🌯 Chipotle Honey Vinaigrette Copycat Recipe (2024)

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Make the smoky-sweet Chipotle Vinaigrette you love and crave at home (a copycat from the restaurant of the same name). It comes together in minutes with easy pantry ingredients, and it tastes exactly like it should.

🌯 Chipotle Honey Vinaigrette Copycat Recipe (1)

I love to order salads at Chipotle Mexican Grill. Loaded with chicken, rice, veggies, beans, and all the toppings, this hearty bowl eats more like a meal than a salad.

“Do you want the vinaigrette on the side?”

They ask this every time, which is fine, I’m all about reducing food waste so it’s good to ask. Little do they know, the Chipotle salad dressing is a primary driver to order a salad in the first place. Otherwise I’d just get a bowl, right?

If you’re a fan of Chipotle, it’s really easy to make your own copycat Chipotle Honey Vinaigrette at home. It’s made with a combination of red wine vinegar, honey, adobo sauce, and spices. Blitz in a blender, then add the oil to emulsify, and you’re done.

Faster than they can say “Chips and guac?” Which is also a yes.

Table of Contents

  1. Recipe ingredients
  2. Ingredient notes
  3. Step-by-step instructions
  4. Recipe tips and variations
  5. Frequently Asked Questions
  6. Chipotle Vinaigrette Recipe

Recipe ingredients

🌯 Chipotle Honey Vinaigrette Copycat Recipe (2)

At a Glance: Here is a quick snapshot of what ingredients are in this recipe.
Please see the recipe card below for specific quantities.

Ingredient notes

  • Adobo sauce:This is the sauce in which chipotle peppers are packed in when canned. To make your own adobo sauce, whisk together 1 tablespoon tomato paste, 1 tablespoon cider vinegar, 1 teaspoon chipotle powder (or ½ teaspoon EACH smoked paprika and cayenne powder), ½ teaspoon ground cumin, and a pinch EACH of oregano, garlic powder, and salt.
  • Oregano:Chipotle uses dried Mexican oregano. It tastes more like marjoram than Italian oregano and can be tricky to track down (I always find it at the Mexican grocery store). You can use either one (and you can choose fresh over dried if you want).
  • Olive oil: Chipotle uses Rice Bran oil in all of their recipes. I always substitute olive oil because that’s what I have on hand (you can use any neutral oil such as vegetable oil, canola oil, or avocado oil).

Step-by-step instructions

  1. In a food processor or blender, combine red wine vinegar, honey, adobo sauce, water, cumin, garlic powder, and oregano and pulse to combine.
🌯 Chipotle Honey Vinaigrette Copycat Recipe (3)
  1. With the motor still running, drizzle in the oil and blend until the salad dressing comes together and emulsifies.
🌯 Chipotle Honey Vinaigrette Copycat Recipe (4)
  1. Season to taste with salt and pepper (I like 1 tablespoon salt and 1 ½ teaspoon pepper).
🌯 Chipotle Honey Vinaigrette Copycat Recipe (5)

Recipe tips and variations

  • Yield: This recipe makes about 2 cups of Chipotle Honey Vinaigrette, enough for 16 servings, 2 tablespoons each.
  • Storage: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
  • Make ahead: The dressing can be up to 3 days in advance. Store covered in the refrigerator (a mason jar works well) and shake or stir well to recombine before using.
  • Vegan vinaigrette: Chipotle’s vinaigrette contains several tablespoons of honey, so if you want a vegan version, substitute agave syrup or maple syrup for the honey. To extend your bowl even more, add some roasted sweet potatoes.
  • Marinade: This vinaigrette has just the right combination of spice and sweetness to make an excellent marinade. I usually substitute fresh garlic cloves for the garlic powder and add a splash of fresh lime juice for extra flavor. Use it to marinade beef like Carne Asada or your next batch of Grilled Shrimp. It makes for an excellent taco salad!
  • Chipotle Burrito Bowls: Make your own copycat burrito bowls, tacos, and salads at home with my full collection of Chipotle Copycat Recipes:
    • Proteins: Chipotle Chicken, Chipotle Steak, Chipotle Barbacoa, Chipotle Carnitas, Chipotle Sofritas
    • Sides: Chipotle Cilantro-Lime Rice, Chipotle Black Beans, Chipotle Pinto Beans, Chipotle Fajita Veggies
    • Sauces: Chipotle Guacamole, Chipotle Tomato Salsa, Chipotle Corn Salsa, Chipote Tomatillo Salsa, Chipotle Hot Salsa
🌯 Chipotle Honey Vinaigrette Copycat Recipe (6)

