Chipotle Chilies in Adobo
For big chipotle flavor, La Morena and Goya won our taste tests.
Taste Test
We love the smoky heat of canned chipotle chilies in adobo (smoked jalapeños packed in a spiced tomato-based sauce), but we’ve been disappointed by many brands—some are too acidic, while others are too bitter or simply lack flavor. To find the best, we blind-tasted six options.
The best chipotles in adobo feature plump chilies, a thick, flavorful sauce and a simple ingredient list. The fewer preservatives and stabilizers used, the better the chilies’ flavor.
Our top pick was La Morena, which delivered the perfect balance of tanginess, smokiness and natural sweetness. The chilies were tender, intact and large, and they had rich, savory depth. Used in our spicy tortilla soup, they shone with mild spice, mellow smokiness and a rounded flavor that enhanced the dish without overwhelming it.
Our second choice was Goya, which also excelled with bold heat, fruity sweetness and a chunky texture. In soup, the fiery chilies added aggressive spice and dark, rich color but suffered from a metallic tang.
La Costeña was praised for its smoky boldness, but divided tasters with its assertive tanginess. Herdez delivered fiery heat and intense smokiness, but suffered from artificial-tasting astringency. San Marcos offered pleasant flavor and mild spice but felt washed out compared to bolder competitors. Embasa ranked last of the bunch for its thin, bitter flavors and lack of smokiness.
