complement or enhance the fruitiness.
Scoville heat units: 100,000-350,000
Ratio to substitute habanero pepper for bird's eye chili: 0.5:1
4 Cayenne Pepper
Cayenne pepper is also commonly used in Mexican and South American cuisine. It is known for its heat, which is similar to that of bird's eye chili. Cayenne pepper is also widely available and can be found in most grocery stores. It is a great substitute for bird's eye chili in dishes that require a fair amount of heat.
Cayenne pepper is often sold in powdered form in supermarkets in the UK, rather than fresh. If you can get a fresh cayenne pepper that would be a better substitute. Otherwise it's fine to use cayenne pepper powder.
Scoville heat units: 25,000-50,000
Ratio to substitute cayenne pepper for bird's eye chili: 1:1
5 Scotch Bonnets (also known as Bonney pepper)
Scotch bonnet pepper is a type of chili pepper commonly used in Caribbean cuisine. It is similar in heat to habanero pepper and has a sweet and slightly fruity flavor. Scotch bonnet pepper is a good substitute for bird's eye chili. Especially in dishes that require a high level of heat with a fruity edge. It's actually one of the hottest chilies featured in this list.
While the scotch bonnet does have quite fruity notes, if it's the closest chili pepper you have, then it's still going to do the job. We recommend using the scotch bonnet in moderation as it is so spicy. My personal mantra is: "You can always add more but you can't take it away!"
However, if you haven't got bird's eye chili peppers, this may not be the best option for you. That's because they're usually found in specialty food stores, so you may not have a bonney pepper available either!
Scoville heat units: 100,000-350,000
Ratio to substitute scotch bonnet for bird's eye chili: 0.5:1
6 Chile De Arbol
Chile de arbol is another small chili that looks a lot like a Thai chili. However, it is nowhere near as spicy. If you're going to substitute bird's eye chili with chile de arbol, it's a good idea to add chili flakes too, for the heat. If you don't want the final dish to be very spicy, then chile de arbol by itself will work.
Wihle chile de arbol isn't one of the best substitutes for bird's eye chili, it does work if it's what you've got to hand.
Scoville heat units: 15,000-30,000
Ratio to substitute chile de arbol for bird's eye chili: 1:1 (but also add some chili flakes)
7 Chili Powder (or chili flakes)
Chili powder (or chili flakes) is a good option as a bird's eye chili substitute as almost everyone will have these flakes in their spice rack. Using a combination of both could result in a medium hot dish rather than a hot and spicy one.
Standard powdered chili can be used in place of bird's eye chili peppers in any dish. It's better when the powder can be fried off to activate the best flavor, even though it will have a milder flavor than using a fresh bird's eye chili. A dish with a spicy kick can still be created using chilli powder or chili flakes though!
Chilli powder is likely to be a little bit milder than bird's eye chili peppers, so you may need to add a little bit more. However, we think tasting as you go is the best advice in this situation.
Scoville heat level: 500 - 1500
Ratio to substitute for bird's eye chili: 1:1 (you can always add more to taste)
💭 FAQs
Bird's eye chili has a distinct, pungent flavor with fruity notes and is a very hot pepper. It is known for its high level of heat, which can vary depending on the level of ripeness and growing conditions.
Bird's eye chili is one of the hotter chili peppers, it has a heat level of 50,000 to 100,000 on the Scoville scale, which is used to measure the heat of peppers. This puts it on par with other hot peppers like cayenne and tabasco.
Yes, you can freeze bird's eye chili. Simply wash and dry the peppers, then put them in a sealed freezer bag or container. They will keep for up to 6 months in the freezer.
Yes, bird's eye chili can be eaten raw, but it is important to use caution when handling and consuming it due to its high level of heat. These potent peppers pack a punch, so we don't recommend eating them raw!
Yes, bird's eye chili is also known as Thai chili, as it is a staple ingredient in Thai cuisine. However, there are many different types of chili peppers used in Thai cuisine, so the term "Thai chili" can sometimes refer to different varieties of chili peppers.
Bird's eye chili should be stored in a cool, dry place, such as a pantry or cupboard. They can be stored whole or chopped, and will keep for up to 2 weeks if stored properly. For longer-term storage, you can freeze them as described above.
If you're looking for substitutes for other common ingredients, check out these handy guides:
4 Best Gochujang Substitutes
Best Curry Powder Substitutes
Madras Curry Powder Alternatives
Substitutes for Mustard Seeds
4 Best Sweet Chili Sauce Substitutes
Best Light Soy Sauce Substitutes
Substitutes for Chili Flakes
📋 Summary
In summary, bird's eye chili is a popular chili pepper used in Southeast Asian cuisine with a rating of 50,000 to 100,000 on the Scoville scale. If you haven't got any on hand, luckily, there are several substitutes for bird's eye chili that can be used in its place.
So, if you love spicy food, these are the best substitutes: cayenne pepper, serrano pepper, jalapeño pepper, habanero peppers and the bonney pepper (scotch bonnet). Depending on the level of heat required, they'e all good substitutes to use!
For those seeking a higher level of heat with a fruity edge, scotch bonnet pepper and habanero pepper are great alternatives. They're also the hottest peppers featured in this list.
When using any of these substitutes, keep in mind their unique flavor profiles and adjust the amount used accordingly to achieve the desired taste and level of heat in your dish. And if you're in a real pinch, you could always use hot sauce from the refrigerator (if you have any in!).
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