15 Chipotle Copycat Recipes That You Can Make at Home (2024)

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15 Chipotle Copycat Recipes That You Can Make at Home (1)Allison T.S. RobicelliUpdated: Jan. 22, 2024

    Skip the line! You can have a made-from-scratch burrito or bowl at home with our copycat Chipotle recipes.

    Slow-Cooker Barbacoa

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    My husband adores this barbacoa, which is beef roast simmered in lime juice, chipotle and cumin. He would eat it one a week if I would make it that often! We have it over rice with cilantro and a spritz of lime. —Aundrea McCormick, Denver, Colorado

    Chipotle Chicken Copycat

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    15 Chipotle Copycat Recipes That You Can Make at Home (2)

    LAUREN HABERMEHL FOR TASTE HOME

    Chipotle chicken is tender, juicy and perfectly seasoned to complement all the burrito fixings in those gigantic flour tortillas. Making this copycat Chipotle chicken recipe at home couldn’t be easier; the key is marinating your chicken overnight in a spicy, smoky blend of herbs, spices and aromatics.

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    Chipotle Queso Blanco Copycat

    Ooey-gooey cheesy queso is great in bowls, burritos—even straight out of the cup! This copycat recipe tastes just like Chipotle’s queso blanco, but if you want your queso to look more similar, use shredded white cheddar instead of yellow.

    Editor’s Tip: The famous Chipotle queso blanco is especially popular and personally, keeps us coming back for more. It’s creamy, cheesy, andperfectly spicy. The only downside? It will set you back a few bucks to add queso to your order.

    Chipotle Guacamole Copycat

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    Lauren Habermehl for Taste of Home

    Chipotle’s guacamole is legendary—and for good reason. The secret? Its freshness! Though many dips tend to improve the longer they sit, guacamole tastes best shortly after it’s made, so the flavor of fresh avocado shines through the rest of the ingredients. Eating it right away also keeps guacamole from browning.

    Chipotle Tomatillo-Green Chili Salsa Copycat

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    Tomatillos may look like green tomatoes, but they’re not the same thing. Instead, tomatillos are small, round and firm with a dense interior. When raw, tomatillos have a bright, extremely tart flavor that’s somewhat reminiscent of limes. When roasted, tomatillos lose that acidic edge and become a little sweeter. They’re the perfect addition to salsa.

    Chipotle Rice Copycat

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    Have you ever dreamed of going to Chipotle and eating nothing but a big, heaping bowl of fluffy cilantro-lime rice? Well, you can make that dream come true in your very own home with this simple five-ingredient recipe.

    Chipotle Roasted Chili-Corn Salsa Copycat

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    15 Chipotle Copycat Recipes That You Can Make at Home (7)

    LAUREN HABERMEHL FOR TASTE OF HOME

    If possible, try to find fresh or frozen sweet white corn for the most authentic Chipotle corn salsa. It’s what the restaurant uses in its recipe. However, if all you can find is yellow corn, this salsa will still be spectacularly delicious.

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    Chipotle Fresh Tomato Salsa Copycat

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    You only need five ingredients (plus salt and pepper) to make this vibrant salsa, which livens up just about everything it’s paired with. Although this fresh tomato salsa is delicious the day it’s made, it gets even better the longer it sits—double the recipe so you can snack on salsa and veggies or chips all week.

    Chipotle Tomatillo-Red Chili Salsa Copycat

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    This recipe isn’t an exact replica of Chipotle’s fiery red salsa, but it’s a great “close enough” option if you don’t have access to fresh tomatillos. If you like your salsa extra spicy, don’t hold back when adding the hot sauce!

    Chipotle Carnitas Copycat

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    Carnitas is arguably one of the most popular meats at Chipotle. Though there’s no shortage of winning options on the menu, it was the irresistible slow-roasted spiced pork that put Chipotle on the map when it opened its first location in Denver, Colorado, in 1993.

    Chipotle Steak Tacos Copycat

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    Taste of Home

    Fire up the grill to make these Chipotle-inspired flank steak tacos, topped with a simple fresh salsa made explosive with fresh lime juice. For even more delicious acidity, serve these tacos with pickled red onions.

    Chipotle Chicken Tacos Copycat with Avocado Salsa

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    As good as these chicken tacos are, the real star of this copycat recipe is the easy-to-make avocado salsa, which you’ll want to eat straight out of the bowl. Let your guests choose between crispy corn tortillas or soft flour tortillas, just like you would at Chipotle.

    Chipotle Cheese Quesadillas Copycat

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    If you don’t want to worry about ordering a quesadilla ahead of time for pickup at Chipotle, you can make quesadillas at home instead. This is a basic, easy quesadilla recipe everyone should know how to make, and once you do, you can start experimenting with all sorts of additional fillings.

    Chipotle Veggie Burrito Copycat

    Perfect for meatless Mondays, no one will miss the meat when you dish up these satisfying burritos bursting with a fresh filling. Double the recipe, and you can eat the leftovers for Taco Tuesday! Include guacamole for an even closer copycat recipe.

