The Jalapeño Chips You Should Probably Pass On

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Jalapeños, like all peppers, are a Mexican crop that we love to use in all of its iterations, whether it's diced fresh and mixed into pico de gallo or pickled for the ultimate hamburger topping. Its unique zingy spice and savory taste has also become the subject of many a chip seasoning. That's why we have sampled seven jalapeño-flavored chips, ranking them according to texture and flavor. Specifically, we were looking for a chip that tastes the most like a jalapeño. Unfortunately, the chips that landed in last place were the Simply 7 Jalapeño Lentil Chips. 

While we applaud the creativity and uniqueness of a lentil chip product, that does not compensate for a complete lack of jalapeño flavor. For that matter, we could not even taste an earthy lentil flavor, either. The chip has a nondescript heat on the finish, but there is no pepper flavor behind it. We felt like the heat could have just as easily been a sprinkling of cayenne or chili powder. We had high hopes for the flavor profile, considering how well jalapeños pair with the meaty, earthiness of legumes in recipes like black bean dip and charro beans. Unfortunately, we could not decipher the flavor of either ingredient, let alone savor their complementary tasting notes. While we enjoyed their light and airy texture, which was fun to eat and addicting at the same time, that's not what makes a jalapeño chip good. So if you're looking for a chip that's bursting with that warm, spicy flavor, you should probably pass on Simply 7 Jalapeño Lentil Chips.

Online reviews of Simply 7 Jalapeño Lentil chips also complained about the lack of the spicy pepper flavor, with customers describing them as bland at best and overly salty at worst. One of the main draws for these lentil chips was their touted nutritional value, given that they have 40% less fat than potato chips, use whole ingredients, and are gluten-free and vegan. At the end of the day, they still lacked that jalapeño flavor and were not a chip you would want to eat straight out of the bag, but instead are best accompanied by a dip to actually provide some distinguishable taste. Furthermore, despite being made of lentils, these chips do not have much protein.

Our top-ranking jalapeño chips, Late July Jalapeño Lime Tortilla Chips, are also gluten-free and vegan. They also stand out as the only tortilla chips on our list. The addition of lime complements and enhances the peppery and spicy flavor, not to mention the earthy savoriness of corn. If you still want lentils to be a factor, you can always make vegan lentil nachos using the Late July chips. A low-fat alternative to lentil jalapeño chips that actually has plenty of flavor would be a baked chip brand, like these highly ranked Flamin' Hot Baked Cheetos. If you're set on lentil chips, we would recommend dipping them into a creamy jalapeño salsa, the famous Texas green sauce for serious spice lovers.