This Chipotle Honey Vinaigrette is a boldly flavored copycat recipe that’s deliciously tangy and smoky-sweet. It’s easy to make with just a few ingredients, perfect for salad bowls, burrito bowls, and so much more!

Chipotle Honey Vinaigrette Copycat Recipe
If you, like me, are a super fan of Chipotle Mexican Grill’s salad bowls, then I have something you’re gonna want – my copycat Honey Chipotle Vinaigrette recipe!
This homemade dressing is packed with bold flavors, where a little goes a long way. The vinaigrette is tangy, plus perfectly smoky and sweet. It’s SO GOOD with salad bowls and burrito bowls!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
I have several solid reasons why this recipe needs to be in your recipe box:
- Simple ingredients list. Just grab a can of chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, and the rest are common pantry ingredients.
- Easy to make. Just blitz everything together in a food processor or blender, or with an immersion blender. That’s it!
- Can be made in advance. The dressing can be up to 3 days in advance, which is super nice for entertaining and just-plain-busy schedules.
- Even better than Chipotle. Yes, it’s true. While I do like Chipotle’s vinaigrette, it is very salty. I like how my recipe is more tangy and vinegar-forward, with less salt.
Ingredients & Substitutions
This recipe has a simple ingredients list. Here’s what you’ll need:
Be sure to scroll down to the printable recipe card at the end of this post for the exact ingredient amounts.
- Chipotle peppers in adobo sauce – This provides the dominant flavor profile for the dressing, deliciously smoky and spicy.
- Red wine vinegar – This gives bright, tangy flavor.
- Honey – For a bit of sweetness.
- Water – To thin out the vinaigrette.
- Dried Mexican oregano – This tastes a bit more like marjoram than Italian or Greek oregano. It’s not super common, except in Latin markets and larger spice stores. So feel free to substitute with dried Italian or Greek oregano. You could also substitute with fresh minced oregano, just use a bit less.
- Salt & pepper
- Vegetable oil – This gets blitzed with the rest of the ingredients, to create a smooth, thickened, pourable dressing. Chipotle uses rice bran oil in all of their recipes, but as long as you use a neutral flavored oil, you’ll be fine.
How to Make Chipotle Vinaigrette
This Chipotle restaurant copycat recipe is easy to make at home, so you can enjoy salad bowls to your heart’s content! :)
- Puree the chipotles. Use a food processor or blender to blitz the contents of a 7-ounce can of chipotle peppers in adobo sauce on high speed until smooth, about 30 seconds. Then scrape the pureed chipotles into a small bowl.
- Blend pureed chipotles with other ingredients. Using the same food processor (no need to wash it first), combine 3½ tablespoons of the pureed chipotles (see Tip below for suggestions of how to use the rest), red wine vinegar, honey, water, oregano, salt, and pepper. Blend on high speed until smooth, about 10-20 seconds.
Tip: Store the remaining pureed chipotle mixture in an airtight container in the fridge and use it within 1 week in a bloody Mary, salsa, barbecue sauce, chicken tortilla soup, or chili. You can also use it in marinades, aiolis, and glazes – anything that can benefit from a deep, rich, smoky chili flavor. I also like to freeze individual portions (3½ tablespoons) so I can make this vinaigrette recipe even quicker in the future!
- Add the oil. With food processor on low speed, very slowly drizzle in the oil until the dressing comes together and emulsifies.
- Transfer vinaigrette to a jar. Pour the vinaigrette into an airtight container – I like to use a canning jar. Use immediately or chill for an hour or two to let the flavors blend. Give it a vigorous shaking before using.
How To Use Chipotle Honey Vinaigrette
You can use this vinaigrette in a variety of ways. Here are a few ideas:
- As a salad dressing. Drizzle it over your favorite fresh salads. It would also be great with Dorito taco salad or this southwest chicken salad.
- As a flavorful sauce. Offer this for a flavorful addition to taco stuffed sweet potatoes or cowboy chicken.
- With tacos and quesadillas. Use this in place of taco sauce – it’s wonderful with cheddar chicken tacos with apples and cheesy grilled crab quesadillas!
- With bowls. Pour it over burrito bowls – or any bowls using rice, quinoa, or other grains that have Mexican or Tex-Mex flavors. It’d be excellent with Tex-Mex scallop rice bowls.
- As a marinade. Marinate chicken, beef, pork, or shrimp in the chipotle vinaigrette – then grill or cook as desired. Just let your protein of choice sit in the marinade for at least 30 minutes.
- Dip! Offer it alongside homemade ranch dressing on your vegetable tray, for delicious veggie dipping. Or dunk your southwest egg rolls in it!
- As a sandwich condiment. Schmear this flavorful dressing onto a sandwich or a wrap for lunchtime perfection!
How To Make Your Own Chipotle Salad Bowl Or Burrito Bowl
Use this honey chipotle dressing with any of the following ingredients to create your own salad bowl or burrito bowl at home:
- Greens: Chopped fresh romaine lettuce or other fresh greens.
- Rice & other grains: Cilantro lime rice, white rice, brown rice, quinoa, or another grain.
