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    Home » Recipes » Chipotle

    Copycat Chipotle Spicy Salsa

    Published on October 19, 2020 - Updated on July 29, 2022 by Chef Rodney - 6 Comments - This post may contain affiliate links.

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    copycat chipotle spicy salsa
    This Copycat Chipotle Spicy Salsa is a must for all Salsa lovers. If you love Salsa with a serious kick, then this salsa recipe is for you.
    Copycat Chipotle Spicy Salsa

    We love eating salsa in our house. A nice bowl of Hot and Spicy Salsa served with Tortilla Chips makes a great snack or appetizer. We probably do this at least once a week. Sometimes we use store-bought salsa and sometimes we make our own like this Copycat Chipotle Spicy Salsa recipe.

    Copycat Chipotle Spicy Salsa

    What's different about this Chipotle Salsa Recipe (also called Chipotle Hot Sauce) is that it uses Tomatillos as its main ingredient as opposed to the more traditional red tomato-based salsas. The heat comes from the Red Chilies and the Tabasco Sauce, which can be controlled by adjusting the quantity of each. Personally I like it with the quantities listed below.

    ingredients for chipotle salsa
    Ingredients for Copycat Chipotle Salsa

    The bottom line is this Tomatillo Red Chili Hot Salsa is one of the best salsa recipes out there. Sure a little more work than your usual salsa recipe but well worth it. Once you try this salsa recipe you will never go back to your old salsa recipes.

    fresh limes

    🌶️ How to make Red Chili Powder

    You should be able to find the New Mexico Chili Pods in most grocery stores. They usually come in a bag like in the picture below. Simply rinse them off, cut the stem off and remove the seeds. You can either use a spice grinder or a mortar and pestle to ground them into red chili powder.

    new mexico chili pods

    🍅 How long does Salsa last

    While several factors come into play, homemade salsa will last 4 to 6 days when stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator. You can also freeze salsa in an airtight container or bag for up to 4 months.

    Ground Chili Pods

    ⭐ Copycat Rating

    Since the goal of a Copycat Recipe is for it to taste exactly like the original, it's only natural to rate this recipe against the original. This Copycat Chipotle Salsa recipe rates a solid 8 out of 10 in my opinion.

    fresh tomatillos
    Fresh Tomatillos

    💭 Ingredient Substitutions

    If you don't have access to New Mexico Red Chilies, you can substitute for California Chilies or Ancho Chilies. California Chilies are not as New Mexico Chilies while the Ancho Chilies are typically hotter than California Chilies. If you don't have any Tabasco Sauce, you can use Cholula, Sriracha or any other Hot Sauce. Since each has different heat levels you will need to adjust the quantities accordingly.

    Copycat Chipotle Spicy Salsa

    🔪 Equipment Needed

    You will need a food processor to make this Copycat Spicy Salsa recipe from Chipotle.

    Recipe Video

    For more great recipes like this one, I suggest you check these recipes out:

    • Copycat Chipotle Sweet Corn Salsa
    • Copycat Chipotle Cilantro Lime Rice
    • Spicy Tomatillo Salsa
    • Copycat Chipotle Guacamole
    • Spicy Chipotle Turkey Burgers

    📋 What Ingredients do I need

    You will need the following ingredients to make this Copycat Spicy Salsa Recipe from Chipotle (see recipe card for quantities): Tomatillos, Garlic Cloves, New Mexico Red Chilies, Ground Cumin, Lime Zest, Fresh Lime Juice, Tabasco, Salt & Pepper and Tortilla Chips.

    🥣 How to make Copycat Chipotle Spicy Salsa

    Preheat the oven to broil and set the oven rack to approximately 6 inches from the broiler. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil.
    Place the tomatillos and crushed garlic on the baking sheet and place it in the oven. Broil until the tomatillos are charred, about 12 minutes, flipping halfway through. Peel the garlic.
    In a food processor, combine the tomatillos, garlic, ground red chilies, cumin, lime zest and juice, 1 teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper. Process until the mixture is smooth.
    Season to taste with Tabasco. I suggest starting with 1 teaspoon. Add 1 or 2 teaspoons of extra ground red chilies if you would like it to a bit spicier. Add salt and ground black pepper to taste.
    Serve with tortilla chips or as a topping for your tacos or your breakfast eggs.

