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

  • I’m trying to lose weight but LOVE this dressing. Can you recommend a substitute for oil that might work or an oil/water ratio that could? Thanks!

    • — Jessica on January 3, 2023
    • Reply
    • Hi Jessica, I’ve never tried it, but you could try using 1/2 cup of oil and 1/4 cup of water. Keep in mind that it may impact the texture of the dressing a bit. I’d love to hear how it turns out if you try it with this tweak!

      • — Jenn on January 4, 2023
      • Reply
  • Absolute Brilliance! Thanks for a great recipe.

    • — Ramya Sundararajan on January 2, 2023
    • Reply
  • I don’t know if I’m doing something wrong, but I’ve tried this recipe twice with the exact measurements and ingredients and it is nothing like chipotles honey vinaigrette at the restaurant. HELP

    • — Melody on December 16, 2022
    • Reply
    • Hi Melody, That’s really strange! Are you using a good-quality vinegar?

      • — Jenn on December 17, 2022
      • Reply
    • Amazing!!!! I used grape seed oil in place of vegetable oil. The color was lighter (almost looked creamier) than chipotle’s but tastes almost identical. I will do do maybe 2 1/2 TBS of honey next time – was a tad too sweet. I ended up adding a spoonful of the adobo sauce too. Will be making over and over. Thank you!!!!

      • — Lauren Stewart on December 27, 2022
      • Reply
  • I just ate the best Chipotle I’ve ever had because of this vinaigrette. My son and I both prefer this to the Chipotle original. I followed others’ advice and did 1 t salt, and I also added 1 instead of 2 peppers since it is easier to add than remove heat. When I make it again I will use 2 peppers. Being out of vinaigrette is becoming more the norm than the exception at our local C, and this saved dinner last night. Thanks for posting this, Jenn.

  • What’s the shelf life if I wanted to make a bigger batch and keep some on hand? Thank you!

    • Hi Hannah, it will last nicely in the fridge for up to 5 days. 🙂

  • It’s not a bad sauce just no where near or better than the original. Disappointed honestly.

  • As many have said before me, I think this is better than the original. It’s spicer, which I love and super simple to make.

    A tip if any one is interested – once I open the can of peppers, I portion out 2 peppers each to small sandwich bags, then I pop those bags into a freezer ziplock bag along with a copy of the recipe. That way, I can just pull out a baggie at a time as needed. AND I have the recipe right there in case I need a refresher on the ingredients and amounts.

  • Wonderful recipe! I did not have chiles in adobo so I used a small can of green chilis and chili powder to taste. Will try with the adobo when I have that on hand. Thanks so much!

    • I’ve made this ever since I found the recipe.. definitely delicious

      • — yofields on January 17, 2023
      • Reply
  • Making pork bbq and I need a dressing for coleslaw. Would this work? Haven’t had Chipotle’s

  • Oh I am soooooooo happy I found this recipe. It’s perfect. I only added 1 teaspoon like a few reviews mentioned and I used sunflower oil. Thank you so much for creating this.

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