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a substitute for adobo sauce?

To make a substitute for adobo sauce, whisk together: 1 tbsp. tomato paste, 1 tbsp. cider vinegar, 1 tsp. chipotle powder (or ½ tsp. each smoked paprika and cayenne powder), ½ tsp. cumin, and 1 pinch EACH oregano, garlic powder, and salt.

More Chipotle recipes

Chipotle Copycat Recipes

Chipotle Cilantro Lime Rice (Copycat)

Chipotle Copycat Recipes

Chipotle Guacamole (Copycat)

Chipotle Copycat Recipes

Chipotle Corn Salsa (Copycat)

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Chipotle Vinaigrette

By Meggan Hill

Make the smoky-sweet Chipotle Vinaigrette you love and crave at home (a copycat from the restaurant of the same name). It comes together in minutes with easy pantry ingredients, and it tastes exactly like it should.

Prep Time 1 minute min

Cook Time 2 minutes mins

Total Time 3 minutes mins

Servings 16 servings (2 tbsp each)

Course Pantry

Cuisine American, Mexican

Calories 206

4.99 from 261 votes

ReviewPrint

Ingredients

Instructions

  • In a food processor or blender, combine red wine vinegar, honey, adobo sauce, water, cumin, garlic powder, and oregano and pulse to combine.

  • With the motor still running, drizzle in the oil until the salad dressing comes together and emulsifies. Season to taste with salt and pepper (I like 1 tablespoon salt and 1 ½ teaspoon pepper).

Notes

  1. Adobo sauce:To make your own adobo sauce, whisk together 1 tablespoon tomato paste, 1 tablespoon cider vinegar, 1 teaspoon chipotle powder (or ½ teaspoon EACH smoked paprika and cayenne powder), ½ teaspoon ground cumin, and a pinch EACH of oregano, garlic powder, and salt.
  2. Oregano:Chipotle uses dried Mexican oregano. It tastes more like marjoram than Italian oregano and can be tricky to track down (I always find it at the Mexican grocery store). You can use either one (and you can choose fresh over dried if you want).
  3. Olive oil: Chipotle uses Rice Bran oil in all of their recipes. I always substitute olive oil because that’s what I have on hand (you can use any neutral-flavored oil).
  4. Yield: This recipe makes about 2 cups of Chipotle Honey Vinaigrette, enough for 16 servings, 2 tablespoons each.
  5. Storage: Store leftovers covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.

Nutrition

Serving: 2 tbspCalories: 206kcalCarbohydrates: 6gProtein: 1gFat: 21gSaturated Fat: 3gSodium: 195mgPotassium: 11mgFiber: 1gSugar: 6gVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 5mgIron: 1mg

Did you make this recipe?Tag @culinaryhill on Instagram so we can admire your masterpiece! #culinaryhill

Meggan Hill

Website | + posts

Meggan Hill is a classically-trained chef and professional writer. Her meticulously-tested recipes and detailed tutorials bring confidence and success to home cooks everywhere. Meggan has been featured on NPR, HuffPost, FoxNews, LA Times, and more.

🌯 Chipotle Honey Vinaigrette Copycat Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What is chipotle honey vinaigrette made of? ›

To make this recipe, you'll want to haul out your blender, plus four ingredients, including red-wine vinegar, honey, canned chipotles in adobo, and dried oregano (not counting basics like salt, pepper, oil and water). In Chipotle locations, they use their chipotle marinade in place of the canned chipotles.

