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Home » Mexican Recipes » Pico de Gallo – Chipotle Copycat

Pico de Gallo – Chipotle Copycat

Last Updated on September 30, 2021 by Bintu. Leave a Comment

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a bowl of pico de gallo garnished with tortilla chips and lime

Take all of your favorite Mexican dishes to the next level with this simple and fresh Pico de Gallo. You are going to love this copycat Chipotle salsa recipe.

Suitable for Gluten Free, Low Carb, Keto, Whole30 and Vegan diets. Post includes Weight Watchers points.

top down view of the finished Chipotle copycat pico de gallo recipe

My favorite part of eating at a Mexican restaurant is that when they hand you the menu, they also give you a bowl of salsa or pico de gallo and chips. I love it so much that sometimes I’m tempted to skip ordering and just enjoy the fresh sauce.

Pico de gallo translates to “rooster’s beak.” It’s an odd name, and the origin has been lost to time, but the tasty concoction can also be called tomato salsa or fresh sauce. Pico is a light, fresh and healthy addition to any Mexican meal.

Mexican food is simple, inexpensive, and so easy to make at home. It’s often loaded with veggies and can easily be made gluten free, so it’s an excellent choice for people looking for diet-friendly recipes. Making a batch of fresh pico de gallo is a great way to add freshness to any meal.

close up view of the finished pico de gallo in a white bowl

And like this Pineapple Salsa, Pico de gallo is super versatile. It can be piled onto chips, added to tacos or fajitas, of course. But you should also try adding it to scrambled eggs, grilled meat, a baked potato, or rice. Mix it with avocado to make a quick and tasty guacamole, put it on a burger, add it to fish tacos. 

Table of Contents

  • Why Make This Recipe
  • Ingredient Notes
  • How To Make Pico de Gallo
  • Tips For Success
  • Variations
  • Budget-Friendly Tips 
  • Make Ahead And Storage
  • FAQs
  • Serving Suggestions
  • More Recipes You May Like
  • Weight Watchers Points
  • Tools To Make This
  • Get The Pico de Gallo Recipe:
  • Pico de Gallo

Why Make This Recipe

  • Simple – Just chop and toss a few fresh ingredients and serve.
  • Versatile – This Mexican staple can be used from breakfast through dinner and compliments so many different dishes.
  • Healthy – Full of fresh veggies, you don’t have to feel guilty about eating Pico de Gallo.
  • Leftovers – budget friendly and a great way to use up leftovers.
  • Dietary – suitable for Gluten Free, Low Carb, Keto, Whole30 and Vegan diets.
the ingredients needed for making Chipotle copycat pico de gallo

Ingredient Notes

  • Ripe Tomatoes – Roma tomatoes are a good choice, but you want the reddest, ripest tomatoes you can find.
  • Onion – White onion is the traditional choice. 
  • Jalapeño or Serrano Pepper – The heat from a jalapeño is usually a bit milder than serrano peppers.
  • Lime Juice – Fresh limes offer the best flavor. 
  • Chopped Oregano – Use fresh, not dried. 
  • Salt – Adding salt brings all of the ingredients together.  

How To Make Pico de Gallo

Get full ingredients list and instructions from the recipe card below.

  1. Remove the seeds from both the tomatoes and the jalapeño pepper.
  2. Finely chop the tomato, onion, and jalapeño.
  3. Add to a bowl along with the lime juice, oregano, and salt and stir well to combine.
  4. Let stand for at least 10 minutes, then serve.
image collage showing the steps for making pico de gallo salsa

Tips For Success

  • Wear gloves or wash your hands well after cutting the jalapeño. Nothing hurts worse than when you touch your eye after you chopped a pepper. 
  • Cut all of the veggies into small pieces, similar in size. This will help the ingredients to mix evenly, so you get a bit of everything in every spoonful.
  • Serve with a slotted spoon to eliminate extra moisture.
  • Press and roll the lime on the counter or microwave it for 30 seconds before cutting, and this will yield more juice. 

