Copycat Chili’s salsa is a favorite in our family, and now you can make it at home with this copycat Chili’s salsa recipe! It has the best fresh ingredients that really bring it together in only a few minutes of prep work, and it’s even better the next day!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe:
After a lot of trial and error with our whole family involved to create the perfect Chili’s salsa copycat recipe, we think we are pretty close to the real thing! This might be one of our best restaurant copycat recipes yet
- 5-Minute Recipe: All you need to do is just add everything to a blender and pulse!
- Authentic Restaurant Flavor: We’ve nailed the specific taste and texture of the original Chili’s recipe.
- Budget-Friendly: Make a huge batch for a fraction of the cost of dining out, and perfect for a date night in.
“This is the BEST salsa ever!!! We made it for college football Saturday last week, and it was devoured! Will have to make two batches next time :o)”– Christina Taylor
Our Copycat Chili’s molten lava cake is another Chili’s recipe you can enjoy at home, at a fraction of the price, and with only a few ingredients!
Key Ingredients:
Canned whole tomatoes are perfect, but you can also use diced tomatoes in their place. We will also use Rotel tomatoes with the green chilies too in a pinch.
For the spice, you will need whole jalapeños, canned, not pickled jalapeños, but you can use fresh jalapeños if you like more spice.
A fresh yellow onion, quartered, will give this great salsa recipe the best added flavor and texture.
To get the perfect seasoned chunky salsa, use a combination of garlic salt, salt, cumin, white sugar, and fresh lime juice.
See below for a full list of ingredients!
Equipment Needed:
How to make this Copycat Salsa:
- Place all of the ingredients together into a food processor or blender and puree until smooth. Make sure to pause halfway through and use a wooden spoon to make sure all the ingredients blend well.
- Serve with tortilla chips.
Tips and Variations
- Serve this salsa in many different ways! We like to serve this easy copycat recipe with:
- Scrambled eggs or omelets
- Tacos, burritos, and quesadillas
- Grilled chicken or fish
- Baked potatoes with sour cream
- Add fresh cilantro for more fresh flavor.
- Stir in queso to make a delicious cheesy dip.
Storage and Reheating Instructions
Refrigerating
- Store homemade salsa in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5-7 days. The flavors will continue to meld and will taste even better the next day!s
Freezing
- For longer storage, you can freeze this salsa. Pour it into freezer-safe bags or airtight containers, leaving a little room for expansion. The salsa can be frozen for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator before serving.
FAQ’s and Troubleshooting Fresh Salsa
This can happen from over-blending or not draining the canned tomatoes. To fix, you can drain the salsa through a fine-mesh sieve or stir in a tablespoon of tomato paste.
Leave some seeds in your jalapeño, add a whole jalapeño instead of half. Including a pinch of cayenne pepper is also another great way to add a little bit of flavor.
No, this recipe is not acidic enough for safe water-bath canning. It is intended for fresh enjoyment or freezing only. But, with freezing you will be able to store this for up to 3 months.
Here are a few of our other favorite salsa recipes:
Black Bean and Corn Salsa and Creamy Black Bean Salsa are great ways to get extra protein in a side dish or appetizer.
Fresh Lime Salsa is also a great classic batch of homemade salsa.
Chili’s Copycat Salsa Recipe
Ingredients
- 29 ounces whole tomatoes, 2 (14.5 ounce cans), drained
- 4 whole jalapenos, canned, (not pickled)
- 1 yellow onion, quartered
- 1 teaspoon garlic salt
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- ½ teaspoon sugar
- 2 teaspoons lime juice
Equipment
Instructions
- Place all of the ingredients together into a food processor or blender and puree until smooth. Serve with tortilla chips.
Notes
Nutrition
Video
Did You Make This Recipe?We’d love to hear your thoughts! Leave a review or a question in the comment section below the post.
We love chips and salsa around here, I can’t wait to try this recipe! Thanks for posting it!
This is the easiest salsa recipe I have ever read and I am trying it out this weekend for a party! Thanks so much!
OMG,I love Chili’s salsa and chips!!! Can’t wait to try this out, and it it a super easy recipe! Thanks for sharing:)
We love Chili’s chips and Salsa too. Last time we were there we got 6 bags of chips to go, with salsa. And now it’s gone. Thanks for this post because now I can make my own, fresh when I want it.
sounds yummy, I can’t wait to try this recipe. But I have a question for you. What size cans do you use for the whole tomatoes and the jalepenos? Like how many ounces?
I was actually needing a salsa recipe and Chili’s salsa is the best! Thanks so much for sharing! I can’t wait to make it! 🙂 Have a great weekend!
Just made this and it is amazing!! 5 months pregnant and all I’ve been craving is Chili’s salsa… and now the husband will be pleased we do not need to go there every other day. Thank you!!