Does Chipotle sell their vinaigrette? ›

What is this? If you're wondering “does Chipotle sell their vinaigrette?”, sadly the answer is no, but luckily we've got this copycat recipe that's just as good, maybe better! Pair it with chipotle corn salsa for the ultimate combo on your salads or burrito bowls.

Is Chipotle Honey vinaigrette healthy? ›

Key Takeaways: Chipotle Honey Vinaigrette is a low-calorie, low-fat dressing with a hint of sweetness. It's great for salads, marinades, and dipping sauces, adding flavor without piling on the calories. Watch out for the moderate sodium content and potential allergens in Chipotle Honey Vinaigrette.

Did Chipotle stop selling vinaigrette? ›

But you may not have even known it exists as it's not technically on the menu. It comes standard with every salad, but it isn't available in the assembly line in the store, or as an add-on in the app. The vinaigrette has a tangy and smoky flavor that's a simple way to level up anything you order at Chipotle.

What honey does Chipotle use? ›

We use Wildflower honey, which means that the nectar that inevitably finds its way to the vinaigrette in your salad mostly comes from Wildflower plants - and if one had four leaves, who knows, maybe it'll give you a little luck.

Does Chipotle still have honey vinaigrette? ›

Add beans, queso blanco, salsa, guacamole, sour cream or cheese and top it off with our signature Chipotle-Honey Vinaigrette.

What is the name of the vinaigrette at Chipotle? ›

If you're a fan of Chipotle, it's really easy to make your own copycat Chipotle Honey Vinaigrette at home. It's made with a combination of red wine vinegar, honey, adobo sauce, and spices. Blitz in a blender, then add the oil to emulsify, and you're done.

What does chipotle honey vinaigrette taste like? ›

The Chipotle vinaigrette is smokey with a little bit of heat, a little bit of sweetness, and a little bit of tang.

How many calories are in a chipotle honey vinaigrette? ›

Chipotle Honey Vinaigrette (1 serving) contains 12g total carbs, 11g net carbs, 25g fat, 0g protein, and 260 calories.

What is the healthiest salad dressing in the world? ›

Generally speaking, the healthiest salad dressing will be a vinaigrette like balsamic or oil and vinegar, while Caesar, ranch or anything with the word “creamy” will be the unhealthiest.

Why is Chipotle so healthy? ›

Chipotle is one of the healthier fast-food joints: they use fresh ingredients with no processed or artificial additives. That's pretty impressive for a restaurant chain of their size. But even though Chipotle's ingredients are better than most, you can still rack up the calories on a typical order.

Why did McDonald's get rid of Chipotle? ›

In October 2006, McDonald's fully divested from Chipotle. This was part of a larger initiative for McDonald's to divest all of its non-core business restaurants — Chipotle, Donatos Pizza, and Boston Market — so that it could focus on the main McDonald's chain.

Is the chipotle honey vinaigrette keto? ›

Is Chipotle Vinaigrette Keto friendly? As is, the vinaigrette is not keto friendly because of the honey used in the recipe. If you'd like to make this recipe keto friendly, try substituting the honey with this Low Calorie Agave Sweetener.

What kind of cheese does Chipotle use? ›

What cheese does Chipotle use? In most of their dishes, Chipotle Mexican Grill uses a shredded blend of two kinds of cheese: White cheddar cheese and Monterey Jack cheese. On their menu, the cheese blend is referred to as "shredded cheese," and it is used in burritos, tacos, and salads.

What does honey chipotle sauce taste like? ›

Sweet, smoky, tangy, umami, and fiery - it's a collaboration of bold flavors rolled into one delicious sauce.

What is chipotle ranch dressing made of? ›

Made with chipotle peppers, lime juice, herbs, sour cream, and mayonnaise, it has the right amount of zest, herbiness, and tang to dress up a salad or to use as a dip with raw veggies.

What is honey chipotle flavor? ›

This delectable sauce combines the sweetness of honey with the smoky heat of chipotle peppers, creating a versatile condiment that can elevate a wide range of dishes.

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