The Kroger Co. has announced that fresh Private Selection Hatch Chiles are now available for a limited time at Kroger Family of Stores nationwide. These chiles, grown in the Hatch Valley of southwestern New Mexico’s Rio Grande region, are picked, packed, and shipped in a single day, reaching shelves as soon as 24 hours after harvest.
Dan De La Rosa, Kroger’s group vice president of Fresh Merchandising, highlighted the annual excitement surrounding Hatch Chiles and noted the expanded range of Hatch Chile products available this season. These products include a variety of spice levels and are featured in items such as sushi, burgers, ribs, and chicken.
The Hatch Chile products available this season include:
- Private Selection Hatch Chile Peppers in Mild, Medium, Hot, and Extra Hot
- Private Selection Hatch Chile Ranch Petite Potatoes
- Private Selection Citrus Hatch Ancho Chile Street Corn Kit
- Home Chef Hatch Chile Roasted Chicken
- Summer Hatch Chile Sushi Roll
- Meat District Hatch Chile Burgers
- Private Selection Hatch Chile Seasoned Bacon
- Kroger Brand Hatch Green Chile Ribs
- Hatch Chile Shrimp
- Bakery Fresh Hatch Chile Corn Bread
- Beechers Hatch Chile Jack Cheese
Kroger suggests enjoying these seasonal offerings through themed meals, such as a Hatch Grill Out with Hatch Chile Burgers and Hatch Chile Chicken Skewers, a Pizza Night with Mexican-Style Street Corn Flat Bread with Hatch Sauce, or a simple dinner with Home Chef Hatch Chile Roasted Chicken and Hatch Chile Corn Salad.
To celebrate the Hatch Chile season, Kroger is hosting over 4,000 live store roasting events across the country. Customers can find event locations on the Kroger website. For those who prefer to roast chiles at home, Kroger provides the following instructions:
- Grill: Place the chiles directly onto a hot grill, turn them as they blacken.
- Stovetop: Hold chiles over a gas flame with tongs, roasting all sides.
- Oven: Place chiles under the broiler, turn them as they blacken.
After roasting, place the chiles in a sealed bag for about 10 minutes to cool, then remove the skins. The chiles can be enjoyed immediately or frozen for later use.