20 Recipes To Use up a Can of Chipotles in Adobo Sauce (2024)

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Don't waste any smoky, spicy chipotles or the adobe sauce they're packed in.

By

Robin Shreeves

20 Recipes To Use up a Can of Chipotles in Adobo Sauce (1)

Robin Shreeves

Robin Shreeves is a food and beverage writer.

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Published January 14, 2024

20 Recipes To Use up a Can of Chipotles in Adobo Sauce (2)

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Chipotle chile peppers are jalapeño peppers that hang on the plant, ripening until they turn red. Right after harvest, the peppers are slowly smoked over mesquite, removing all moisture and adding a smoky flavor.

These chiles are often sold in cans, swimming in adobo sauce. If you don't use up the entire can at once, refrigerate the leftovers for up to one week, or freeze them. When you want to use those leftovers, turn to these 20 recipes that use chipotle peppers. Several of the recipes also use the sauce in the can so you don't waste any of the smoky, spicy goodness.

What Are Chipotle Peppers?READ MORE:
  • Chipotle Chicken Chowder

    20 Recipes To Use up a Can of Chipotles in Adobo Sauce (4)

    Break out your favorite soup pot and make this smoky chicken chowder that you can make as mild or hot as your taste buds desire. The canned chipotles in adobo sauce are the star of the soup that's also full of corn (fresh or frozen), chicken, onion, tomato, and potatoes.

    Recipe Uses: 4 chipotle peppers and 2 tablespoons adobo sauce

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  • Chipotle Meatballs

    20 Recipes To Use up a Can of Chipotles in Adobo Sauce (5)

    Ground pork, bacon, and chipotle powder add tons of flavor to these meatballs. The sauce brings even more bold flavors with chipotle chiles. You control the heat, adding one to three, depending on how you like it.

    Recipe Uses: 1 to 3 chipotle peppers and adobo sauce to taste

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  • Instant Pot Chipotle Chicken and Rice Bowls

    20 Recipes To Use up a Can of Chipotles in Adobo Sauce (6)

    This dupe of fast food takeout made in the Instant Pot is even better than its restaurant counterpart. The chicken is sweet (from honey) and spicy (from the chiles), and the rice with jalapeños is a little spicy, too,

    Recipe Uses: 2 chipotle peppers

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  • Chipotle Turkey Pozole

    20 Recipes To Use up a Can of Chipotles in Adobo Sauce (7)

    Pozole (or posole) is a traditional Mexican soup made with hominy. This version uses turkey (great for using up leftovers), chipotle chile, tomatoes, and spices in turkey broth. Offer toppings such as cabbage, avocado, radishes, and cotija cheese.

    Recipe Uses: 1/4 to 1/2 cup minced chipotle peppers

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    Continue to 5 of 20 below.

  • Spicy Bloody Maria co*cktail

    20 Recipes To Use up a Can of Chipotles in Adobo Sauce (8)

    A Bloody Maria swaps tequila for a Bloody Mary's vodka and this version uses chipotle pepper to spice it up. It's the perfect breakfast for brunch co*cktail for sipping withbreakfast tacos,huevos rancheros, orchilaquiles.

    Recipe Uses: 1 chipotle pepper

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  • Slow Cooker Honey Chipotle Chicken Tacos

    20 Recipes To Use up a Can of Chipotles in Adobo Sauce (9)

    Sweet and spicy, cook chicken in the slow cooker with honey, tomato sauce, onion, spices, chipotle peppers, and adobo sauce. It makes for a tasty taco filling to top with your favorite toppings. Leftovers freeze well for a second meal.

    Recipe Uses: 1 to 3 chipotle peppers and 1 to 2 tablespoons adobo sauce

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  • Chipotle Burger

    20 Recipes To Use up a Can of Chipotles in Adobo Sauce (10)

    These burgers with a spicy kick mix of chipotle peppers and adobo sauce with ground beef, onions, and seasonings. Grill, top with Jack cheese, avocado, hot sauce, cilantro, and optional poblano peppers.

    Recipe Uses: 2 to 4 chipotle peppers and 1 tablespoon adobo sauce

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  • Chipotle Pumpkin Soup

    20 Recipes To Use up a Can of Chipotles in Adobo Sauce (11)

    This pumpkin soup has Southwestern flavors from the addition of chipotle peppers and cumin. Use fresh, cooked pumpkin or canned pumpkin purée. Top the creamy soup with pumpkin seeds, cilantro, and crema fresca.

    Recipe Uses: 1 to 2 chipotle peppers

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    Continue to 9 of 20 below.

  • Pork and Poblano Stew

    20 Recipes To Use up a Can of Chipotles in Adobo Sauce (12)

    This hearty fall soup gets heat from both poblano and chipotle chiles. Cube pork shoulder and brown it, then build the stew that also contains sweet potatoes and corn. It's an amazing blend of flavors.

