Copycat Recipe: Chipotle Mexican Grill’s Chipotle Honey Vinaigrette

Tested & Perfected Recipes

This post may contain affiliate links. Read my full disclosure policy.

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.

You May Also Like

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.

See more recipes:

Comments

  • My daughter had me make this and I had no idea of what it was supposed to taste like. I added some to my salad and now I’m crazy about it!! I love the flavors and the little kick. I have this in my recipe book to share.

    Thank you

    • — Lisa on March 16, 2023
    • Reply
  • What’s a healthy oil substitution?

    • — Lori on March 8, 2023
    • Reply
    • Hi Lori, You can use grapeseed or avocado oil. Enjoy!

      • — Jenn on March 8, 2023
      • Reply
  • Hi Jenn! I used two canned chipotle peppers and the dressing was really spicy! Are some canned chipotles hotter/milder than others?

    Thanks!!

    • — Jill on January 31, 2023
    • Reply
    • Hi Jill, I don’t know if there’s variation in the heat depending on the brand of chipotle peppers you use, but there’s definitely variation in size so it could be that you used two larger peppers, which would have made the dressing spicier. Regardless, if you make this again, feel free use only 1 pepper to reduce the heat.

      • — Jenn on February 2, 2023
      • Reply
  • Fantastic dressing! Flavorful and spicy, but not too spicy. An often requested favorite of both my husband and son.

    • — Gail on January 30, 2023
    • Reply
  • I’m so glad I found this recipe! The first time I tried it, I thought it was pretty decent but still missing something. I went to chipotles site and looked at the ingredient list. The one thing this recipe is missing compared to the original that makes a HUGE difference is cumin. I added a tsp of cumin and now it’s absolutely perfect!

    • — Jillie on January 27, 2023
    • Reply
  • Soooo good. I often crave the dressing from Chipotle and this was such a good recipe. And easy to make. I just added a pinch of pepper flakes to kick up the heat. I just discovered this recipe 2 weeks ago and I’ve already made it twice!

    • — April on January 26, 2023
    • Reply
  • This turned out great! I have made it more than once and besides the spiciness (depends on actual peppers you get), it is consistent and has a similar flavor to the restaurant.

    Let me state that I really dislike the taste of oil, so I made one change: I replaced the oil with 3/4c water and 3/4tbsp corn starch. This maintained the flavor similar to the restaurant, but removed the mouth coating left by the oil. I have had no problem with the dressing sticking to the salad when using this method.

    • — Ryan on January 22, 2023
    • Reply
  • Great vinegarette recipe. Next time I will use a little less vinegar and a tiny bit more honey. To cut calories I thinned with a little water and it turned out great. I will definitely make this again.

    • — Iesha F on January 17, 2023
    • Reply
  • Amazing, like your other recipes!!

    • — Kim on January 16, 2023
    • Reply
  • Hi Jenn! I can’t wait to try this recipe, but need some guidance. I puréed a can of chipotle in adobo to keep in my frig (for adding to sauces,eggs,etc.) Any thoughts on how much I could use in place of the whole chipotle peppers? Thanks so much!

    • — Kathy Wolff on January 16, 2023
    • Reply
    • Hi Kathy, this is a guesstimate, but I’d estimate that you could use about 2 teaspoons in place of each pepper. Hope that helps and that you enjoy the dressing!

      • — Jenn on January 18, 2023
      • Reply
    • Hi Kathy, I’m guessing about 1 tablespoon per pepper. Hope you enjoy!

      • — Jenn on January 30, 2023
      • Reply

Add a Comment

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.