Looking for a way to give your food a real kick without making things complicated? Chipotle in adobo is the perfect solution! Making an adobo sauce is not difficult, but it does take a bit of time and a few key ingredients.
What Is Chipotle in Adobo?
Chipotle in adobo is made by cooking dried chipotle chiles in a delicious adobo sauce that includes onion, garlic, and guajillo chile. The Chipotle en adobo is a classic that you can find in any grocery store or supermarket in Mexico. If you live abroad, don’t worry – you can usually find it online or at your favorite Latin or Mexican store.
A small can of chipotle in adobo is usually enough for at least two cooking sessions. But even if you buy a big can, don’t stress! Here is how to make the most of it. Canned chiles usually contain sugar, and the combination of chile, sugar, and vinegar makes the preparation quite shelf-stable. Just be sure to store it in a tightly sealed container in the fridge.
How Versatile Chipotle in Adobo Is
This mixture is incredibly versatile. You can add it to soups and creamy soups, whether they are made with cow’s milk or vegan alternatives like coconut or soy milk. A very popular use is to mix it with mayonnaise to spread on sandwiches and rolls. It is the kind of ingredient that transforms any dish!
More Flavor, Less Effort With Chipotle Chile
If you want to enjoy the delicious flavor of chipotle in adobo without a lot of work, you just need two simple steps:
- Chop or blend the chiles: Open your can of chipotle in adobo. Inside you will find whole chiles and onions, so just blend everything in a blender until you get a smooth paste. You can also do this with a knife, mortar and pestle, or even a fork and while this would work, a uniform texture will be easier to use in the kitchen. If you made your adobo from scratch, even better, but canned chipotle is way quicker and practical.
- Store it properly: Keep the paste in an airtight container in the fridge.
How to use canned chipotle adobo?
Just like anything in the kitchen there are plenty of ways to use your chile en adobo, but some popular techniques used in Mexico include:
- Grilled and pan-fried “a la diabla”: Because of its red color and spicy kick, dishes made with chipotle are often called “a la diabla”, although dishes with chile de árbol also go by that name. Use this preparation directly on meat and fish you plan to grill or pan-fry. Vegetables “a la diabla”: Although not very common, you can brush the sauce on vegetables such as zucchini, eggplant, or bell peppers; even grilling cheese turns out amazing with a touch of chipotle.
- Soups, creamy soups, and stews: One or more spoonfuls of chipotle chile will give your dishes a spicy, flavorful note. You can add it directly to your bowl or into the pot while cooking. Keep in mind that the longer it cooks, the spicier it gets.
- Sofrito: Many cuisines use some version of a sofrito, which is usually not spicy. Add chipotle to your sofritos to give your recipes a spicy kick and a smoky aroma.
Experiment with chipotle en adobo
If you have a bit more time, play around with other ingredients to create a more complex adobo.
- Spices add deeper flavor.
- Fruits like pineapple or apple bring an irresistible sweet, tangy, fruity note.
- Use leftover pieces of vegetables or fruit from your fridge to experiment with other elements.
- Start small and adjust little by little. It may take some time, but it helps you discover more delicious combinations.
Keep in mind that thanks to the vinegar and sugar, these preparations usually keep quite well in the fridge and even a few days at room temperature, depending on the climate where you live. Personally, there is never time to worry about that – any chile preparation disappears within hours at home.