15-Minute Dinner: Chili Crisp Hot Honey Grilled Halloumi.

Halloumi is the answer to easy grilling, and I will tell you exactly why.

It does not melt. You can put it directly on a grill grate or in a hot pan, and it holds its shape. It develops serious color in 90 seconds a side. It is one of the very few cheeses you can grill without it sliding into the fire and ruining your evening.

It is also a perfect vehicle for the Chili Crisp Hot Honey combo we have not been able to stop using. The savory crunch of the chili crisp meets the slow warmth of the hot honey, and the salty squeak of the halloumi pulls it all together.

If you have fifteen minutes, you have dinner.

Grilled Halloumi with Chili Crisp and Hot Honey

You will need

• One 8 oz block of halloumi
• Spice Witch Chili Crisp
• Spice Witch Hot Honey
• A lemon, optional
• Arugula, optional

What you do

1. Cut the halloumi into half inch slabs. About four to six pieces from one block.
2. Heat a pan or grill grate over medium high. You want it hot. If you flick a drop of water on it, it should hiss and disappear.
3. Place the halloumi slabs directly on the surface. Do not move them. Wait 90 seconds. Flip. Wait 90 seconds more. You want deep golden brown on both sides.
4. Move to a plate.
5. Spoon a generous tablespoon of Chili Crisp over the halloumi. Do not skimp.
6. Drizzle Hot Honey on top. About a teaspoon per slab.
7. Optional: squeeze a lemon wedge over the whole plate. Optional: tear a handful of arugula and pile it next to the halloumi.
8. Eat immediately. Halloumi loses its magic the second it cools.

What to Serve With It

This is a dinner if you call it a dinner. A pile of grilled halloumi, a handful of arugula, and a glass of something cold is a complete meal in our house. If you want to expand: grilled bread, a tomato salad, or a pile of slow roasted vegetables underneath the halloumi will hold up beautifully.

Why This Combo Works

Chili Crisp is texture and savory. Hot Honey is sweet and slow heat. They are not the same flavor in different jars. They are two ingredients that finish each other's sentences. Halloumi gives them a salty, chewy base to play on.

This is what we mean when we say flavor without effort.

Make it once and tell us how it goes.

Frequently asked questions

Does halloumi melt on the grill?

No. It holds its shape on a grill grate or in a hot pan and develops serious color in about 90 seconds a side.

How thick should I slice the halloumi?

Half inch slabs, which gives you about four to six pieces from one 8 oz block.

How long do I cook each side?

Place the slabs on a hot surface, do not move them, and wait 90 seconds. Flip and wait 90 seconds more, until both sides are deep golden brown.

How much Chili Crisp and Hot Honey do I use?

A generous tablespoon of Chili Crisp over the halloumi, then about a teaspoon of Hot Honey per slab.

Can I make it ahead?

It is best eaten immediately. Halloumi loses its magic the second it cools.

More ways to use it: Whipped Brie with Hot Honey and Chili Crisp and Chili Crisp Hot Honey Brussels (The Holiday Scene-Stealer)