Copycat Recipe: Chipotle Mexican Grill’s Chipotle Honey Vinaigrette

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This copycat Chipotle honey vinaigrette is smoky, sweet, tangy, and just like the original—perfect for drizzling over salads, grilled meats, or whatever you’re craving.

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!

And if you’re a big Chipotle fan, you’ll also love my copycat Chipotle chicken, cilantro-lime rice and fresh corn salsa. Once you try it all together, you might not miss the takeout version at all.

“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: Adds the tangy kick that balances the sweetness of the honey and richness of the oil.
  • Honey: A touch of sweetness goes a long way here—it rounds out the flavors and gives the vinaigrette some depth.
  • Vegetable oil: The neutral base that ties it all together.
  • Dried oregano & cumin: For that earthy, unmistakably Chipotle-style flavor.
  • Chipotle peppers in adobo sauce: The key to that smoky heat—don’t skip them. You’ll find them in small cans in the Latin section of most grocery stores.
  • Garlic: Adds a savory flavor without overpowering.
  • Jump to the printable recipe for precise measurements

How To Make Chipotle Honey Vinaigrette

Step 1: Combine all of the ingredients in a blender or small food processor.

ingredients combined in food processor

Step 2: Blend. Pulse or blend until evenly combined. The vinaigrette 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.

blended ingredients in food processor

Pro tip: Leftover chipotle peppers in adobo freeze beautifully. Spoon them into an ice cube tray (or drop tablespoon-sized portions onto a parchment-lined baking sheet), freeze until solid, then transfer to a freezer-safe container. You’ll be glad to have them on hand for next time.

Glass jar of copycat Chipotle\'s chipotle honey vinaigrette.

More Salad Dressings You May Like

Chipotle Honey Vinaigrette

Glass jar of copycat Chipotle's 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
  • ⅛ teaspoon ground cumin
  • 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

  • How do I get a thicker consistency (less watery)?

    • Hi Tyler, Not sure if you used a food processor or a blender, but a blender will definitely give you a thicker finished product. I wouldn’t recommend any real changes to the recipe other than that. Hope that helps!

  • Hi! I made this and it was delicious! The brand of peppers I got was “Embassa” from Safeway, and had about 6 peppers so I made a big batch with the whole can. For anyone else planning on doing this I would definitely NOT recommend putting the remaining sauce in. It changes the flavor a bit, I think, and makes the sauce so much spicier. Aside from our burning lips, we loved it and can’t wait to have it again!

  • I loved this recipe. I used it in my own take on Chipotle’s burrito bowl here: https://heyujasblog.wordpress.com/2016/06/01/tried-and-true-recipe-2/. -Jas

  • I just made this twice now, and will be making it again for my family this Sunday! Followed recipe as is and it was perfect!! I also made the other Chipotle-related recipes to make my salad bowls and all were superb as well! Thank you for sharing this, I am officially a fan of your blog and will be trying other recipes soon.

  • Super great!!! Love love love this!!!

  • Delish! Would you have any suggestion on how the dressing might be lightened up? Thank you!

    • Hi Jessica, you could cut back on the oil a bit. I noticed in the comments that one reader did that and was still happy with the results. Hope that helps!

  • This is awesome!! Chipotle is pretty stingy with their dressing (you have to remember to ask for it when ordering a salad at the store near us). I’m so glad I can make it myself now. I tried it today and it was perfect. Thank you!!!

  • Holy cow I could drink this! I used canola oil and apple cider vinegar because that’s what I had on hand, but followed everything else exactly. This is spot on. I have chicken breast marinating in it as I type.

  • Just wanted to stop by and tell you I love this recipe. I crave salads just so I can eat it. It is so good! I made it as written the first time and have since played around with different oils (grapeseed, avocado) and vinegars (half red wine and half apple cider). It all comes out delicious.

  • The Chipotle salad dressing is on point! Taste exactly like the one you get at Chipotle restaurants, one of my most favorite dressings that now I can make at home? Thank you for sharing!
    I give it a 5 star!

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