Bottom Line: The Fiery Chile Limon chips appear to be Paqui’s answer to the Lays Flamin’ Hot, and I consider these a much superior chip that brings the heat.
I have covered Paqui chips several times on this site and recently found a bag of the Fiery Chile Limon in my local CVS (surprisingly a good place for spicy snacks) and decided to give them a try. On the bag, they offer the following promise:
Made with a bold combination of red hot chile peppers and lime juice, these light and crispy chips pack a kick! One of the newest additions to the Paqui lineup, this flavor is the perfect balance of tart and spicy.
These deliver a strong tang with the first bite with the promised tartness from the limon flavoring and a slightly sweet finish. They have a nice amount of seasoning and it is not too sour like Lays Flamin’ Hot flavor, but it still delivers some pucker. These are a rustic, grittier tortilla chip and the seasonings are all natural so it all comes together for a good-tasting chip.
The heat builds up as you eat them and they go beyond the Medium level and start approaching Hot. They are not quite at the “Super Hot” level promised on the bag, but they definitely deliver some burn with good flavor from the seasoning. Given a choice between these and Flamin’ Hot Doritos, I would take the Paqui Chips every time.
They are a bit pricey, retailing for over five bucks a bag. But that is the cost of using better ingredients, and you can often find them on sale if you look around. I have already reviewed their Jalapeno Tropicale chips (great taste, not much heat), Zesty Salsa Verde chips (good taste, not much heat), and Haunted Ghost Pepper chips (these bad boys bring the burn!), though I have not gotten around to their One-Chip Challenge yet. That is heat just for heat’s sake and not really my thing, but I may still give it a try at some point.
Paqui (pronounced pah-kee) is an Aztec word that means “to be happy”. Their chips are 100% Non-GMO with no artificial ingredients, flavors, or preservatives, and they are also Gluten free, Vegan, and contain no trans-fat. The company is located here in Texas, but the chips are available in other parts of the country. You can check and see if they are on sale near you with the store locator on their website.
Tale of the Tape:
Ingredients: Ground Corn, Expeller-Pressed Canola Oil and/or Sunflower Oil, Vinegar Powder, (Maltodextrin, White Distilled Vinegar), Sea Salt, Rice Flour, Paprika, Paprika Extract, Yeast Extract, Onion Powder, Cana Sugar, Citric Acid (for flavor), Spices, Garlic Powder, Natural Flavor, Lactic Acid (for flavor).
Serving Size: 28g (About 10 Chips)
Calories: 140
Fat: 7g (1g Sat/0g Trans)
Protein: 2g
Carbs: 18g
Sodium: 190mg