If you’re a fan of spiking your eats with smoky chipotle flavor, you’ll for sure need these 15 Recipes for Leftover Chipotle Peppers to help use up the jar!
It’s a common dilemma, and a delicious one at that: You purchase a small can of smoky chipotle peppers for a recipe, use the one lone pepper your recipe called for, then find yourself wondering what the heck to do with the rest.
Because of their bold smoky flavor, a little bit goes a long way and those itty bitty cans are almost perpetually overkill for a recipe. Same goes for tomato paste, there’s just no need to use the contents in a sitting! Heck, I can’t even make it through a full can of pumpkin in a single recipe.
So naturally, you pop the remainder in the fridge and swear you’ll revisit it within the food safety standard allotted 4-5 days.
Raise your hand if you don’t remember the jar until it sprouts legs and jumps out at you.
You’re not alone.
Naturally the cycle has got to stop (I’m basically lecturing myself at this point) and we (*ahem* I) need a solution, stat!
First off, freezing is always a fabulous option! Especially when you can portion out the sassy and smoky peppers into little ice cube trays with a drizzle of adobo sauce for good measure. Total win right?!
Nope. You’re going to forget about them in there as well, dude. Trust me.
Thus I’ve rounded up some fantastic uses for chipotle peppers that will help you make the most of your jar, whether it’s plucked fresh from the pantry, scrounged from the fridge, or rescued from a certain death of freezer burn in the icebox.
You’re welcome.
Recipes for Leftover Chipotle Peppers
If you get a chance to try any of these tasty ways to use up leftover chipotle peppers, let me know!
Leave some love in the comment form below or tag your photos with @peasandcrayons on Instagram so I can happy dance over your creation. I can’t wait to see what you whip up!
Looking for more ways to use up your jar of adobo chipotle peppers?
- CHIPOTLE SALSA – Blend chipotle peppers with tomatoes, onions, garlic, and lime juice for a smoky and spicy salsa.
- CHIPOTLE ENCHILADA SAUCE – Add chopped chipotle peppers to your enchilada sauce for a smoky and spicy twist. Fill the enchiladas with your choice of filling and bake until bubbly.
- CHIPOTLE BLACK BEAN SOUP – Enhance the flavor of black bean soup by adding diced chipotle peppers and their sauce. Serve it with a dollop of sour cream and some fresh cilantro.
- CHIPOTLE CHICKEN TACOS – Marinate chicken in a mixture of chipotle peppers, adobo sauce, lime juice, and spices. Grill or pan-fry the chicken and serve it in tortillas with your favorite toppings.
- CHIPOTLE BARBECUE SAUCE – Combine pureed chipotle peppers with ketchup, brown sugar, vinegar, and spices to make a smoky and tangy barbecue sauce. Brush it on grilled meats or use it as a dipping sauce.
- CHIPOTLE CAESAR DRESSING – Blend chipotle peppers, adobo sauce, garlic, anchovies, lemon juice, Parmesan cheese, and mayonnaise to create a smoky and spicy twist on a classic Caesar dressing.
Tasty Chipotle Recipes from Other Bloggers
Jane’s chipotle spiked Chipotle Lentil Fajita Bowls are out of this world delicious and perfect for Meatless Monday!
My girl Megan at Country Cleaver makes a mean salsa! Her smoky roasted salsa is full of traditional Mexican flavors, and a little something extra to make that smoky flavor shine through.
Brandy’s chipotle shrimp tacos are the perfect balance of sweet and spicy! Flour tortillas topped with tangy broccoli slaw, shrimp and gochujang mayonnaise. Deliciousness via Nutmeg Nanny.