KANSAS CITY — Poblano peppers are serving up spice in new menu items ranging from pasta to pizza to tacos.

The peppers pop up in pasta at Applebee’s Neighborhood Grill & Bar. The restaurant’s new Cajun Pasta with Blackened Chicken or Shrimp features a creamy Cajun sauce over penne pasta, roasted poblano peppers, red bell peppers and sautéed mushrooms topped with parsley and either blackened chicken or shrimp.

Fuzzy’s Taco Shop is offering three new dishes packed with poblano flavor. The Shuck It Brisket Taco features shredded brisket, roasted corn, poblano peppers, cilantro and roasted poblano crema on a corn tortilla. The Street Cred Corn is a bowl of roasted corn topped with Parmesan cheese, roasted poblano crema and the taco chain’s Fuzzy Dust spice blend. The Corn to be Wild Quesadilla features shredded chicken, roasted corn, poblano peppers and shredded cheese with poblano ranch on the side.

Poblanos impart their piquancy to California Pizza Kitchen’s new Spicy Chorizo Pizza. The pie features Mexico chorizo with guajillo pepper sauce, roasted poblanos, onions, quesadilla cheese, avocado and cilantro. tomato sauce topped with Gorgonzola cheese.

 View a slideshow of new menu items.