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 Jenn:
    My husband and I just love this dressing. We never had Chipotle’s version, but it really doesn’t matter. Those peppers in adobo have a wonderful taste and nice little kick. I cook a lot of Mexican and Asian cuisine. Think it will pair well with both. Thank you for sharing.

    • — Joanne Peyton on July 18, 2024
    • Reply
  • Why can it only be stored for 5 days?

    • — Amy on June 17, 2024
    • Reply
    • Hi Amy, It may very well last longer than 5 days but I always err on the shorter side when telling people how long it will keep as I want to be conservative from a food safety standpoint.

      • — Jenn on June 18, 2024
      • Reply
  • So, is that about 2 T of the peppers in adobo?
    I got back from the store to realize I had cheap cooking wine, NOT wine vinegar 🙄🙄🙄
    I used champagne vinegar (all I had) and it luckily still tasted good…. I can’t wait to try it with all ingredients 😭

    • — Courtney on June 16, 2024
    • Reply
    • Glad it tasted good despite your ingredient swap! And, yes, the 2 peppers would be the equivalent of about 2 tablespoons.

      • — Jenn on June 18, 2024
      • Reply
  • LOVE this dressing! It’s delicious & even my husband will eat it & that’s saying a lot. For a shortcut, I buy a small can of the chipotle peppers in adobe sauce and blend the whole can up, then portion it into little wraps of Saran Wrap depending on the heat you will want- I do about 1 1/2T in each, then twist up and freeze for later. I can get about 7 starts this size & just pull one out when I’m going to make the dressing. Thaws very quickly and I’m not wasting any this way. I don’t use this ingredient for anything else so works perfect for me.

    • — Rachel on May 28, 2024
    • Reply
  • The ingredient list on the Chipotle site includes cumin, which is not in your recipe. Was that a purposeful omission? I’ve tried playing with adding cumin and it takes it to another delicious level. Thanks for this delicious recipe.

    • — BeeTee on April 22, 2024
    • Reply
    • Hi, I assumed that the chipotle peppers in adobo likely had some cumin in the sauce, so I didn’t feel it was necessary to add more. Good to know that you think it helps elevate the flavor — I may have to try adding a touch next time I make it!

      • — Jenn on April 23, 2024
      • Reply
  • Fantastic! A forever Keeper!

    • — Lori on April 13, 2024
    • Reply
  • Yay for having all the ingredients for this! Hubby is picking up chipotle and I wanted this to go with my tacos. It is so delicious and spot on, but even better vs the original! I froze the rest of the adobo peppers to make more future batches.

    • — Renee on March 30, 2024
    • Reply
  • This is THEE best! I make my own ensalada bowl with this, along with a carnita roast & all the usual toppings you’d get buying a salad at Chipotle. My hubby will eat the meat, cheese & dressing in a warm burrito. Saves a LOT of $ & it’s the best!!!!! Do glad I found this recipe!! Note: I buy the can of adobes, puree them all & then freeze in 2T servings- pull out one when I’m making the dressing! I can get about 8 batches of dressing!

    • — Rachel on March 20, 2024
    • Reply
  • I added the juice from 1 lime, adds so much brightness to this recipe.

    • — Ralu on March 1, 2024
    • Reply

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