Honey Chipotle Sauce
Honey chipotle sauce is sweet, smoky, spicy and so easy to make. This homemade chipotle honey sauce is made with pantry ingredients and will take any meal up a notch in flavor. Ready in under 5 minutes, no cooking required.
Why you will love this recipe
- Add flavor to anything – you can use this honey chipotle sauce on just about anything. It goes great on tacos, fries, veggies, chicken, meatballs, shrimp, salmon, you name it! I even had it on my eggs this morning.
- Simple pantry ingredients you likely have on hand – make this sauce anytime you want to add flavor to a dish without having to run to the store.
- No cooking required – all you need is a blender or food processor to make this simple chipotle honey sauce recipe. It’s thick and creamy without needing any flour or cornstarch.
- No ketchup – there is no ketchup or tomato paste in this recipe, I think this helps you taste the honey and chipotle flavors in the sauce.
Ingredients in chipotle honey sauce
- Canned chipotle in adobo – these peppers are spicy, so you only need 2-3 to make this sauce. You can store the rest of the peppers in the fridge for a few months in a well sealed container.
- Honey – honey adds the perfect amount of sweetness and helps make the thick consistency of the sauce. If you need to, you could also use maple syrup but the sauce may not be as thick.
- Olive oil – the olive oil helps to make the sauce much thicker and also helps to mellow out the spice from the peppers. You could also use avocado oil if you don’t have olive oil on hand.
- Apple cider vinegar – adding the vinegar helps to balance out the sauce and also helps to cut down the heat from the peppers and the sweetness from the honey. You could also use lime juice for a fun twist.
- Spices: Salt, garlic powder, ground cumin – the cumin adds a little smokiness, the salt elevates all the flavors and the garlic powder adds umami and a subtle garlic flavor. I don’t recommend fresh garlic as I think it will compete with the other flavors in the sauce.
How to make honey chipotle sauce
Add all the ingredients to a high speed blender or food processor (I use a bullet style blender when making sauces).
Blend for about 1 minute, or until the sauce is very smooth.
Pour into a sealed jar or container and use immediately or store in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.
Top tips
- If you don’t love spice: Start with 2 chipotle peppers, then add more if you decide that the sauce needs more spice.
- If you find that the sauce is too spicy, add an additional tablespoon of honey, olive oil and apple cider vinegar and blend again. This should help to mellow out the spice.
- Transfer leftover chipotle in adobo out of the can they come in into a jar with a tight-fitting lid in the fridge. Since the jalapenos are pickled using the adobo sauce, they last for quite some time in the fridge. I don’t recommend storing them in the can though.
Ways to use easy honey chipotle sauce
- As a dip for chicken nuggets, tenders, salmon bites, veggies, sweet potato wedges, or sweet potato tater tots.
- Add flavor to meatballs (add some of the sauce to the meat, pour sauce over top)
- Use as a glaze for chicken, pork or salmon
- Make chipotle honey chicken tacos by pouring the sauce over shredded chicken and serving in tacos.
- Use as a sauce for chicken wings, shrimp
- Use it as a marinade for chicken or pork
Common questions
What is chipotle in adobo
Canned chipotle in adobo are actually jalapeno peppers that are pickled in adobo sauce. They come canned and are relatively easy to find in most grocery stores in the US. The peppers add spice and the adobo sauce they are packed in give the peppers a very smoky flavor.
Is chipotle honey sauce spicy?
Since the chipotle peppers are made from jalapeno peppers, they can be spicy. The honey, oil and vinegar in the recipe help to reduce the heat though. As written, the this sauce does have a kick, but you can easily reduce the spice by only using 1 or 2 peppers.
If you like things spicy, use 3 or 4 (or more). Remember you can always add more, but it’s tough to take them out.
What if the sauce is too spicy?
If you find that after blending everything, the sauce it too spicy, simply add a tablespoon each of olive oil, honey and apple cider vinegar (and a small pinch of salt) to the sauce and blend again.
Taste the sauce, if it’s still too spicy, repeat the step above until you get the right amount of heat for your liking.
Storing leftover chipotle sauce
Fridge: Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.
Freezer: Freeze the sauce in a freezer safe bag or container for up to 3 months. You may need to re-blend the sauce after defrosting as the honey can separate from the sauce.
If you love this recipe, you should try
Vegan Chipotle Mayo (with cashews)
Honey Chipotle Sauce
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 2 tbsp honey
- 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 3 chipotle in adobo
- 3/4 tsp sea salt
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1/4 tsp ground cumin
Instructions
- Add all the ingredients to a blender or food processor.
- Blend on high for 1 minute or until smooth.
Equipment
- High speed blender or food processor
Notes
- If you don’t love spice: Start with 2 chipotle peppers, then add more if you decide that the sauce needs more spice.
- If you find that the sauce is too spicy, add an additional tablespoon of honey, olive oil and apple cider vinegar and blend again. This should help to mellow out the spice.
- Transfer leftover chipotle in adobo out of the can they come in into a jar with a tight-fitting lid in the fridge. Since the jalapenos are pickled using the adobo sauce, they last for quite some time in the fridge. I don’t recommend storing them in the can though.
- Fridge: Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.
- Freezer: Freeze the sauce in a freezer safe bag or container for up to 3 months. You may need to re-blend the sauce after defrosting as the honey can separate from the sauce.
