Chimay – Salsa Habanero Amarilla

Bitter: ⭐✰✰✰✰

Salty: ⭐⭐⭐✰✰

Sour: ⭐⭐✰✰✰

Sweet: ⭐✰✰✰✰

Umami: ⭐⭐✰✰

Heat: ⭐⭐⭐✰✰✰✰✰✰✰

Quick Flavor Notes: Bright, tangy, earthy spices

Texture: Medium Thin, Smooth

Ingredients: Habanero peppers, Vinegar, Salt, Olive Oil, Spices and Aromatics, Sodium Benzoate

Recommended: Yes

Yet another one of the sauces I brought back on a trip to Mexico last year. Chimay is a brand that I saw mostly in higher end specialty stores and was priced higher that most. They have a range of four difference habanero sauces including this one, the yellow, a red, a green, and a black. This sauce is listed as “extra picante” on their bottles while the red is listed as “muy picante”. I’m not sure if extra spicy or very spicy is supposed to be hotter however.

Other than the Sodium Benzoate, unfortunately very common in sauces made in Mexico, the ingredients list is pretty clean and what you’d expect from a Mexican style habanero sauce, though the addition of olive oil is a surprise. Torchbearer is the most known company in the USA for adding oil to their sauces which they do for purposes of using it as a natural emulsifier as well as to help carry some of the flavor elements that are fat soluble as opposed to water soluble in their sauces for a more complex flavor. I imagine it plays a similar role in Chimay Salsa Habanero Amarilla.

Chimay Salsa Habanero Amarilla has a bright habanero flavor up front. There’s some habanero fruitiness though not at the same level of some other habanero sauces. The herbs and spices used, while not indicated in detail, do add a very nice savory flavor and earthiness to the sauce. I can taste some Mexican oregano and garlic, some onion, and I imagine there is some cumin as well, though I’m sure that I’m missing some. The blend of bright fresh habanero flavor with the savory aromatics, spices, and herbs makes for a well rounded and delicious sauce. The texture with the olive oil is also quite pleasant, not oily at all, but smooth with a good flow yet still easily sticks to food.

With any Mexican sauce I immediate go to Mexican food, and this is a perfect sauce to spice up your nachos, tacos, burritos, and more. This sauce also works great on pizza, sandwiches, and even added to some instant ramen. The flavor base for this sauce is fairly universal so it should be a great fit for almost any type of savory food.

I’m happy to recommend Chimay Salsa Habanero Amarilla hot sauce. It’s one of the better Mexican habanero sauces that I’ve enjoyed. While it doesn’t appear that they have official distribution in the USA their sauces are sold on Amazon via some resellers so it is accessible.