Tomatillo Red Chili Salsa – Copycat Chipotle Hot Salsa

Tomatillo Red Chili Salsa Chipotle Ingredients

A complete list of ingredients and amounts can be found in the recipe card below.

Tomatillos: These are the star of the salsa and will add a lovely, tangy flavor to your salsa. Remove the husks and give them a good rinse to get rid of the sticky residue before using. They’re also known as Mexican husk tomatoes.
Garlic: It’s best to use fresh garlic for this recipe as it has a stronger flavor than pre-minced garlic.
Jalapeño and red chili peppers: These will add a spicy kick to your salsa. Remember that the heat of the peppers is concentrated in the ribs and seeds, so remove them if you prefer a milder salsa. Red Fresno chiles give the salsa moderate heat and a slightly fruity flavor. Red jalapeños are the closest substitute. For a milder salsa, use red Anaheim peppers.
Ancho chili powder and chipotle peppers in adobo: These will add a smoky flavor to your salsa.
Tabasco sauce and white vinegar: These ingredients will add a tangy kick to your salsa.
Limes: Freshly squeezed lime juice will add a zesty, citrusy flavor to the salsa, balancing out the sweetness of the tomatillos.
Rotel (tomatoes and green chiles blend): This will add a nice, chunky texture and a bit of extra heat to your salsa.
Cilantro: Chopped fresh cilantro will add a lovely, herby flavor to your salsa. If you’re not a fan of cilantro, you can use parsley or leave it out entirely.

How to Make Tomatillo Red Chili Salsa

For more detailed instructions with weights and measurements, jump to the printable recipe card.

Prepare the tomatillos and peppers: Remove the husks from the tomatillos and cut them in half. Also, cut the jalapeño and red chili peppers in half and remove the seeds.
Cook the tomatillos and peppers: Heat some olive oil in a cast iron skillet and add the tomatillos and jalapeño slices, cut side up. Cook until lightly brown, then squeeze lime juice over them and add the crushed garlic, tomatoes and green chiles, and chipotle peppers. Cook for 4 minutes.
Blend all the ingredients: Transfer the cooked ingredients to a food processor or blender, add the remaining ingredients and pulse for 30 seconds, or until you reach your desired consistency.
Serve: Transfer the salsa to a serving dish and serve with tortilla chips.

Substitutions and Variations

Different Spiciness: Feel free to adjust the chili ratio if you want to reduce the spiciness or increase it. You can also change the kind of chilies you’re using.
Using more than one kind of chili gives a depth of flavor to the tomatillo red chili salsa.
Hot Sauce: You can swap the Tabasco sauce for Sriracha or Cholula if you have that, or any other hot sauce you like.

Serving Suggestions

Snacks: Enjoy this salsa de tomatillo as a snack or appetizer with crackers, chips or anything else you want to dip.
Protein: This copycat Chipotle hot salsa sauce is also great with steak, chicken or alongside any south-of-the-border-inspired meal such as quesadillas, chicken or beef fajitas.
Toppings: Use it as a topping for your favorite tacos or to even add some spice to your breakfast eggs.

How to Store Tomatillo Salsa

Store: Keep Chipotle tomatillo red chili salsa leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Your tomatillo red chili salsa should last 4 or 5 days.
Freeze: You can freeze the salsa in an airtight freezer-safe container for up to 3 months. Thaw it overnight in the refrigerator, then stir well before serving. The texture may be slightly thinner after thawing. However, I always prefer it freshly made.