Variations

  • Add Fruit – Technically, tomatoes are fruit. Add additional chopped fruits like mango, pineapple, peach or strawberries for a sweet flavor. 
  • Add More Veggies – Toss in chunks of avocado or corn kernels. 
  • Swap The Herbs – Try using fresh cilantro or parsley. 
pico de gallo Chipotle copycat recipe with chips and lime

Budget-Friendly Tips 

  • Grow Your Own Veggies – Gardens are super economical. Onions, tomatoes, and jalapenos are all easy to grow, and they can even be grown in containers. 
  • Adjust the Recipe – Plan on about one tomato per person. Scale the remaining ingredients and only make as much as you need. 
  • Make In Season – Tomatoes are generally less expensive during the summer months when they are in season and more readily available. 

Make Ahead And Storage

  • Prep Ahead – Make this salsa up to a day in advance to let the flavors combine. 
  • Store – Unused Chipotle tomato salsa can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for about a week.
  • Freeze – Pico de Gallo should not be frozen. 
the completed Chipotle salsa recipe served in a white bowl with lime wedges and tortilla chips

FAQs

What’s The Difference Between Pico de Gallo And Salsa?

Pico and salsa are made from the same ingredients, and the differences are subtle but important. Pico is fresh and prepared with raw ingredients. The pieces of tomato, onion, and jalapeño are small but not minced. Salsa is often made with roasted or stewed tomatoes and may be pureed. Salsa is usually cooked and then cooled before serving.

Serving Suggestions

  • Instant Pot Chicken Enchiladas.
  • 5 Ingredient Chicken Fajita Casserole.
  • Air Fryer Nachos.
  • Chicken Fajita Pasta.

More Recipes You May Like

  • Pineapple Salsa
  • Fold Over Black Bean Quesadillas.

Weight Watchers Points

There are 0 Blue Plan SmartPoints in one serving of this.

Tools To Make This

  • A sharp knife.
  • A cutting board.
  • Measuring cups and spoons.

Get The Pico de Gallo Recipe:

the finished pico de gallo in a serving bowl garnished with two chips and lime wedges

Pico de Gallo

This fresh sauce is the perfect condiment for any Mexican meal.
Print Pin Rate Save RecipeSaved!
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: American, Mexican
Diet: Gluten Free
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Servings: 10
Calories: 32kcal
Author: Bintu Hardy | Budget Delicious

Ingredients

  • 2 ½ pounds (1.1kg) ripe tomatoes deseeded and finely chopped
  • 1 onion peeled and finely chopped
  • 1 small jalapeño or serrano pepper, deseeded and finely chopped
  • 4 tablespoons lime juice or more or less, to taste
  • 4 tablespoons chopped oregano
  • salt to taste

Instructions

  • Remove the seeds from both the tomatoes and the jalapeño.
  • Finely chop the tomato, onion, and pepper.
  • Add to a bowl along with the lime juice, oregano, and salt. Stir well to combine.
  • Let stand for at least 10 minutes, then serve.

Notes

  • Wear gloves or wash your hands well after cutting the jalapeño. Nothing hurts worse than when you touch your eye after you chopped a pepper. 
  • Cut all of the veggies into small pieces, similar in size. This will help the ingredients to mix evenly, so you get a bit of everything in every spoonful.
  • Serve with a slotted spoon to eliminate extra moisture.
  • Press and roll the lime on the counter or microwave it for 30 seconds before cutting, and this will yield more juice.
  • Store – unused Chipotle tomato salsa can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for about a week.
  • There are 0 Blue Plan SmartPoints in one serving of this.

Nutrition

Calories: 32kcal | Carbohydrates: 7g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 7mg | Potassium: 321mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 997IU | Vitamin C: 20mg | Calcium: 47mg | Iron: 1mg
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