Sweet, smoky, tangy, and fiery, this super-easy Honey Chipotle Sauce is perfect for everything from coating chicken wings to topping a cream cheese appetizer.
This *might* literally be the easiest Honey Chipotle Sauce recipe you will find. It only requires 5 ingredients (4 if you don't count the water). For real-real, not for play-play! And except for maybe the canned chipotle en adobo peppers you probably have all of the ingredients in your pantry right now.
Chipotle en adobo peppers (in a can), ketchup, honey, soy sauce, and water are literally all you need to make this incredible Chipotle Honey Sauce. No foolies!
In addition to how easy this homemade Honey Chipotle Sauce is, it is most importantly incredibly delicious! The chipotle en adobo peppers provide a smoky, savory, and fiery base. Honey provides that much-needed sweet counterbalance. I actually HATE ketchup, but I can't deny the magic it brings here; it lends sweetness and body, sort of operating as the bridge that brings the two extreme flavors of the sauce together. The soy sauce punches up the umami and adds saltiness. And I like to add just a wee bit of water, using it to swish out the chipotle en adobo residue from the can.
Why You Will Love This Honey Chipotle Sauce
- Super easy to make. Technically, you only have 4 ingredients for this sauce - honey, chipotle en adobo peppers, ketchup, and soy sauce. Plus a little bit of water to get the consistency just right. A quick blend to achieve a smooth sauce followed by a quick heat in a saucepan helps the flavors and ingredients combine. That's it!
- Amazingly delicious. This sauce has it all going on - sweet heat that's beautifully balanced. You must try it on chicken wings or as a sauce base on naan pizzas.
- Great to Make Ahead. Prepare this sauce a day or two in advance if you like. I find that the heat mellows out a little over 24 hours, plus this sauce is good for up to 7 days.
Summarize and Save with
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- Why You Will Love This Honey Chipotle Sauce
- Summarize and Save with
- Ingredients Needed to Make Honey Chipotle Sauce
- Adobo Honey Sauce Variations
- How to Make Homemade Honey Chipotle Sauce - Directions
- Top Tips for the BEST Honey Chipotle Sauce
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Making your own sauce can save you $$$
- Hearty Soup Recipes
- Easy Honey Chipotle Sauce
Ingredients Needed to Make Honey Chipotle Sauce
Let's get to it! Here's how you make this Easy Adobo Honey Sauce.
- Canned chipotle en adobo peppers - These canned beauties are so packed with flavor and make a great base for the sauce, lending bold smoky, spicy flavors.
- Water - Only a tablespoon, which I add to the chipotle en adobo pepper can to give a good swish out before adding to the sauce.
- Ketchup - Reach for regular tomato ketchup. Its sweetness helps balance out the heat from the peppers, and the tomato base rounds everything out.
- Honey - A nice counterbalance to the heat.
- Soy sauce - Umami baby! Saltiness gets a little muted without soy sauce bringing it back in a little. Plus is there anything soy sauce can't make better? I often add it to chili if I don't have Worchestershire sauce on hand.
See the recipe card for quantities.
Adobo Honey Sauce Variations
Since there are only 5 ingredients (4 if you don't count the water!) there aren't any substitutions I'd recommend making to this Easy Adobo Honey Sauce, but you can certainly add if you'd like to make it your own. Some easy add-ins might include:
- Garlic powder
- Onion powder
- Tajin
- Hot sauce
- Lime juice, freshly squeezed
How to Make Homemade Honey Chipotle Sauce - Directions
- Step 1. Add the entire can of chipotle en adobo peppers, ketchup, honey, and soy sauce to a blender. I like to add the water to the chipotle en adobo can and do a quick swish with the water, then add to the blender along with the rest of the ingredients.
- Step 2. Blend for 30 seconds; the resulting sauce should be relatively smooth.
- Step 3. Add the sauce to a small saucepan and turn to medium heat. Cook for 3 minutes over a gentle simmer, stirring constantly.
- Step 4. Remove from heat and let cool. Store the sauce in a lidded container in the refrigerator. Shake well before using. For best results, use within 7 days.
Makes 1 ¼ cup sauce.
Note: If the sauce seems initially too spicy for you, let it sit for 24 hours and try it again. In my experience, the heat mellows over time.
