Scoville Units: Between 2,500 and 10,000

The jalapeño is a medium to large size chili pepper which is prized for its warm, burning sensation when eaten. Ripe, the jalapeño can be 2–3½ inches long and is commonly sold when still green.

It is named after the town of Xalapa, Veracruz, where it was traditionally produced. 160 square kilometres are dedicated for the cultivation of jalapeño in Mexico alone, primarily in the Papaloapan river basin in the north of the state of Veracruz and in the Delicias, Chihuahua area.

Jalapeños are also cultivated on smaller scales in Jalisco, Nayarit, Sonora, Sinaloa and Chiapas. The jalapeño is known by different names throughout Mexico, such as cuaresmeños, huachinangos, and chiles gordos.

The jalapeño rates between 2,500 and 10,000 Scoville units in heat.