Copycat Recipe: Chipotle Mexican Grill’s Chipotle Honey Vinaigrette

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This chipotle honey vinaigrette tastes just like the original.

Glass jar of copycat Chipotle's chipotle honey vinaigrette.

I love Chipotle’s chipotle honey vinaigrette so I came up with this copycat version by fiddling around with the ingredients listed on the Chipotle website. It tastes almost identical to the original. Toss it with romaine lettuce, beans, corn, avocado, grilled meats — or all of the above! By the way, if you’re a big Chipotle fan, you’ll love this Chipotle-inspired cilantro-lime rice.

“DELISH!!! Exactly the same as the restaurant. I’ve made it at least 6 times…always have it in my fridge. It’s good on everything!”

Sandra

What You’ll Need To Make Chipotle Honey Vinaigrette

ingredients for chipotle vinaigrette
  • Red Wine Vinegar: Provides acidity and tanginess, balancing the sweetness of the honey and the richness of the oil.
  • Honey: Adds sweetness and depth of flavor, enhancing the overall taste of the vinaigrette.
  • Vegetable Oil: Helps create a smooth and emulsified texture, ensuring the vinaigrette coats ingredients evenly.
  • Dried Oregano: Infuses herbal notes to the dressing’s flavor profile.
  • Salt and Pepper: Enhance flavor and season the vinaigrette.
  • Chipotle Peppers in Adobo Sauce: Bring smoky heat and complexity, replicating the signature flavor of Chipotle’s vinaigrette. You can find them in the Latin section of most supermarkets.
  • Garlic: Provides aromatic depth and savory undertones.
  • Jump to the printable recipe for precise measurements

How To Make Chipotle Honey Vinaigrette

ingredients combined in food processor

Simply combine all of the ingredients in a blender or mini food processor.

blended ingredients in food processor

And process until smooth. Enjoy!

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I make chipotle honey vinaigrette ahead?

Sure! It will keep nicely for up to 5 days stored in an airtight container in the fridge. Just give it a good shake before using to recombine any separated ingredients.

Can I freeze leftover chipotle peppers in adobo sauce?

Yes, you can definitely freeze leftover chipotle peppers in adobo. Portion them into small amounts, freeze in ice cube trays, transfer to a freezer-safe container once solid, and thaw as needed for future use. If you don’t have an ice cube tray, simply spread the chipotle peppers and adobo sauce in tablespoon-sized portions on a baking sheet lined with parchment, freeze until solid, then transfer to a freezer-safe container for storage.

Glass jar of copycat Chipotle\'s chipotle honey vinaigrette.

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Chipotle Honey Vinaigrette

This chipotle honey vinaigrette tastes just like the original.

Servings: 1¼ cups
Total Time: 10 Minutes

Ingredients

  • 6 tablespoons red wine vinegar
  • 3 tablespoons honey
  • ¾ cup vegetable oil
  • ½ teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1½ teaspoons salt
  • ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 2 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce
  • 2 small garlic cloves, roughly chopped

Instructions

  1. Combine all of the ingredients in a blender or mini food processor and process until smooth. Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary. Serve immediately or store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

Nutrition Information

Powered by Edamam

  • Serving size: 2 tablespoons
  • Calories: 173
  • Fat: 17 g
  • Saturated fat: 1 g
  • Carbohydrates: 6 g
  • Sugar: 6 g
  • Fiber: 0g
  • Protein: 0g
  • Sodium: 172 mg
  • Cholesterol: 4 mg

This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.

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Comments

  • This is my new go-to dressing! I love it. Sometimes, if I want a little extra spice, I will add an additional pepper or two. Thank you, Jenn.

  • We should all try to remember that “hot” and “sweet” are very subjective terms, especially when we add the word “too” in front of either. That said, speaking for myself, this is VERY close to the original, but a bit too sweet for me. I used avocado oil and 2.5 peppers in adobo and ended up adding at least two more tablespoons of vinegar to cut through the honey and oil. I am excited to have this recipe, so thanks for your hard work!!

  • This was great and so easy to make.

  • Why is mine so spicy?! Did I add too much of the chipotle peppers and sauce? Totally on fire.

    • Hi Jenny, Did you use 2 peppers?

  • I love this vinaigrette!!! Thank you so much for sharing!

  • AMAZING!! Bursting with flavor!!!

  • I’ve never had Chipotle’s honey vinaigrette, but I found this recipe to be a bit unbalanced. Made as written, it was incredibly sweet for my taste. I added a good bit more vinegar to help balance out the sweetness, as well as an extra pepper for a bit more kick. Using it for a shrimp marinade as well as to put on a salad.

  • Super easy to make and full of flavor. Added it to a quinoa kale salad with flank steak and the chipotle dressing was to die for. It complimented the salad beautifully. Thank you, Jenn.

    • Today I made it the for second time and loved it again. Now what do I do with the open can of chipotle in adobo sauce that’s left over? Any ideas?

      • Glad you like the dressing! I like to freeze the chipotles in adobo for future use. I’d suggest looking online for easy ways to go about it.

  • Hello, how long will it last in the fridge unopened and when opened?

    • Hi Ilona, either way, it will last in the fridge for 4 – 5 days. Enjoy!

      • This recipe is a keeper! It tastes exactly like Chipotle’s salad dressing! So delicious. I used Avocado oil instead of vegetable oil. I also wanted a little more heat so I used 31/2 adobo peppers and approximately 1 tsp of adobo sauce. WOW!!! The flavor was amazing. Thank you for sharing.

    • I put my chipotles in adobo sauce in a sealed “Tupperware-type” container. They last a very long time in the fridge. Much like pickles.

  • Love this recipe, but had trouble with oil/vinegar separation, so I added one teaspoon of Dijon mustard and used my immersion blender to emulsify the mixture. I am happy to say it worked perfectly and did not change the flavor profile.

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