Top Tips for the BEST Honey Chipotle Sauce
Tip 1. Blend until you're happy with the consistency. I don't mind a thicker sauce with some texture to it, but keep blending if you'd prefer a smoother sauce.
Tip 2. Add a little less or a little more of one ingredient. These canned chipotle peppers are spicy, so you might want to use only ¾ of the can. You could also add a little more ketchup if you want more sweetness to shine through.
Tip 3. Be adventurous. This sauce has so many great uses, I can't wait for you to give them a try! Adobo Honey Sauce is a solid choice for everything from glazing proteins to topping appetizers. Use this magical sweet, smoky sauce to:
- Coat air fried chicken wings
- Glaze ham or meatballs
- Spread on a sandwich
- Spread it on ribs
- Season slow-cooked meats, like Slow Cooked Carnitas
- Jazz up leftovers, like drizzling over Leftover Pulled Pork Tacos
- Add to pulled pork, like this Instant Pot Pork Butt
- Top a block of cream cheese and serve with crackers for a simple appetizer
- Combine with cream cheese and/or sour cream for a creamy variation
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes! This homemade Honey Chipotle recipe calls for an entire can of chipotle en adobo peppers, so it definitely has some heat. I'd equate the heat to eating jalapeno poppers. If you want the result to be not quite so spicy, use half a can of chipotle en adobo peppers.
If the sauce seems initially too spicy for you, let it sit for 24 hours and try it again. In my experience, the heat mellows over time. If it's still a little too spicy, try adding more ketchup, a little at a time; the sweetness should help tame the heat. This sauce definitely has some noticeable heat to it; I'd equate it to eating jalapeno poppers.
Sweet, smoky, tangy, umami, and fiery - it's a collaboration of bold flavors rolled into one delicious sauce.
Store the Honey Chipotle Sauce in a lidded container (like a Mason jar) in the refrigerator. Shake well before using. For best results, use within 7 days.
Making your own sauce can save you $$$
Did you know that making your own sauces can save you money? Using ingredients you already have on hand can save you a few bucks here and there vs. buying a specialty sauce that you may or may not use before it expires. Plus, homemade sauces can be prepared in smaller quantities, reducing waste.
For more money-saving ideas, check out Practical Ways to Stretch Your Food Budget.
Hearty Soup Recipes
Try these comforting soups next!
If you tried this honey chipotle sauce (or any other recipe on Midwexican), please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it turned out in the 📝 comments below!
Easy Honey Chipotle Sauce
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 7.5 ounce can chipotle en adobo peppers
- 1 tablespoon water
- ¼ cup ketchup
- ¼ cup + 1 tablespoon honey
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
Instructions
- Add the entire can of chipotle en adobo peppers, ketchup, honey, and soy sauce to a blender. I like to add the water to the chipotle en adobo can and do a quick swish with the water, then add to the blender along with the rest of the ingredients.
- Blend for 30 seconds; the resulting sauce should be relatively smooth.
- Add the sauce to a small saucepan and turn to medium heat. Cook for 3 minutes over a gentle simmer, stirring constantly.
- Remove from heat and let cool. Makes 1 ¼ cup sauce.
Sarah says
soooo good on chicken tacos. easily my favorite taco sauce now. thank you!!
Matthew Clapp says
Does need be refrigerated?
Christina Koncker says
Yes, store the sauce in a lidded container in the refrigerator. Shake well before using. For best results, use within 7 days.
Emily says
Is there a reason to heat it or can it be served right after blending? Thank you! I am excited to try it
Tino Marie says
I find cooking the sauce helps incorporate the honey better, but let me know what you think of it if you decide to serve it right from the blender!
Liz says
Husband is in love with this! He asked me to add ranch to it - would you recommend using the dressing or seasoning packets, and would you happen to know about how much to use?
Tino Marie says
So happy to hear that!!! I think adding Ranch would be a fantastic idea! My recommendation would be to try Ranch seasoning first; I'm thinking Ranch dressing would change the texture and color of the sauce. I would try adding half of a Ranch seasoning packet (which is around 1 tablespoon), mix it into the sauce while it is on the stovetop, then taste and see if you and your husband like it! If you feel like it needs more Ranch you can always keep adding a little more seasoning until you get it just right :). But I also wouldn't be surprised if a full packet was the perfect amount.