Made it tonight . . . it was AMAZING! Thanks for sharing 🙂
what size of cans of tomatoes did you use?
Thanks
^ I am wondering the same thing, and also how many servings does this make?? just a guesstimiate would work:)
This is delicious and very close to Chili’s recipe. Thank you so much for sharing!
I just made this and used the 14.5 oz. cans of tomatoes… problem is that I misread the amount of salt to add. I used 1 1/2 tsp. The recipe says 1/2 – 1 tsp. Had I used the right amount of salt, the 14.5 oz. cans would have been perfect. Oh well!
Jana
Just made this. Didn’t have whole tomatoes, so used two cans of diced. It turned out pretty good, except toooo many jalapeños!! Lol i used a whole small can of diced, next time I might leave out a scoop. I started with 1/2t of salt, and ended up added a pinch more at the end. Great recipe thanks !! Oh I believe the sized can i used was 15oz?? It’s the regular size
This sounds great but is it missing cilantro? I’m going to do it but add lots of fresh cilantro. Chilis is salsa has tons of cilantro.
I just made this! Turned out pretty good. I have been trying different recipes of salsa, trying to find one I like best.
For anyone who may want to know, these are my details:
Instead of 2 cans of whole tomatoes (14.5 oz) I used one can of 28oz whole tomatoes…mine had tomato sauce in the can, dont suggest using the sauce. I just picked the tomatoes out. Also, my jar of jalapenos was 13oz, and I only pulled out maybe 3. Salsa turned out plenty spicy. I adjusted amounts of salt and lime until it tasted right to me. I also probably used more like, 1/2 cup of onions vs. the 1/4 cup.
Overall, pretty good! Thanks for sharing!
I’m excited to try this! I have another Chilis-copy salsa recipe which worked fairly well (I don’t think it was blended finely enough to rival the Chilis salsa’s smoothness) so I will need to compare and try this out.
Miche, I don’t think Chilis uses much cilantro (if any) in their salsa. It’s one of the reasons I love it so much. I can’t stand how overpowering cilantro is (tastes nasty to me) and it’s is in most salsas at restaurants. I could practically drink Chilis salsa by itself and I don’t recall EVER tasting a hint of cilantro. If it is in there, well, kudos to Chilis for hiding the flavor.
This is very close to the Pioneer Woman’s Restaurant salsa I make (which always reminds me of Chili’s salsa) 🙂
Thank you so much for everyone’s help! The sister that made this has been moving and feels bad that she couldn’t answer your questions. I added the can sizes that she used to the recipe. Miche, the recipe we use doesn’t call for cilantro, but it would probably be a yummy addition!
Thank you so much for posting this! My good friend and I LOVE Chili’s, especially their salsa, so I am going to have to make this! Lovely blog!
Liesl 🙂
This is the BEST salsa ever!!! We made it for college football Saturday last week and it was devoured! Will have to make two batches next time :o)
I found this recipe in Pinterest (and again through TT&J) and I can’t wait to try it. Chili’s salsa is my absolute favorite!
I made this recipe tonight! It was yummy but to my tastebuds it was a little heavy on the cumin. I think I will reduce it next time.
Yum!! My mouth is watering !!
Thanks again for partying with us at Show & Share!
Yum this looks fantastic!
Any ideas on the tortilla chips? Chili’s chips are so good!
now if i could only make the chili’s chips at home 🙂
chilis does not use any cumin or sugar in their recipe. -former employee 🙂
This is AMAZING!!!! THANKS 🙂 …but Lol @ “former employee” ….some bored know-it-alls have throw their two cents in……and why would you brag about working there??
Just made the salsa. I love some spicy food but 4-5 whole jalapenos is too much heat for me to enjoy this recipe. I have to drink a sip of water after every bite and in 4 bites, I’m stuffed. I would recommend either seeding the jalapenos or using 2 or 3.
I just posted on my blog about how much I LOVE Chilis
Going to get stuff to make this tonight for the Fiesta Bowl!!! GO POLES!!!!!!!!
Just made this! i used the 1tsp of salt, but i think 1/2 would have been fine! 🙂
Chili’s has the BEST salsa. Can wait to try this recipe!
I am loving this recipe. I found some chips at Wal-mart called Tia Rosa and they are thin like Chili’s chips. Now the salsa to go with them!! YUMMY!
holy CRAP! I just saw this on pintinterest and I can’t even BEGIN to describe how excited I am for trying this this weekend… now, might you have a delicious homemade tortilla chip recipe to accompany it?
Oh man, I am very excited! My husband has to drive to Chili’s at least once a week to buy chips and salsa. I think I will be the best wife ever if I can pull this off!! Thanks for linking up!
I just featured this tonight–thanks for inspiring!
Can you add fresh jalapenos that aren’t cooked yet? If so how many would you suggest?