- Proteins: Carnitas, sofritas, or grilled chicken, steak, or pork. Or brown some ground turkey, chicken, or beef with our favorite green taco seasoning. And don’t forget about fish and seafood, like grilled shrimp, margarita grilled shrimp, grilled scallops, and fish tacos!
- Beans: Black beans, pinto beans, or refried beans.
- Veggies: Diced fresh tomatoes, chopped sweet peppers, sliced jalapenos, and fresh onion.
- Salsas: Roasted chili corn salsa, pico de gallo, and restaurant style salsa are all fantastic.
- Cheesy yum: Add queso blanco and/or shredded cheese.
- Pickled things: Pickled red onions are a must for me! Also try my pickled jalapenos.
- Avocado: Slice it up, plain and simple. Or make guacamole.
- Other toppings: Sour cream is a staple for our family when it comes to taco-inspired meals, as are fresh limes.
How To Store
Store your homemade chipotle honey vinaigrette in an airtight container in the refrigerator – I like to use a canning jar. It will keep well for up to 1 week.
To use, shake the (tightly sealed) dressing vigorously to combine. If the oil solidifies, just set the dressing out on the counter for 30 minutes before eating.
Chipotle Honey Vinaigrette
Ingredients
- 3½ tablespoons pureed chipotle from a can of chipotle peppers in adobo sauce – see Step 1 in the Instructions
- ¼ cup red wine vinegar
- 3 tablespoons honey
- 2 tablespoons water
- ½ teaspoon dried Mexican oregano or substitute Italian or Greek oregano
- 1 teaspoon Morton kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- ½ cup vegetable oil
Instructions
- To create pureed chipotles: Using a blender or food processor, blitz the contents of a 7-ounce can of chipotle peppers in adobo sauce on high speed until smooth, about 30 seconds. Scrape the pureed chipotles into a small bowl.
- Add 3½ tablespoons of the pureed chipotles back to the food processor bowl (no need to wash it first). Add the red wine vinegar, honey, water, oregano, salt, and pepper. Blend on high speed until smooth, about 10-20 seconds. (See Notes below for suggestions of how to use the remaining chipotle puree.)
- With food processor on low speed, very slowly drizzle the the oil through the hole in the lid (place a towel over the top as you pour, to catch any splatters), until the dressing comes together and emulsifies.
- Pour the vinaigrette into an airtight container – I like to use a canning jar. Use immediately or chill for an hour or two to let the flavors blend. Give it a vigorous shake before using to combine.
Notes
Nutrition Information:
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This post was originally published in 2013, then updated in 2023.
Ha! It needed just a little “tomato” help. I happen to love ketchup, it worked perfectly! ;)
Most of the recipes really are better than you get at the restaurant. Honestly this recipe turned out to be a great one and love that dressing!
Kelly
You’ve made my day! LOVE this dressing!!
I love making burrito bowls at home, but I think this dressing is what’s been missing! Cannot wait to make this next time we have a Mexican night.
love that you recreated this! definitely saving this for a make-at-home Chipotle night!
Truth: I have never had a salad at Chipotle. I’m a bowl girl. It’s one of the few fast places we can actually eat at, thankfully. I can’t wait to try this on a salad at home. I default to a pretty basic vinaigrette with balsamic and a strong Dijon most days, and I’d welcome a change.
I am sooo excited to try this recipe! I love Chipotle and this will be a great addition to Cinco de Mayo celebrations!
Yay! Please let me know what you think of it!
do you know I STILL have not eaten at chipotle?! This dressing sounds fantastic!
Hope you’re having a fabulous weekend!
I love chipotle anything, what a delicious vinaigrette!
Oh Brenda – I love that dressing from Chipotle! You totally made my weekend – those salads are one of the things I crave most since moving to a place with no Chipotle….not really an burritos to speak of either. ;)
My favorite thing to order at Chipotle is the salad! I love their dressing and can’t wait to make this at home. Looks delicious Brenda :)
Oh yum!
I love their dressing, and cannot wait to try this!
We used to live by 2 or 3 of them in the city, but since our move to the country, the closest one is about 2 hours or so from us. *sniff*
This will be at least one great way of “bringing Chipotle home” to us as we really miss that place! :)
I have been trying to replicate their guacamole, and so far it is GREAT!!!!
Thanks again,
Miss Antoinette
I need to come visit you. You obviously have some amazing restaurants that I have never heard of.
I thought Chipotle was all over the place by now? Oh well. Just come visit!! ;)
I didn’t even know they served a dressing with their burrito bowl. Well, now I don’t have to worry about it, because I can do this instead. Looks great!
Hi Marly! It’s actually called a salad bowl (not burrito bowl). I just like to have a little of their rice added to it, too, but keep it heavy on the lettuce/salad.
Sweet and Spicy. Nice.
Yum! I agree with you that home made dressings are so much better. So glad you came up with recipe to share.
This sounds so refreshing and delicious! My mom makes the best salad dressings but I have mixed luck with my own. I will have to give this one a whirl, my boys would love it.
I love this! honey and chipotle sound so good!
Just pinned this – my mouth is already so happy!!!
Thank you, Heather! Have a great weekend! :)
I love the idea of making this at home!