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

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

By
Robin Shreeves
Robin Shreeves
Robin Shreeves
Robin Shreeves is a food and beverage writer.
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Updated November 08, 2024
Robin Shreeves
Bowl of Chipotle Chicken Chowder with More in a Pot in the Background

Simply Recipes / Ross Yoder

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 12 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.

  • Chipotle Chicken Chowder

    Bowl of Chipotle Chicken Chowder Next to a Wooden Board with Baguette Pieces and Table Napkin

    Simply Recipes / Ross Yoder

    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

  • Chipotle Meatballs

    Chipotle Meatballs in Sauce and Topped With Cilantro in a Blue Dish

    Simply Recipes / Elise Bauer

    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

  • Instant Pot Chipotle Chicken and Rice Bowls

    Pressure Cooker Chipotle Chicken and Rice Bowls
    Coco Morante

    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

  • Chipotle Pumpkin Soup

    Chipotle Pumpkin Soup
    Elise Bauer

    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

    Continue to 5 of 12 below

  • Pork and Poblano Stew

    Pork and Poblano Stew
    Elise Bauer

    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

  • Roasted Tomato Soup with Chipotle

    roasted tomato soup with cream and basil in a blue bowl
    Elise Bauer

    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

  • Copycat Sofritas

    Copycat Sofritas in a Pan with a Wooden Spoon and Lime Wedges, Surrounded by a Bowl of Lime Wedges, a Glass of Water, and a Couple of Forks

    Simply Recipes / Ciara Kehoe

    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

  • Smoky Barbecue Sauce

    Smoky BBQ Sauce
    Elise Bauer

    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

    Continue to 9 of 12 below

  • Burnt Cheese Tacos

    Burnt Cheese Tacos on a Plate with Chipotle Sauce and Lime Wedges

    Simply Recipes / Sara Tane

    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

  • Spicy Orange Marinated Chicken

    orange juice marinated chicken on a plate with lemons and parsley
    Sally Vargas

    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

  • Spicy, Citrusy Black Beans

    Spicy Citrusy Black Beans
    Elise Bauer

    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

  • Turkey Tortilla Soup

    turkey tortilla soup in a blue bowl
    Elise Bauer

    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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