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’ve made this recipe several times now. First time I made it as written. It was amazing. Lately because I don’t have the chipotles on hand I’ve been using chili powder and a little ketchup or tomato paste, and I’ve also been using olive oil for the health benefits. Thank you so much for posting this recipe.

  • I made this recipe with all the same ingredients and it just didn’t taste the same to me as Chipotle. It tastes way too vinegary. It just seems like it’s missing something. Any advice?

    • Hi Lily, Hmmm, this is not a very sharp dressing. Did you add all the oil and honey?

  • My husband and I LOVE this recipe. We sub olive oil and noticed that it congeals when placed in the fridge. Is there any reason it cannot be stored at room temp?

    • Hi Stephanie, Room temp is fine 🙂

  • Chipotle uses rice bran oil in everything which is the distinct taste that most people are missing from this recipe. And also the cumin. Other than that it’s great. I used rice bran oil not and the cumin and it is perfect.

    • How much cumin did you use?

      • A teaspoonful. I stored it on the counter not in the fridge.

  • How longdoes this keep in the fridge?

    • Hi Al, I would say about a week.

  • Canned chipotle pepper in adobo can be frozen. Freeze the extras – 2 peppers / ice cube tray and then next time you want to make the dressing – toss in a cube!!!
    Fabulous recipe.

  • Wondering if Olive Oil would be a good substitution for Vegetable Oil?? Thanks

    • Hi Hope, I prefer vegetable or a neutral tasting oil for this dressing; olive oil might be too strong.

    • I used olive oil and it tasted great!

  • This dressing is absolutely delicious! I am trying to make our dressing for salads and stay away from store bought. This is great on thinly sliced spinach and cabbage salad with leftover BBQ’d chicken!

  • This dressing was delicious! I love Chipotle’s dressing and was excited to try it. From the minute I smelled it while blending my mouth started watering. I have made it multiple times with no substitutions. I used it with the black bean and corn salad on the website and have also used it for my regular salads at work. It is fantastic!

  • As a daily (sometimes two times a day) visitor to Chipotle – the only cheap/decent food place around my campus, I have grown pretty attached to their vinaigrette. This recipe is spot on! It tastes a little stronger than Chipotle’s since it in a smaller batch but it’s still delicious (and super easy to make too). Thanks so much for sharing!

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