Cocktail Hour Nibbles: Chipotle & Lime Nuts Recipe
These delicious nuts are always a hit in our house and with guests! They’re pretty easy to make so I like to have them on hand for our cocktail hours or to take over when visiting friends (pre-Covid, of course. sigh.) I’ve even put them in a mason jar, wrapped with a cute bow, and gifted them to our new neighbor. Sadly, these don’t last very long around here, so those guys moved in at a good time. 😉
I was inspired to recreate these when one of my fave Dallas bars, The Skellig, had to shut down due to the pandemic. If you’ve never been, this place makes THE best bar nuts I’ve ever had. They serve them for free along with warm chips and dip during their happy hours. I missed them so much, so I asked for their recipe and fortune was on my side- they agreed to give it to me with the agreement I wouldn’t share their beloved recipe.
So, while this recipe is based on the Skellig nuts, I’ve added and subtracted some ingredients to remain faithful to my promise never to give it out. They’re still SO yummy, I promise. And even with the exact recipe, the nuts still aren’t the same. I know I will only get the real deal when they are allowed to open back up.
As a quick side note, this recipe calls for Tajin, a widely used Mexican seasoning that consists of a simple mix consisting of sea salt, dried and ground red chili, and dehydrated lime juice. If you are a margarita drinker and you don’t have this seasoning in your pantry, you’re missing out. I use this to rim the glass of my margs and each sip is extra delicious! People also put this on their fruit and they swear by it. I haven’t ventured out that far yet!
These peanuts are completely addicting! Pair this recipe with a cold beer, or even better, a margarita and you’re set for a good time!
Her Southern Charm’s Chipotle Lime nuts
Ingredients
- 2 lbs unsalted peanuts
- 2 limes
- 3 tbsp brown sugar
- 2 ½ tbsp salt
- 1 tbsp chipotle chile powder
- 1 tbsp Tajin *if you don't have Tajin, you can use regular chili powder
- 2 egg whites
- ¾ tsp cayenne pepper *add if you like a bit more spicy!
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°.
- Using a zester, finely zest the limes in a large bowl. Squeeze the juice of the limes saving one half of one lime for later use.
- Add the chiptole powder, brown sugar, and salt to the bowl of lime juice and zest. Mix and muddle all these ingredients well.
- Add all the nuts to the bowl and mix with the paste. Mix well, making sure they nuts are coated evenly. Set aside.
- Whisk the egg whites in a small bown and add to the nuts once again mixing well.
- Lay on a sheet pan lined with parchment paper. Spread so the nuts are only on one layer.
- Bake at 350° for 10 minutes.
- Remove from oven and sprinkle with the remaining half of lime juice. Mix again, separating nuts, and return to oven baking again for 5-7 minutes.
- Remove and mix one last time. Bake again for five minutes more.
- Remove from oven and let cool down before storing and serving. Store in an airtight container.
Notes
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Now I know what tajin is, and it is delicious!!!