The One Chip Challenge: Everything You Need to Know (Updated 2025)

(Updated for 2025)

For years now, social media challenges have been becoming increasingly popular. From the drop challenge to dumping freezing water on yourself, there have been a lot. Some are more unique or challenging than others. If you haven't already seen it, though, there's a social media challenge that involves eating the hottest chip in the world... and we mean SERIOUSLY HOT.

It's called the Paqui One Chip Challenge.

It involves eating a single spicy tortilla chip... yup, that's it, just one single chip. Super easy, right?

Think again. This might not seem like such a big deal, but trust us, it is! You'll want to think twice before taking on this challenge.

If you're looking to take on the One Chip Challenge, though, or just want to know more about it, you're in the right place. Today, we'll talk to you about everything you need to know about this spicy challenge!

Key Takeaways

The one chip challenge was a popular spicy food challenge that involved eating a single, extremely hot tortilla chip.

Paqui, the brand making them, would create a new one each year with a unique twist.

Participants often experience intense heat and discomfort after consuming the chip.

The challenge has gained popularity through social media, with many sharing their reactions online.

After safety concerns and an incident, the brand discontinued and is no longer available.

You can still find chips from previous years from select retailers.

What is the One Chip Challenge: The Paqui Chip 2023

The One Chip Challenge is a social media craze started by Paqui, a tortilla chip company. They sold miniature containers, each with only one single very spicy chip, and the label reading “One Chip Challenge”.

While the 2021 One Chip Challenge was a red chip, and the 2022 year was blue, the newest 2023 Paqui chip is green and comes packing with a heat you won't soon forget! The challenge is to eat the single hot tortilla chip and see how long you can last before eating or drinking anything else.

(Note: Paqui no longer makes the one chip challenges, we'll talk more on that here shortly.)

The challenge tests people's will by having them try to wait at least an entire hour after eating one of their chips before consuming anything to relieve the heat. If you manage to do so, you are considered “invincible”. Those who give in and eat or drink a minute after consuming the chip are seen as being “powerless”.

Buy The 2023 One Chip

Participants in this challenge then post their reactions accordingly on social media platforms such as TikTok or Facebook. Paqui even goes as far as to share your social media challenge post right on their website!

What Happened to the Paqui & The One Chip Challenge

If you're wondering why we're not talking about a 2024 or 2025 One Chip Challenge, there is good reason why... if you try to search for it or go to the Paqui website, you'll have a hard time finding anything.

Paqui was owned by Hershey's and was once listed on their partner brands section; however, you'll no longer find it listed, and the Paqui website that once was no longer works.

The Paqui "One Chip Challenge," was officially discontinued in 2023 following safety concerns and a tragic incident. In September 2023, Harris Wolobah, a 14-year-old from Massachusetts, tragically passed away after participating in the challenge. His death was linked to the high concentration of capsaicin in the chip, which caused a cardiopulmonary arrest. Harris also had an undiagnosed heart condition, which made him more vulnerable to the effects.

Paqui, a subsidiary of Hershey, stated that the product was intended for adults only and included warnings about its risks. However, reports of teens and others ignoring these warnings led the company to voluntarily remove the product from shelves and discontinue the challenge out of caution.

The only information left from Paqui to this day is a statement and a request form for a refund of any chips left. You can find out more about that here.

How Hot is The Paqui Chip: The Scoville Units of the One Chip Challenge

With the challenge being so simple... just eating a simple chip, it begs the question... is the one chip challenge actually hot, and if so, how hot is it? According to Paqui, the chip hasn't been measured on the Scoville scale, which is what you typically use to gauge how hot a spicy pepper is.

So the Paqui Chip Challenge doesn't have an official Scoville rating, technically.

Now, with that being said, we do know what peppers are in the 2023 one chip challenge. The last edition (2023) was made with the famous Carolina Reaper Pepper and the Naga Viper Pepper, both of which are some of the hottest peppers in the world.

The 2022 edition used Carolina Reaper peppers and the Scorpion Pepper.

If you're a chili head or someone who enjoys spicy food, you're probably familiar with these peppers, as they are among the hottest and most popular peppers out there. For those of you who are not chili enthusiasts and are just interested in how hot this chip could actually be... just know that those peppers are extremely hot.

To get an idea, you can simply look at the Scoville rating of the two peppers.

Carolina Reaper Peppers are around 1.7 million Scoville Units, and the Naga Viper Pepper is around 1.4 million Scoville Units. In comparison, a Jalapeno pepper falls in the range of 2,500 to 5,000 Scoville Units.

So as you can see, these peppers are significantly hotter!

How Long Does the Effect of the Paqui Chip Challenge Last

Now that we've talked about how hot the chip actually is... let's move on to how long the effects of this chip will last. The answer to this question is... it depends on the person.

Heat affects people differently, so while it may last only a few minutes for some, it could be painful for others for over an hour. Some people report feeling the effects of the Paqui Chip Challenge for up to an hour or more, while others report only feeling it for a few minutes.

It really varies from person to person, and how sensitive they are to spicy foods. If you've ever had a really spicy dish before, you know that the heat can last for a while and linger on your tongue. The same goes for the One Chip Challenge; the heat will linger but eventually dissipate.

With that being said, the challenge has four levels to grade people. Those who last a minute are listed as powerless. 10 minutes are powerful, 30 minutes are supercharged, and if you can stand an hour, you're labeled as INVINCIBLE.

What are the Rules

The rules of this challenge were pretty simple. All you had to do was eat the entire chip and then wait as long as possible before drinking or eating anything else.

Once you've waited as long as you can handle, you can post your reaction on social media with #onechipchallenge and mention @paquichips.

• Tiktok Paqui Chip Challenge

• Facebook Paqui Chip Challenge

Commonly Asked Questions About the Paqui Chip Challenge

Now that we've gone over the background information of the Paqui Chip Challenge and what it entails, let's move on to some commonly asked questions.

Q: Where can I purchase the 2023 One Chip Challenge?

A: Paqui made a limited number of chips and is no longer in business. Once they are sold out, you won't be able to purchase the chip anymore. The 2021 and 2022 one chip challenges are no longer available. However, you can snag the 2023 one chip challenge chip on our website while supplies last!

Q: Is the 2023 Chip the same as their other chips?

Q: How long does the effect last?

Q: What is the purpose of the challenge?

Q: How painful is the One Chip Challenge?

Q: I can't handle spice, can I still do the challenge?

Q: Is the One Chip Challenge real?

Q: Can the Paqui chip kill you?

Q: What are the ingredients of The Paqui Chip

Did Paqui go out of business?

Yes, Paqui is no longer in business and no longer makes the One Chip Challenge. If you try to contact their support, you'll receive a response like we did: "PAQUI Chips is no longer manufactured for sale. However, the decision to discontinue the brand is not made lightly because we know how disappointing it can be to look for your favorite snack and not find it."

Do You Think You Could Handle The One Chip Challenge?

• Heck Yes!
• Not A Chance

The Paqui Chip Challenge

If you guys are brave enough to join the others who have taken on the Paqui Chip Challenge, be prepared! Using some of the hottest chili peppers in the world, this chip is no joke.

If you guys decide to try out this unique and wild challenge, make sure not to touch your face after touching the chip, and don't try to drink water, drink milk instead.

However, you may find it hard to find a chip, as they are no longer made. After Paqui shut down in 2023, it's hard to find these chips. Good luck!