    Copycat Chipotle Spicy Salsa

    Copycat Chipotle Spicy Salsa

    This Copycat Chipotle Spicy Salsa is a must for all Salsa lovers. If you love Salsa with a serious kick, then this salsa recipe is for you.
    4.40 from 76 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe Rate Recipe
    Prep Time 5 mins
    Cook Time 12 mins
    Total Time 17 mins
    Course Salsa
    Cuisine American
    Servings 8
    Calories 46 kcal

    Equipment

    • Food Processor

    Ingredients
     

    • 16 medium Tomatillos, husks removed and rinsed
    • 6 Garlic Cloves, unpeeled and lightly crushed
    • 3 tablespoon New Mexico Red Chilies, ground
    • 2 teaspoon Ground Cumin
    • 2 teaspoon Lime Zest
    • 2 tablespoon Fresh Lime Juice
    • Tabasco Sauce, to taste
    • Salt and Pepper, to taste
    • Tortilla chips , for serving
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Instructions
     

    • Preheat the oven to broil and set the oven rack to approximately 6 inches from the broiler. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil.
    • Place the tomatillos and crushed garlic on the baking sheet and place it in the oven. Broil until the tomatillos are charred, about 12 minutes, flipping halfway through. Peel the garlic.
    • In a food processor, combine the tomatillos, garlic, ground red chilies, cumin, lime zest and juice, 1 teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper. Process until the mixture is smooth.
    • Season to taste with Tabasco. I suggest starting with 1 teaspoon. Add 1 or 2 teaspoons of extra ground red chilies if you would like it to a bit spicier. Add salt and ground black pepper to taste.
    • Serve with tortilla chips or as a topping for your tacos or your breakfast eggs.

    Recipe Video

    Nutrition

    Calories: 46kcalCarbohydrates: 9gProtein: 1gFat: 1gSaturated Fat: 1gSodium: 7mgPotassium: 304mgFiber: 3gSugar: 5gVitamin A: 1553IUVitamin C: 12mgCalcium: 16mgIron: 1mg

    Nutritional information provided for this recipe is based on 1 serving. This information is an estimate and may vary based on several factors. If nutritional information is important to you and your diet, please verify this recipe with a Registered Dietitian.

    Tried this Recipe?Leave a Comment below and share a picture on Instagram and tag @hot_rods_recipes and hashtag #hotrodsrecipes!

    More Chipotle Recipes

    • Copycat Chipotle Cilantro Lime Rice
    • Instant Pot Copycat Chipotle Barbacoa
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    Reader Interactions

    6 Comments

    1. Chris

      January 16, 2022 at 5:30 am

      Hi I am living in the Uk I seem to be able to find tinned tomatillos, would that work?

      Reply
      • Chef Rodney

        January 16, 2022 at 10:52 am

        You sure can use tomatillos from a can. Just keep in mind that those are usually cooked ahead of time so you will need to adjust for that when doing the veggies. I would add them once the veggies are tender. And don't forget to drain them from the can before putting them in the skillet.

        Reply
    2. Colleen

      January 17, 2022 at 6:46 pm

      Mine turned out more brown than red, and tastes off somehow. What should I do? I didn't deviate at all. Is it likely that I jus didn't add enough Tobasco?

      Reply
      • Chef Rodney

        January 18, 2022 at 1:07 pm

        What kind of chili pods did you use? I list Tabasco for the hot sauce as that is the most common but you can technically use whatever hot sauce you prefer.

        Reply
        • Billie

          March 21, 2022 at 8:49 pm

          For the red chili are you using the already ground red chili (like the powdered kind)

          Reply
          • Chef Rodney

            March 22, 2022 at 8:19 am

            I use dried chili pods as pictures above.

            Reply

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    Hi! I'm Rodney and welcome to my blog. I am a foodie and self-taught cook. After years of experimenting in the kitchen, I decided to share some of my favorite recipes with you. Read More →

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