I love using spices in cooking, but I don’t always use chipotle powder. I didn’t know that much about it until recently, but it’s a versatile choice that I’d love to use more of.
The powder is simple, which makes it a great addition to your spice rack. But if you’ve never worked with it, you might be wondering what’s inside and how to put the spice to good use.
What’s in Chipotle Powder?
What I like best about chipotle powder is that it’s basically just dried, smoky jalapeños that have been crushed and ground into a powder. So if I wanted the flavor of a jalapeño but didn’t have one, I’d probably go for chipotle powder.
While I don’t have the best diet, I like that the spice doesn’t have a lot of additional ingredients. So if I ever switch to a completely clean eating plan, Chipotle powder should still work for me.
And if I ever can’t find chipotle powder I could try to recreate it at home. All I need is some jalapeños.
Chipotle Powder vs Chili Powder
I don’t know about you, but chipotle powder and chili powder sound similar. For better or worse, they’re not as interchangeable as you might expect. Sure, they work in many of the same dishes, but I’d recommend getting both for your spice cabinet.
My favorite part about this comparison has to do with the complexity. The one ingredient in chipotle powder doesn’t stand up to the four ingredients in chili powder. You get crushed chili peppers along with garlic powder, cumin, and oregano.
I have used chili powder in some of my cooking and I enjoy how it adds more flavor to a dish due to the components added. But I would struggle to make it from scratch. So if I can’t find one, I could settle for some kind of alternative.
Best substitute for chipotle powder
Maybe you have a recipe that calls for chipotle powder. You search your spice cabinet and the local grocery store but can’t find anything.
If you still want to prepare the recipe in question, you can do so. Luckily, you have a few chipotle powder substitutes to choose from.
Consider the following options to add a little spiciness to your meal.
Smoked Peppers
Smoked paprika is the closest thing to chipotle powder. For one, the only ingredient in it is chili peppers, which the manufacturers grind into a powder.
That said, it’s pretty easy, just like chipotle powder. The peppers are also smoked before the grinding process, so you can get a similar effect with the smoked paprika.
Well, this spice is a bit milder compared to chipotle powder. On the one hand, this can be nice because you can make your dishes less spicy by using the amount that the recipe calls for. However, you can add more smoked paprika powder to make it as spicy as chipotle powder.
Ancho chillies
Ancho chilies are another excellent substitute for chipotle powder or chipotle peppers. You can get some sweetness with the spiciness of ancho chilies.
Like peppers, they are not as hot as chipotle powder. This can make them a good alternative for those who don’t like a lot of spice. You can also combine ancho chiles with some cayenne pepper if you want a spicy dish.
Ancho chillies are available as peppers or as a powder. Choose the format that makes the most sense for what you want to cook. You can also experiment with how much seasoning you add to ensure you enjoy the result.
Chipotle in Adobo sauce
If you want to add a flavorful sauce to a dish, consider using chipotle in adobo sauce. Maybe you can buy the sauce ready made. Then you can put it in the pan or pot when cooking meat or vegetables.
Another option is to prepare it yourself. You can make adobo sauce using a standard recipe and add a few chipotle peppers.
If you buy or make the sauce, you can use just the sauce and discard the peppers. Then you don’t have to worry about the peppers ruining the texture of your dish. You can also prevent the dish from becoming too spicy.
Ground jalapeños
Because chipotle powder comes from jalapeños, they’re another great alternative. You can buy some jalapeño peppers at the grocery store. Use a dehydrator and then a mortar and pestle to grind the peppers into a powder.
If you want a more authentic flavor, smoke the peppers first. Then you can have your own homemade version of chipotle powder.
You can use it in the same recipes as you would use store-bought spices. However, this can be a great option if you’re looking to add fresher spices to your cooking.
How do you use chipotle powder?
If I had some extra chipotle powder on hand I love how I can use it in different scenarios. I would recommend you play around with that as well.
Add spice to a dish
Probably the most obvious option is to make a dish spicier. I love preparing spicy dishes, from pasta to chicken dishes and more. What I like about chipotle powder is that you don’t need a lot of it to flavor your food.
All I need is a shake or two of the stuff. This allowed me to make the dish as spicy as I wanted without having to search for a similar recipe.
Or if I had a recipe that used chipotle powder, I can use more than it recommends. Of course, if possible, I would test the dish before adding more so as not to make it too hot.
do it mexican
Mexican food is probably my favorite cuisine in the whole world. I love everything from tacos to nachos, and I love how easy it is to customize Mexican dishes.
I would use chipotle powder to add a little Mexican flavor to a non-Mexican meal. For example, I could add the spice to my chicken or some corn.
I probably wouldn’t season everything because that might be a bit overkill. But if it makes sense to turn up the heat, why not add some chipotle powder?
Use it as a garnish
You might like spicy food, but not everyone in your household likes it. If you’re preparing food for other people, consider putting your chipotle powder on the dinner table.
That way, anyone who wants more seasoning can put it on their own plates. You can keep the main course relatively mild so that everyone enjoys it.
However, you don’t have to worry about eating something you find bland just because someone you know doesn’t like spicy food. It’s a great way to compromise and make a meal for the whole family or a group of friends.
How to store chipotle powder
Once you get some chipotle powder, you should save it to keep the flavor high. You can keep chipotle powder for up to six months before needing to replace it.
To maximize the lifespan of the spice, store in a dry, cool place. In most kitchens, your standard spice cabinet is the perfect spot.
If you use the spice often, you can even keep it on your kitchen counter. Just make sure it’s out of the way of the window and far from the faucet. Then you don’t have to worry about the temperature.
