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This chipotle vinaigrette tastes exactly like the chipotle honey vinaigrette from the beloved Chipotle restaurant. It’s sweet from the honey, smoky from the chipotles in adobo, and tastes just like the dressing at Chipotle.
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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.
I am obsessed with Chipotle’s Honey Vinaigrette dressing. I’m guessing you’re a fan of Chipotle mexican grill too since you landed here! I always order a salad and the dressing is my favorite part.
I was craving the dressing when we made BBQ chicken salads and I wanted to make my homemade vinaigrette. The smoky flavors from and the sweetness from the honey makes the most delicious sauce to top salads or burrito bowls.
About this Chipotle Honey Vinaigrette
This chipotle honey viaigrette is the real deal. It tastes just as good, if not better, than the Chipotle version. It’s perfectly tangy, like a vinaigrette should be, with a little bit of sweet, and a little bit of smoke. All of the flavors balance together so well! It uses basic vinaigrette ingredients and a simple technique to mix everything together.
Skip slowly whisking in oil to emulsify the dressing and use a blender or lidded jar to shake the ingredients until blended.
Honey is a common emulsifying ingredient, which helps combine oil and vinegar together. Emulsifying means to mix two ingredients together that don’t mix easily, like oil and vinegar.
Adding an emulsifier like honey, mayo, or even dijon, like this fresh herb vinaigrette, makes the two blend well. This Serious Eats article about the point of a vinaigrette, explains it well!
Is Chipotle’s Honey Vinaigrette healthy? Although the calories in the Chipotle vinaigrette are somewhat high, it’s made of quality ingredients. I love making it at home because you can control the ingredients and amounts. Chipotle’s version is made with rice bran oil and a good amount of honey, but this recipe is made with olive oil and less honey to make it healthier.
Ingredient Notes
Here’s a list of what Chipotle uses in their restaurant version, as well as our copycat chipotle vinaigrette. They’re all easy to find at the grocery store!
- Olive oil: I like to use light olive oil or a good quality EVOO in dressings because they’re the base and you can really taste them. Avocado oil is also really light and great quality.
- Red wine vinegar: this is what Chipotle uses in their recipe and it is full of acid so it balances out the oil really well and gives the dressing a tang. You could use apple cider vinegar wf you have that on hand.
- Honey: it’s in the name of the recipe after all! This gives the dressing sweetness but could be swapped for maple syrup, agave or omitted for a whole30 option.
- Chipotle in adobo sauce: these chipotle peppers come in the can and add so much spice and smoky flavor. Add more chipotle chiles if you want a deeper flavor.
- Garlic: fresh garlic is best but you could also use garlic powder.
- Lime juice: this also adds acid, but also gives it a real Mexican flavor.
- Spices: oregano, cumin, salt and pepper combine round out the flavor and spice. They really add so much to this dressing!
What to do with leftover chipotle’s in adobo: make these Instant Pot chicken tinga tacos!
How to make Chipotle Vinaigrette
This is an overview with step-by-step photos, to make this honey chipotle salad dressing. Full printable instructions are in the recipe card below.
Step 1. Add the Ingredients to a Blender
Measure out all of the dressing ingredients and place them in a high-speed blender or food processor.
Step 2. Blend Until Smooth.
Blend on high for 1-2 minutes until it’s completely combined and the chipotles are broken down.
Success tip: Taste test the dressing and add more spices if needed. You can add another chipotle in adobo if you want a deeper, smoky, spicy flavor. Blend again if needed.
Step 3. Store or Serve
Serve over your favorite salad or store in a mason jar in the fridge for later. It will stay fresh in the fridge for up to a week.
Watch How to Make It
Recipe FAQ
There are 5g of sugar in this chipotle vinaigrette recipe, while the restaurant version has closer to 10g per serving.
There are 220 calories in 1 (2 ounce) serving of the dressing at Chipotle and 210 calories in this homemade version.
One (2 ounce) serving only has 6 net carbs, but you could reduce that amount by leaving out the honey or swapping with a keto sweetener.
Ways to Use Chipotle Vinaigrette
Vinaigrettes aren’t just for salads! In fact, this Serious Eats article is all about the ways to use a vinaigrette beyond salads.
- Salads: Pour it over your favorite salads like this roasted sweet potato and kale salad, kale and goat cheese salad, BBQ chicken salad, simple green salad, or the classic taco salad.
- Roasted vegetables: Drizzle the dressing over roasted sweet potatoes or other veggies.
- Toss it in a burrito bowl: make your own homemade chipotle with rice, chicken, black beans, guacamole, cheese or drizzle it over our fiesta lime shrimp bowls.
- Use it as a marinade for meat/seafood like in this cilantro lime chicken or fiesta lime shrimp bowls. Learn how to marinate chicken and thank us later!
- Toss it with pasta salad or veggie salads like this cucumber tomato avocado salad or Mexican street corn pasta salad.
If you make this chipotle honey vinaigrette recipe, I’d love for you to give it a star rating ★ below. You can also tag me on Instagram so I can see it!
More Vinaigrettes Recipes
Copycat Recipe: Chipotle’s Honey Vinaigrette
Save this Recipe!
Ingredients
- 2/3 cup olive oil (sub avocado oil/vegetable oil— Note 1)
- 3 Tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 3 Tablespoons honey
- 1 chipotle in adobo + 1 teaspoon of the sauce (more or less to desired spice level)
- 2 cloves garlic
- 2 tablespoons lime juice (about 1 lime)
- 1 teaspoon oregano
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Add all of the dressing ingredients to a high speed blender or food processor and blend on high for 1-2 minutes until it's completely combined and the chipotles are broken down. Alternately, mince the garlic and shake everything vigorously in a lidded jar.
- Taste test the dressing and add more spices if needed. You can add another chipotle in adobo if you want a deeper, smoky, spicy flavor. Blend again if needed.
- Serve over your favorite salad or store in a mason jar in the fridge for later.
Notes
Video
Equipment
- High speed blender or food processor
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
https://usarecipe1.blogspot.com/2023/03/chipotle-salad-dressing.html
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Thanks
Where can you get chipotle dress at
I’ve never had the Chipotle version, but this was delicious! I’ll keep it in my salad dressing rotation.
I made a keto version of this today by using Choc Zero honey. It turned out great!
Sounds great, Wendy!
Hi, haven’t made this yet but planning on it soon…is there a specific kind of honey that you recommend? I have orange blossom, Manuka, wildflower and raw berry. Thank you!
We use standard raw honey!
I absolutely love this recipe. I make a big batch of it and the freeze it into smaller portions till I need it.
I do not see any portions for the ingredients.
Please help
How long can you keep it for in the fridge. ?