What is the difference between chili powder and ancho chile powder? Chili powder is a blend made from various ground spices including, but not limited to, ground chiles, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, and/or cayenne pepper. Ancho chile powder is just one specific chile, dried poblanos, that have been ground up and processed into a fine powder. When purchasing ancho chile powder, you are receiving a single ingredient product that has been carefully prepared by removing the stems and seeds from the dried poblanos. On the other hand, chili powder found in the spice aisle is a mixture of various spices, including cumin, oregano, garlic, and more, which may or may not include ground chile
