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Home » Recipes » Dip, Sauce, & Custard Recipes

Chipotle Tomatillo-Green Chili Salsa (Copycat)

Published: Apr 16, 2021 · Modified: Sep 13, 2024 by Emma Fajcz · As an Amazon Influencer, we earn from qualifying purchases.

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Craving a bit of Chipotle when you're at home?  Whip up this simple Chipotle tomatillo-green chili salsa, and drizzle it on burritos, salads, or bowls.  This bright and zesty salsa will bring all the amazing flavors of Chipotle to your homemade Mexican dishes.

Making a burrito bowl at home?  Try our copycat Chipotle corn salsa and queso blanco recipes to really take it to the next level!

dipping a tortilla chip into Chipotle green chili salsa.
Jump to:
  • Ingredients
  • How to Make Chipotle Tomatillo-Green Chili Salsa
  • Recipe FAQs
  • Serve
  • Expert Tips
  • More Chipotle Copycat Recipes
  • Recipe
  • Comments

Ingredients

bowls of ingredients for Chipotle tomatillo-green chili salsa.

Fortunately, this tomatillo green chili salsa is made with simple ingredients that you can easily find at your local grocery store. Let's talk about the key ingredients.

  • Tomatillos: This is the key ingredient. Buy ones with a firm texture and intact husks.
  • Jalapeño: Roast two fresh jalapeños along with their seeds and membranes to make them less spicy.  Then, add a little bit of a raw jalapeño to make it spicy.
  • Sour: A touch of lemon and lime juices really add a punch of fresh citrus!  Make sure to use freshly squeezed juice for the best flavor.
  • Spices: I use salt, pepper, cumin, and oregano to add a rich flavor.  Feel free to adjust the amounts of the seasonings to your taste.

See recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.

How to Make Chipotle Tomatillo-Green Chili Salsa

Gather the ingredients for the tomatillo salsa.

rinsing the tomatillos and roasting the veggies on a tray.
  1. Peel the husks off the tomatillos and rinse them to remove some of the sticky residue. (image 1)
  2. Cut the tomatillos, tomato, and two of the jalapeños in half and place on a foil-lined tray. (image 2)
roasted veggies on a tray and in a food processor.
  1. Roast the veggies at 450°F for 15-25 minutes, or until they are lightly charred. (image 3)
  2. Dump of all the charred veggies and their juices into a food processor.  Add the remaining spices and ingredients. (image 4)
blending the salsa in a food processor and serving with tortilla chips.
  1. Pulse the salsa in the food processor until it's well combined.  Gradually add some of the fresh jalapeño to make it spicy.  It can be as chunky or as smooth as you'd like. You should have about 4-5 cups of salsa. (image 5)
  2. Serve with tortilla chips as a snack, or drizzle on burrito bowls or tacos and enjoy! (image 6)

Recipe FAQs

Is the tomatillo green chili salsa at Chipotle spicy?

This is Chipotle's medium salsa, so it does have some spice to it.  However, when you make it at home, you can make it as spicy or as non-spicy as you would like.  The heat comes from the seeds and membranes in the jalapeños.

Does Chipotle still have green salsa?

Yes, Chipotle definitely still serves their tomatillo-green chili salsa, which is their medium salsa. It tastes great with any of their tacos or burrito bowls!

Can I make this salsa in advance?

Yes, you can keep it in the fridge for up to 1 week, so feel free to make it well ahead of when you need it.

Serve

Round out your meal with other Chipotle copycat recipes, like these pinto beans and black beans, and some meat like Chipotle steak and carne asada. We love the corn salsa and fajita veggies, too!

bowl of Chipotle tomatillo green chili salsa with tortilla chips.

Expert Tips

  • Use tomatillos that are firm to the touch and have smooth husks.  Avoid wrinkled tomatillos or ones that are missing most of their husk, as those will bruise easily.
  • Char the veggies until their skins are starting to blacken.  The tomatillos will be done first.
  • Adjust the seasonings to taste.  Feel free to add more garlic or other ingredients if you prefer.
  • Remember that the salsa will taste less spicy when it's cold and when it's served with other foods.
  • Stir leftover salsa well before serving, as it will gel in the fridge due to the pectin in the tomatillos.  The salsa will re-liquify a bit as it warms up to room temperature.

More Chipotle Copycat Recipes

  • bowl of Chipotle steak with fajita veggies, guac, rice, and salsa.
    Copycat Chipotle Steak Recipe
  • glass bowl of Chipotle sofritas with a black spoon and limes
    Chipotle Sofritas (Copycat Recipe)
  • bowl of copycat Chipotle fresh tomato salsa with tortilla chips
    Chipotle Fresh Tomato Salsa (Copycat Recipe)
  • person holding a spoonful of Chipotle barbacoa
    Chipotle Barbacoa (Copycat Recipe with Video)

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Recipe

holding a spoonful of Chipotle tomatillo-green chili salsa.