    Recipe Uses: 1 chipotle chili

  • Enfrijoladas with Black Beans, Avocado, and Cotija

    20 Recipes To Use up a Can of Chipotles in Adobo Sauce (13)

    Blend garlic, onion, beans, chipotle, lime juice, cumin, salt, and water to create the sauce needed for enfrijoladas, sauce-soaked corn tortillas folded in half and topped with cotija cheese, salsa, and sour cream.

    Recipe Uses: 1 chipotle pepper

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  • Chipotle Salsa Baked Chicken

    20 Recipes To Use up a Can of Chipotles in Adobo Sauce (14)

    The peppers and adobo sauce go into the spicy salsa you create to spread over chicken before baking in a casserole dish. Add cheese at the end. Serve as a main course or over rice or pasta.

    Recipe Uses: 2 chipotle peppers and 1 teaspoon adobo sauce

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  • Roasted Tomato Soup with Chipotle

    20 Recipes To Use up a Can of Chipotles in Adobo Sauce (15)

    Roast the tomatoes, bell pepper, garlic, and onions then purée them with chipotle chiles. Add chicken stock and simmer. It's easy and so much better than canned soup. Great on its own or with its best friend, grilled cheese.

    Recipe Uses: 1 to 2 chipotle peppers

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    Continue to 13 of 20 below.

  • Copycat Sofritas

    20 Recipes To Use up a Can of Chipotles in Adobo Sauce (16)

    Tofu-based and slightly spicy, this recipe is similar to the one at Chipotle Mexican Grill. Use it instead of chicken, beef, or other animal protein in tacos, burritos, bowls, and more.

    Recipe Uses: 1 to 3 chipotle peppers and 3 tablespoons adobo sauce

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  • Smoky Barbecue Sauce

    20 Recipes To Use up a Can of Chipotles in Adobo Sauce (17)

    Smoky, spicy, and rich in flavor, this sauce was created to go with red meat, beef (like brisket), venison, or bison. Let it simmer low and slow so the flavors concentrate.

    Recipe Uses: 1 to 4 chipotle peppers

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  • Sweet Potato White Bean Dip

    20 Recipes To Use up a Can of Chipotles in Adobo Sauce (18)

    Looking for something a little different to dip your chips and veggies in? This dip has roasted sweet potatoes and white beans, plus a smoky kick from the chipotles.

    Recipe Uses: 1 to 2 chipotle peppers

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  • Burnt Cheese Tacos

    20 Recipes To Use up a Can of Chipotles in Adobo Sauce (19)

    Tortillas with cheese—melty on the inside and crisp on the outside—get a kick from a sauce you make with chipotle chiles. Besides being delicious, this dish is super fast to make, too.

    Recipe Uses: 2 tablespoons chipotle pepper

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    Continue to 17 of 20 below.

  • Spicy Orange Marinated Chicken

    20 Recipes To Use up a Can of Chipotles in Adobo Sauce (20)

    Marinate chicken thighs overnight in an orange juice-based marinade seasoned with chipotle chiles, onion, garlic, and seasonings, quickly whizzed together in a food processor. The flavorful chicken cooks on the stovetop in just 20 minutes.

    Recipe Uses: 1/2 can chipotle peppers in adobo sauce

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  • Spicy, Citrusy Black Beans

    20 Recipes To Use up a Can of Chipotles in Adobo Sauce (21)

    Black beans are a great addition to Taco Tuesday. They have layers of chipotle flavor that are balanced with orange, lime, and cilantro. Control the level of spice by customizing how many peppers you use.

    Recipe Uses: 1 to 2 teaspoons puréed chipotle peppers in adobo sauce

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  • Turkey Tortilla Soup

    20 Recipes To Use up a Can of Chipotles in Adobo Sauce (22)

    This soup is easy to make, especially if you have leftover turkey. Canned fire-roasted tomatoes and chicken stock from the base to which you add turkey, onion, garlic, and chiles. Like any good Tex-Mex soup, this one comes with plenty of topping options, too.

    Recipe Uses: 4 teaspoons adobo sauce

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  • Honey Chipotle Roasted Brussels Sprouts

    20 Recipes To Use up a Can of Chipotles in Adobo Sauce (23)

    Roast Brussels sprouts in the oven, then add a sauce made with chipotle chile peppers, adobe sauce from the can, and honey at the end of the roasting time. It's a side dish that goes with everyday dinners as well as the holiday turkey.

    Recipe Uses: 2 chipotle peppers and 1 tablespoon adobo sauce

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20 Recipes To Use up a Can of Chipotles in Adobo Sauce (2024)

FAQs

How to use a can of chipotle peppers in adobo sauce? ›

You can add puréed chipotles in adobo sauce to a heap of sauces for some extra spice and flavor. They're great thrown into a barbecue sauce you already love or into some mayo to get you to that intersection of spicy and fatty. (That's right, you can make your own chipotle mayo at home.)

What are chipotle peppers in adobo sauce good for? ›

Chipotles are essential to a proper cemita and great on a mushroom and spinach torta. And they're killer with egg sandwiches, here blended into guacamole or mayo. And let's not forget about tacos; fry up some Mexican chorizo and add chipotle for an extra jolt of spice.