    Chipotle Steak Salad Copycat

    This vibrant flank steak salad is easy and quick to prepare, tastes delicious and is a healthy dinner all on one plate. For a non-Chipotle-inspired take, toss this salad with blue cheese dressing instead of the recommended vinaigrette, or maybe a drizzle of homemade steak sauce. Learn how to make a copycat of Chipotle vinaigrette.

    Originally Published: January 13, 2018

    15 Chipotle Copycat Recipes That You Can Make at Home (16)

    Allison T.S. Robicelli

    Allison is a James Beard-nominated cookbook author, recipe developer and food writer. As a former professional chef, Allison is the go-to writer at Taste of Home for putting cooking tools to the test and sharing what’s worth adding to your home kitchen. A few of the things she’s personally reviewed at Taste of Home include HexClad cookware, All-Clad cookware and the Beautiful by Drew Barrymore cookware set. Formerly the chef-owner of Robicelli’s Bakery in Brooklyn, she currently resides in Baltimore, Maryland, with her kids, cats, pots and pans.

    15 Chipotle Copycat Recipes That You Can Make at Home (2024)

    FAQs

    Can you make your own Chipotle? ›

    If you've ever wanted to make chipotles at home, you're in the right place. All you need are ripe jalapenos, a smoker, and time. They're easy to make, and store well.

    How many ingredients does Chipotle use? ›

    53 of them, to be exact. Every single item you can build and order at Chipotle is made from a selection of only 53 total ingredients, all of which are prepared fresh. So what are the 53 real ingredients that come together to create the flavorful favorites you love at Chipotle?

    How does Chipotle make their ingredients? ›

    The steak is partially cooked and gets a final sear on the grill. The mild salsa (pico de gallo), corn salsa, and guacamole get made fresh every day. Onions, cilantro, and jalapeños are diced fresh by hand every day for making the salsas and guac. Cilantro is also cut by hand for the cilantro lime rice.

    Does Chipotle use chicken breast or thighs? ›

    If you would like to make this with chicken breast, it's totally possible too. But for the authentic Chipotle experience, use chicken thighs.

    What can I use if I don't have Chipotle? ›

    Smoked Paprika has all the smoky flavor you crave, making it the best substitute for chipotle. Although it is a much milder spice than dried chipotle or even fresh jalapeños, mix in the desired amount of cayenne pepper to dial up the heat.

    Did McDonald's used to own 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.

    Does Chipotle have 53 ingredients? ›

    Chipotle | Real Art. Chipotle uses only 53 real ingredients that you can recognize, pronounce...and spell. But how do you get people talking, sharing, and caring about it?

    Is Chipotle everyday OK? ›

    We're not recommending you eat at Chipotle every day. I think it is pretty widely accepted that high levels of sodium increase the risk for high blood pressure, heart disease, and stroke. So, we're not advocating for Chipotle as a daily thing.

    What is the main ingredient in Chipotle? ›

    Our namesake ingredient, the chipotle chili pepper is a dried and smoked jalapeño produced using the age-old craft of smoking them over pecan wood for several days. These intensely smoky, spicy peppers are the foundation for much of the food we serve - from our chicken, steak, and Barbacoa to our beans and vinaigrette.

    What kind of cheese does Chipotle use? ›

    Originally Answered: 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 oil does Chipotle use? ›

    Rice bran oil is our primary cooking oil at Chipotle. Its high smoke point - the temperature at which the oil starts, well, smoking - makes it suitable for high-temperature cooking like grilling, while its mild taste makes it versatile.

    What does Chipotle use for seasoning? ›

    The way that this chipotle seasoning stands out from the rest comes from one key ingredient: ground chipotle peppers. Chipotle peppers are smoke-dried jalapeno peppers that are often used in Mexican and Mexican-inspired recipes.

    What type of rice does Chipotle use? ›

    Around here, all you need to know is that we use long-grain white rice. We have always been committed to preparing real food made with real ingredients. You know, the kind you can recognize and pronounce.

    Which Chipotle meat is pork? ›

    To make our Carnitas, we season the pork with an aromatic spice blend, then braise and shred it by hand. The result? Meat that's fall-apart-in-your-burrito tender.

    How much does it cost to build a Chipotle? ›

    The initial investment for a Chipotle location is estimated to be $1.2 – $2.8 million. Royalty fees are around 6.5% of gross sales, while advertising fees are approximately 3%. The average Chipotle restaurant makes $2.2 million in annual gross sales, with a profit margin of 22%.

    Is Chipotle just a dried jalapeño? ›

    Chipotle peppers are dried smoked jalapeno peppers. They have an underlying sweetness with bitter and smoky notes. These chiles measure 2,500-10,000 Scoville Heat Units (SHU), so they deliver medium heat and smoky-sweet flavor. There are different types of Chipotle peppers.

    Do you make your own bowl at Chipotle? ›

    Can I customize a Lifestyle Bowl at Chipotle? Yes, in our digital ordering system, you can start with the preconfigured entrée and make it your own by adjusting to your specific nutritional needs.

    How does a jalapeño turn into a Chipotle? ›

    Chipotle peppers are basically ripened jalapeño chiles that have been smoked and dried. They can be ground and used in many Mexican and Tex Mex cooking and are typically sold in a rich, smokey flavored adobo sauce.

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