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 a great dressing! I typically use this on a southwest salad I make of roasted corn, black beans, tomatoes, green chiles, and chicken. I mix up the dressing and add it to my salad mix and store it all mixed together for when I want it. I then add scoops of the veggie/chicken/dressing on top of the salad. Always a crowd pleaser for gatherings you are traveling to, or a great easy prep lunch.

  • This is by far my favorite receipe on this website. No substitutions needed…it’s perfect as is. It’s an incredibly close copy-cat to the dressing at the Chipotle Restaurant. It’s very spicy but not too much. The can of chipotle peppers usually has 6 – 8 peppers so I usually freeze the leftovers in plastic baggies for future use…2 per baggie as that’s how many the recipe calls for. No worries about freezer burn. You’ll make this often enough for that not to happen! Such a simple but delicious recipe. Aside from the chipotle peppers, you should have all the other ingredients on hand. Highly recommended.

  • This is without a doubt the best salad dressing!!
    I have used this for a variety of salads in addition to a mexican one and it has been delicious each time. I have also shared this recipe with family and friends.

    thanks

  • It’s delicious. I used safflower oil and some of the Adobe sauce from the peppers for a little more kick. Awesome! Took some to work and it was a big hit

  • I used this to dress a kale quinoa corn sweet potato salad and also use it as a marinade for chicken thighs. My husband requests chicken in this marinade once a week. I like that it’s made with pantry ingredients.

  • I love this recipe and make it often for our Mexican night. It always makes more than we can use in a week. Can we freeze half of it to use at another time? Thanks!

    • Hi Liza, Glad you like the dressing! I honestly don’t know how this would freeze, so I can’t say for sure. If you do freeze it, I’d love to hear how it is when you defrost it! (And, you’ve probably considered this, but feel free to halve the recipe if you’re finding you have too much left over.)

      • The dressing froze beautifully 🙂

  • I make this dressing often and use it to drizzle on my lunch bowls. The bowls usually consist of brown rice and several types of organic veggies. Although I grew up on Mexican food and love spicy dishes, using two Chipolte Peppers in the dressing boosted the heat a little too much for my taste .Use one pepper and you will still taste the Chipolte flavor without being overpowered by it.

    • — Kathy Vukasovich
    • Reply
  • Tastes exactly like the Chipotle salad dressing. I now make this for every taco night. Thank you Jenn!

    • One thing i have say the best Chipotle dressing i ever had.
      Thanj you.
      Sharon ,
      Germany.🇩🇪

      • — SHARON BOUCHER-HASKINS
      • Reply
  • Can you use olive oil in place of the vegetable oil?

    • Hi Lori, Personally, I prefer vegetable oil for this dressing as it’s more neutral tasting than olive oil, but a number of readers have used olive oil and have been happy with the results.

  • Hi Jenn,

    I love this and ALL your recipes!! …but was wondering if there was a way to come up with this other amazing steak topper from one of our local restaurants here,…. “Angus Beef top sirloin marinated in chipotle Tabasco and roasted garlic, with goat cheese butter” They say it is a marinade on their website but it actually comes as a dolup on top of the steak. To me it just seems like they cooked the steak and put a dolup of this chipolte goat cheese topper on top and that’s it.
    Any chance you have any ideas on how this could be concocted?

    • Hi Jenn, That sounds delicious. Have you tried blending a canned chipotle chili pepper with goat cheese in a food processor? If you have a photo you could send me, I might be able to see better what it is.

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