Chile-Infused Tequila And Verdita Chaser Recipe

Witnessing someone's first verdita shot is a beautiful experience. Without context, the greenish shot gives the illusion of being a grassy flavored wellness drink, rather than a fruity, spicy chaser to tequila. Even smelling it before sipping doesn't quite give away the flavor, and watching the realization happen in real time is a sight to behold. Paired with chile-infused tequila, the experience becomes a rollercoaster of flavor, one that you initially regret strapping in for. After the verdita washes away the chile, though, you realize that it wasn't so bad. In fact, you'd do it again.

"Verdita" is Spanish for "little green" and is served in Mexico as a palate cleanser following shots of tequila. It's the cousin to the red-hued sangrita ("little blood"), which is traditionally sipped alongside tequila rather than chugged. Lined up, the green verdita, white tequila, and red sangrita make up the colors of the Mexican flag and can be drunk together. While sangrita is made with pomegranates and orange juice, verdita is pineapple based, given its green color by cilantro, mint, and lime. Both drinks have chiles for a subtle burn but are largely fruit-forward, the verdita leaning heavily on herbal flavors. It's delicious, and with this recipe by developer Michelle McGlinn, will become your new favorite way to wash down your spirits.

First, grab your favorite tequila blanco (or one you don't mind using 9 ounces of) and a few jalapeño peppers. You can use any pepper for the tequila, but the jalapeños will best match the verdita. You'll also need pineapple juice, which can be found canned in the juice aisle — we recommend buying a couple small cans instead of one large one to save your refrigerator from large, awkward open containers. While you're at the store, grab a bunch of cilantro, some fresh mint, and a lime, too.

Infusing spirits is easier than it sounds. Want your vodka to have a flavor? Just steep it, like a tea, for an hour or several days. For spicy tequila, chop up some chiles and steep them in tequila. Infusion happens pretty quickly with chiles, and you'll only need an hour or so to feel some heat. For spicier tequila, leave the jalapeños in for as long as a day. If you want to switch up the spice level or flavor, try different chiles, like serrano or Thai bird chiles. But be careful — it can get hot.

You'll need a blender for this one. Add the pineapple and lime juices to the blender first, then add chopped jalapeño, cilantro leaves, and mint. If you don't like spicy foods and drinks, we recommend de-seeding the jalapeño and starting with just half. Jalapeños can range from very mild to pretty hot, and if you aren't sure about heat, add less and simply blend in more jalapeños later. If you did accidentally add too much and the verdita is making your eyes water, just splash in some more pineapple juice.

While you could drink the verdita without straining, it's much more enjoyable when the solids are strained out; even blended on high, there will be small pieces of cilantro that never quite liquify. Use a fine strainer and pour the verdita through it, pushing the solids to the side with a small spatula or spoon. After straining, you'll have a smooth green liquid (with maybe a few flecks of jalapeño) that's still chock-full of herbal flavor.

Once the spicy tequila is ready, use the fine strainer once again to strain the jalapeños and seeds out. Pour 1 ½ ounces into a shot glass (or just fill the glass; it should be around 1 ½ ounces). Into another shot glass, pour the same amount of verdita. 

When you're ready, drink the tequila first, then immediately follow with the verdita. When done in succession, you'll first taste the tongue-tingling heat of the chiles, then the cooling rush of cilantro and mint, and finally the sweetness of the pineapple, all with a lingering taste of jalapeño that dances on your tongue. Be careful with this one, as you'll want to do it again and again. The tequila and verdita can both be made up to a week ahead and stored in the refrigerator, so don't worry about finishing it all in one night.