How long does an open can of chipotle in adobo last? ›

Unopened cans of chipotle peppers in adobo have a long shelf life, typically lasting up to 3-5 years if stored properly in a cool, dry pantry, or even past their 'best by' date printed on the can. However, once opened, the peppers and sauce must be refrigerated and consumed within 1-2 weeks.

Can you save chipotles in adobo sauce? ›

Portion out. Once the chipotles are blended up, they'll last for a few months in the refrigerator, but for true long-term storage, use this method on saving tomato paste and freeze it in measured spoonfuls instead.

What to use chipotle sauce for? ›

How to Use Chipotle Sauce
  1. Use it as a dipping sauce. Its smoky flavor is fantastic with sweet potato fries, air fryer French fries, air fryer cauliflower, and more! ...
  2. Put it on a sandwich or veggie burger. ...
  3. Drizzle it over a grain bowl. ...
  4. Or pair it with tacos or burritos.

Should you deseed chipotle peppers in adobo sauce? ›

Scrape the inside of the pepper to remove the seeds. Chop, dice or mince the pepper as desired. The chipotle alone will add more heat than the adobo sauce.

What do you put adobo sauce on? ›

  1. Adobo Loco Steak with a Poblano, Corn, and Crispy Potato Hash. ...
  2. Smoky Adobo Chicken Tacos with Mango Slaw and Lime Crema. ...
  3. Chipotle-Glazed Pork Chops with Garlic Mashed Potatoes and Roasted Broccoli.
Oct 9, 2017

How long does adobo last in the fridge? ›

How long does chicken adobo last? Due to its acidity, adobo can last up to a week in the fridge or up to 6 months in the freezer 一 a bit longer than a simple roasted chicken, which typically keeps 3 to 4 days.

How to use adobo? ›

how to use
  1. Use as an easy grilling rub for poultry, meat, or seafood. Massage olive oil onto the protein of your choice, and generously sprinkle with Adobo before cooking.
  2. Sprinkle over baked potatoes or steamed veggies for instant flavor.
  3. Add to low sodium chicken, beef or vegetable broth for an easy soup base.

What is the difference between chipotle and adobo sauce? ›

The primary difference between the two, I discovered, is ingredients. Canned chipotles come packed in an adobo sauce—that's a rich sauce made with onions, garlic, spices, and vinegar. It adds a bit of acidity, a bit of sweetness, and a rich complexity to the chipotles.

Can you freeze adobo? ›

CAN I FREEZE CHICKEN Adobo? Yes! You can freeze the marinade, the chicken in the marinade or the cooked Chicken Adobo. Marinade: whisk together, add to a freezer bag or freezer safe container, label and freeze for up to 3 months.

What is a substitute for chipotle peppers in adobo sauce? ›

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.

How to use canned chipotle peppers in adobo sauce? ›

Pureeing the whole can in a food processor and mixing a teaspoon or two into mayonnaise or Greek yogurt for an easy chipotle sauce for sandwiches or fish tacos. Chop the chili peppers fine and mixing into hummus. Adding a few tablespoons of the adobo sauce to chicken broth for a quick soup.

How hot is chipotle in adobo sauce? ›

How hot are they? Chipotle peppers have a similar heat level to jalapeño peppers. On the Scoville Heat Index, a scientific measure of spiciness, chipotle peppers measure between 2,500 and 8,000 SHU.

Does chipotle sauce need to be refrigerated? ›

NO REFRIGERATION REQUIRED. REFRIGERATE AFTER OPENING TO PROLONG FRESHNESS.

How do you cut the spice of chipotle peppers in adobo sauce? ›

Since they're pretty spicy, I like to pair chipotles with something fatty or sweet that will calm the heat, like mayonnaise, cream, cheese, agave syrup or honey. Chipotle mayonnaise is one of my favorite condiments. You can slather that stuff onto anything and it will taste good and it's easy to make.

How hot are canned chipotle peppers in adobo sauce? ›

Chipotle peppers can vary in spiciness, but they generally have a moderate level of heat. The adobo sauce adds some additional spiciness, but it can be adjusted by adding more or less sauce based on your preference. The average heat range for chipotle peppers is around 2,500 to 8,000 SHU (The Scoville Heat Units).

How much diced chipotle peppers in adobo sauce? ›

Follow these easy steps so the next time a recipe calls for chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, you'll be ready. Recipes usually call for a pepper or two. The rough equivalent is one pepper equals one tablespoon, chopped or processed. I recommend you add less than a tablespoon to your recipe and taste first.

Are chipotle peppers in adobo sauce the same as chipotle paste? ›

It's also worth noting that the tubed paste doesn't have the vinegar kick of canned chipotles in adobo, since—at least in the brand that I've been using—that adobo sauce isn't included in the paste. It's just the chiles in there, along with some water, salt, and citric acid.

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