7 Jalapeño-Flavored Chips, Ranked Worst To Best

These days, there are seemingly endless chip flavors out there, ranging from the rather standard salt and vinegar variety to the more esoteric options, like chicken and waffles and pepperoncini. One of my absolute favorites, though, is jalapeño — it's a flavor that packs both a savory and spicy punch, that offers something different from the norm without really diverging too drastically from the expected flavor profile of most chips. And since it's a flavor that works well with potato chips, tortilla chips, and beyond, it makes sense that chip companies would jump on the bandwagon to create their own jalapeño-flavored chips.

That's why I've tasted and ranked seven different jalapeño chip varieties to deliver the info on which ones are worth checking out and which you may want to leave in the grocery store snack aisle. These rankings are determined by the overall deliciousness of the chips in question, but also according to how closely they adhere to that specific jalapeño flavor. Once you read more about what these different chip brands have to offer, go out and try some of them out for yourself the next time you're craving a spicy, salty snack.

I really, really wanted to like Simply 7 Jalapeño Lentil Chips. Not only do they provide an alternative to the more classic potato and tortilla chips, but they also have a unique, light texture that makes them all the more interesting to snack on. This light, airy texture is definitely a selling point, and it's the reason why, despite the flavor of the chips, I'll probably still be finishing the bag anyway. But let's be honest: They don't taste like jalapeño at all. Is there a slight heat to these chips? Sure. However, it's more of an aftertaste instead of the main thing you notice when you pop one in your mouth. Plus, that heat doesn't really taste jalapeño-specific, rather offering a bland, indistinguishable heat that is less than exciting.

What's more is that the inclusion of lentils in this chip recipe don't seem to add a ton of flavor to the mix, either. Without featuring the flavor that these chips are literally supposed to emulate and not offering much else on the flavor front at all, they unfortunately snag the lowest spot in this ranking.

To be clear, all of the jalapeño-flavored potato chips in this ranking are rather similar to one another, which means that Kettle Brand's Jalapeño Potato Chips are not markedly worse-tasting than any of the others in this lineup. Still, though, despite the similarities, this was my least favorite potato chip variety in the group. That's not because it tastes bad, but rather because it really doesn't taste like jalapeño at all. Despite the little flecks of green on each individual chip, I really couldn't discern any meaningful jalapeño flavor at all. Rather, there seems to be more of a general umami note that tastes somewhat like chicken-flavored ramen, strangely enough. It's not exactly an interesting flavor, but it's nonetheless enjoyable.

If you're looking for a salty, flavorful chip that offers plenty of crunch and an umami touch, then these Kettle potato chips will have you covered. On the other hand, if you're actually craving that heat and specific green flavor of jalapeños in your chips, then this brand's product is bound to be a disappointment.

Head to Whole Foods if you want to move a step up on the jalapeño flavor scale. 365 Kettle Cooked Jalapeño Potato Chips definitely pack more flavor than Kettle Brand's jalapeño offering, with a distinct green pepper flavor that'll hit you as soon as you take a bite. However, it seems to miss the mark when actually trying to emulate real jalapeño flavor. Instead, you're left with an almost green pepper-y note that tastes somewhat strange but not completely unpleasant. On the heat front, though, these chips are completely lacking. They don't have any spice to them at all, which threatens to leave true jalapeño lovers deeply disappointed.

Part of the appeal of these chips, though, is the addition of parsley. Does that herb make it taste any more similar to jalapeño? Definitely not. But that fresh, herbal flavor is a nice touch that does make the chips taste better overall. So, no, these are not the chips you should pick if you really want to capture that jalapeño-specific flavor, but they're still worth trying if you just like flavorful potato chips in general.

Now, I'm not the biggest fan of Sun Chips in general, but I have to admit that the brand's Black Bean Spicy Jalapeño Chips actually are pretty tasty. What really makes these chips shine is their black bean base. They actually do taste like black beans, with that specific richness that gives them their iconic flavor. This is the overarching flavor in these chips, but to me, that's okay, since that's exactly what it says on the packaging. That being said, there is definitely some heat here, although it's not necessarily as pronounced as I'd like it to be. The spice mostly comes in on the back end, with a mild heat that even the most spicy-sensitive eaters should be able to handle.

Yet again, these chips don't quite seem to capture that very specific jalapeño flavor. This one comes closer than any of the varieties I've covered so far, but it's unfortunately still missing that vegetal note that I want when I'm digging into a bag of jalapeño-flavored anything. That being said, they're definitely still worth a try, particularly if you love black beans as much as I do.

Cape Cod potato chips are some of the absolute best chips in the business, so it shouldn't come as a surprise that these Cape Cod Sweet and Spicy Jalapeño Chips land in the top three on this list. However, they don't land the number one spot for a good reason: They're not particularly sweet, and they don't pack a ton of spice. Instead, they have a slight smokiness to them that would make them a good option as a side dish for a summer BBQ. Yes, there is some spiciness to these chips, but it's mild — way milder than you might expect in a jalapeño-flavored chip. And although they taste more like actual jalapeño than any of the other chips covered until this point, that vegetal note is so subtle that I wouldn't even pick up on the fact that these were supposed to be jalapeño-flavored if it weren't for the packaging telling me so.

That being said, these chips are still delicious. They have that signature Cape Cod crunch, with a ton of the chips folding over on one another, creating a more interesting textural experience. When you want a chip that's only slightly spicy, then this isn't a bad option to seek out.

I'm not the biggest fan of Lay's potato chips, but I have to admit that Lay's Kettle Cooked Jalapeño Chips are some of the best jalapeño-flavored chips out there. These chips finally, blessedly, actually taste like jalapeños, complete with that green, vegetal note that's so conspicuously missing from most of the other brands' chips on this list. There's also a welcome hint of spice here, although it's not quite as pronounced as I wish it were. However, that likely makes these chips appeal to a broader range of snackers, since you don't have to be an absolute spicy food fiend to get on board with what they're offering.

Although these kettle cooked potato chips are a bit thinner than some other varieties out there, offering a somewhat less-satisfying crunch, they're still way better than Lay's original line. Although they may not be the top-ranking chips on this list, they're certainly the best jalapeño-flavored potato chip option I tried.

Sure, I like tortilla chips, but with so many more potato chips included in this ranking, I didn't expect the only tortilla variety on this list to take the number one spot. However, Late July Jalapeño Lime Tortilla Chips are definitely the best of the bunch. First of all, these chips actually taste like real jalapeños, which was surprisingly rare among all of these options. That's not the only reason they take the top spot, though — they're also incredibly well-balanced, with that hint of lime really highlighting the jalapeño flavor, creating a harmonious combination of flavors that really, really works. Yes, these chips taste delicious with salsa and maybe even better with guacamole, but they're so delicious that they truly can be enjoyed all on their own.

The only thing that's really missing here is a pronounced heat, but we'll let that slide, considering how well-salted and otherwise well-balanced these chips are. When you want to switch up your tortilla chip game and try something new and interesting — and just a tiny bit spicy — these jalapeño-lime chips are the way to go.

I chose these jalapeño chips based on availability at a variety of local grocery stores. The criteria for this ranking are flavor, first and foremost, with texture also playing an important role. However, perhaps the most important factor in this ranking was adherence to that specific jalapeño flavor, since that's what's advertised on the packaging of all of these products. The chips that tasted the most like jalapeño — and that tasted the best overall — rank near the top of the list, while those that fell short of true jalapeño-like flavor generally ranked near the bottom.