Copycat Chipotle Tomatillo-Green Chili Salsa

Enjoy a taste of Chipotle at home with this tomatillo green chili salsa. You'll love the fresh flavors of tomatillos, garlic, and onion with spicy hints of jalapeno. This easy salsa will take your tacos and burrito bowls to the next level!
5 from 2 votes
Print Pin FavoriteSaved! Rate
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: Mexican
Prep Time: 25 minutes minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes minutes
Total Time: 40 minutes minutes
Servings: 4 cups
Calories: 50kcal
Author: Brooke & Emma

Ingredients
 

  • 2 pounds tomatillos, with husks intact and smooth
  • 1 roma tomato
  • 3 fresh jalapeños, with seeds and membranes
  • ¾ of a red onion
  • 4 large cloves garlic
  • ½ cup fresh cilantro
  • 2 tablespoons lemon juice, freshly squeezed
  • 2 tablespoons lime juice, freshly squeezed
  • 1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt
  • 2 teaspoons ground cumin
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • ½ teaspoon black pepper
Keep your screen on while you work!

Instructions

  • Carefully peel off the husks and rinse the tomatillos to remove the sticky residue from their skins.  Cut them in half and place them cut side down on a large, foil-lined cookie sheet.
  • Split the tomato and two of the fresh jalapeños in half and place them cut side down on the cookie sheet.
  • Char the veggies at 450 F for 15-25 minutes.  You can also turn the broiler on high for the last 2-3 minutes of the cooking time to really char them a little more.  Remove them from the oven and let them cool for a few minutes.
  • Dump the roasted veggies and any juices from the tray into a food processor.  Add the onion, garlic, cilantro, citrus juices, and spices and pulse to combine.
  • Gradually add some of the remaining fresh jalapeño with the seeds and membranes to make the salsa medium spicy.  I used about ¾ of the fresh pepper, but the amount of spice is up to you.
  • Taste the salsa and adjust the amount of lemon and lime juice and spices to taste.  Keep in mind that the salsa will taste less spicy when it is cold and when it is served with other foods.
  • Serve the tomatillo green salsa right away with tortilla chips or other Mexican dishes.  Cover and refrigerate leftovers for up to 1 week.  The salsa will thicken dramatically in the fridge from the naturally occurring pectin in the tomatillos, but simply stir it well before serving.

Video

Notes

  • Make it easy to roast the veggies by putting the tomatillos on a separate tray from the tomato and jalapeños.  They will finish first, so then you can leave the other veggies in to roast a little longer.
  • Make sure to use a rimmed cookie sheet for the tomatillos; they release a lot of juices as they roast, and that will get all over your oven if you don't use a rimmed pan.

Nutrition

Serving: 0.5cupCalories: 50kcal (3%)Carbohydrates: 10g (3%)Protein: 2g (4%)Fat: 1g (2%)Saturated Fat: 1g (6%)Polyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 1gSodium: 446mg (19%)Potassium: 384mg (11%)Fiber: 3g (13%)Sugar: 6g (7%)Vitamin A: 332IU (7%)Vitamin C: 25mg (30%)Calcium: 25mg (3%)Iron: 1mg (6%)

Serving sizes and nutritional information are only an estimate and may vary from your results.

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Rachel

    June 17, 2022 at 8:49 pm

    Have you ever canned this salsa? Just with a hot water bath? It looks great, and I’m looking for a good tomatillo recipe for when my fruits are ready in the garden.

    Reply
    • Emma

      June 18, 2022 at 8:03 am

      No, we have never had this canned, but you could try it and please let us know how it turned out.

      Reply
  2. Alex

    April 16, 2021 at 3:50 pm

    5 stars
    With each bite, this salsa bursts with lime flavor! The small chunks of onion, the spice of the jalapenos, and the smoothness of the salsa blend together nicely. The light taste of the charred tomato is lovely, and helps bring the salsa together.

    Reply
    • Emma

      April 16, 2021 at 3:55 pm

      Thanks for your kind comment, Alex! I'm thrilled that you enjoyed this salsa so much.

      Reply
  3. Beth

    April 16, 2021 at 3:50 pm

    5 stars
    This is such a yummy salsa! It has the perfect blend of cilantro, lime, lemon, and jalapeno. The red onion and spices add a bit of a kick. This tastes better the Chipotle salsa; it fulfills my expectations of an ideal salsa verde better. I prefer a smoother salsa verde rather than a really chunky one.

    Reply
    • Emma

      April 16, 2021 at 3:54 pm

      I'm so glad that you enjoyed this salsa, Beth--especially that you found it even tastier than Chipotle's.

      Reply

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