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

  • Hi, I’m excited to make this recipe as Chipotle’s vinaigrette is my absolute favorite! I ask for extras to take home and use it on chicken, meats, veggies, everything! Anyway, I was wondering – can I substitute olive oil or grapeseed oil instead of the vegetable oil? Would appreciate your reply!

  • It’s a good copy recipe. The Actual dressing however doesn’t have garlic in it. Instead all wet ingredients (adobo paste, oil, water and vinegar) are mixed. Then fresh oregano and black pepper are stirrred in.
    This is honestly the closest copy cat recipe that I have ever seen though! I think it’s brilliant!

    • This dressing is better than Chipotle.

  • I’m always concerned that the copycat recipe wouldn’t taste as good as the real thing. But this one is spot on!!

  • Wow … this is delicious. Tastes just like the dressing at Chipotle. I used 2 chipotle peppers. I thought it was tangy but not overly spicy. Thank you for the recipe. It’s a keeper. My family loved it.

  • Thank you for the recipe…it tastes just like Chipotle. Awesome!! I would definitely pass this on

  • Another Hit! I am starting to get into the salad mason jar groove. It’s a great idea for my three tween/teen sons to grab a mason jar for an afternoon snack. It also avoids the nightly “I don’t want peppers/cucumbers/tomatoes in my salad.”

    Jenn have you considered making an Amazon list for what you endorse? For instance, I need new knives and have no idea which ones to buy to get the best bang for my buck. Or which ones I definitely need. I have often thought to buy a product, because I have seen it in your step-by-step pictorials. You have built an exciting brand that emphasizes quality calories. I have learned from you that I don’t have to ban all sugar and junk food from my kids, but rather choose my recipes. Thank you for that. My focus now is to add wholesome foods, not to just deny food.

    • Hi Elizabeth, So glad you enjoyed the dressing and thank you for your feedback. I actually do have an Amazon list; it’s just hard to find. I will work on that! Here’s the link.

  • I forgot to add that I did a fourth of the vinegar. I didn’t want it to be too vinegary and not be able to adjust. This is a keeper. I had all of the ingredients on-hand, and it took just a few minutes to make.

  • This recipe is wonderful!!! I added a bit more honey plus xanthan gum (for thickness). Thank you for sharing!!!

    • Update: I only used xanthan gum the first time. I have made this dressing several times now – usually when Chipotle has run out of theirs, and I don’t need xanthan gum.

      I also make this dressing to go on lightly fried wings that I bake. They are really good the next day!

      I LOVE THIS STUFF!

  • This is the 1st time I made this and I could drink it! It is so good! The only change I made was cutting back on the salt to 1/2 tsp or so. I don’t know what the original Chipolte dressing tastes like but it doesn’t matter because this tastes great!

  • Omigosh, this recipe is even better than the restaurant’s dressing!

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