@Michelle,
I think it would work fine with fresh jalapenos! I would add 2 or 3 and see how hot it is and add more if you think it needs it!
I made this salsa tonight and although I forgot the jalapenos, it was very delicious! It actually doesn’t remind me chili’s salsa but I think it tastes exactly like On The Border’s salsa, which is 10x better in my opinion! Thanks for the recipe, I’ll be making it again!
they use cilantro
and they boil their onions
i wont give away any more secrets 😉
Just tried this and it is great! Although, it’s a little salty for me. I also added black beans and corn. Yummy Yummy and soo easy! Thanks!
I take fresh tomatoes and puree them, stir in a jar of Pace picante….super easy and tastes just like chilis!
Just wondering…about how many cups does this recipe make??? 😉
Literally just made this in 4 minutes and it tastes yummy!
Made it and LOVED it. SO addictive!!
Just made it!! Its amazing and was super easy
This is true. I used to work at Chili’s and was responsible for helping make the salsa… NO cilantro!!!!!
I think they were simply trying to let people know the ingredients, and give credit that they would know since they worked there, it didn’t look like “bragging” to me.
i made this and it was great. but i made it in the blender and the color turned a little brown (im thinking the red tomatoes plus green jalapenos) would using a food processor help avoid the color change?
Ooooh, I can’t wait to try this. I am a salsa fanatic!
Just made missing something but great salsa does come close
I just made this last night. I didn’t want too much spice (hubby’s kinds picky) so I only used two jalepenos. But doing that made the cumin stand out a LOT. This morning I added more jap’s and they added a lot of heat, but definitely countered the taste of the cumin. Now, I can’t stop eating it, even though I need a glass of milk by my side, lol!
**To that end, I’d recommend that if you don’t want to use 4 jalepenos, then cut down on the cumin accordingly by quarter-teaspoons (1/4 tsp for every jalepeno).**
I’m definitely going to make this again. I forgot how much I like smooth/paste-like salsa. You get ALL the flavors in EVERY bite. Chunky looks nice and pretty, but blended up tastes way better 🙂
This recipe sounds great. Thanks for sharing, I cannot wait for my tomatoes to grow so I can make lots of salsa!
The chips are just corn tortilla’s cut into quarters and deep fried… I work there and they make them all day long. I believe we use just ordinary vegetable oil.
The chips are just corn tortilla’s cut into quarters and deep fried… I work there and they make them all day long. I believe we use just ordinary vegetable oil.
Awesome!! My family can’t get enough!!! Thanks for sharing!!!
Excellent flavor! I just finished it, and I do wish I had stopped with 3 peppers instead of 4. Whooeeee! Hot but good! thanks ladies!
Now, if I could just find out the secret to their chips…
Any hints? : )
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can this be canned?
Hi traveler,
I have never tried canning it, but I assume it would be fine. Let us know how it goes!
I think the brown is from the cumin. I made without cumin or sugar tastes better to me.
Is it true Chili’s chips are fried in the same oil as the meat? I used to only go there for the chips in salsa, but when I heard the chips weren’t fried separate from the meat, I quit going all together. Why can’t they just be vegan-friendly?! 🙁
Made this yesterday!
found this on pinterest! yay 🙂 just ran to the store and got everything to make this! It is very good..simple and easy! I have never had Chili’s salsa (ugh..and feeling like the left out girl) but I’m sure it compares.
I used 1 jalapeno pepper from the farmer’s market (those ones are the hottest) after cutting it..and the tears stopped..I’m glad I only used 1.
Also I used a 28oz can of whole toe’maters because my store doesn’t carry 15 oz whole ones, ain’t small towns grand!
This salsa is amazing! My husband and I (and everyone else we share it with) can’t get enough of it! I’m hoping to make a bunch and can it to have all winter. I’ve been using fresh tomatoes (about 4 cups chopped), jalapeños, and onions from our farmer’s market and the results have been fantastic. This is the yummiest and easiest recipe to follow. Thank you so much for sharing!
I used diced tomatoes instead of whole and left about 1/3 can in mixed so I could have a bit of chunk in it. I am used to cilantro in my salsa in the Mexican resturants in my town, so I could add that next time. I used 3 whole jalapeños and it’s just the right amount of kick.
Make one of the cans of tomatoes Roasted tomatoes and you will get even closer to the flavor.
Would this work okay with fresh garden tomatoes and jalapenos??
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I’m dieting and the chips are a high calorie thing I don’t want to indulge in so I use cucumber slices, iceberg lettuce leaves, radishes and celery. I even brought my iceberg lettuce to the restaurant with me when we went out for Mexican the other night. 🙂 I’ve lost 44 lbs. and I’m feeling great!
I added 2 teaspoons of lime juice and made again I’ll take out the 1/2 teaspoon of table salt and add more jalepenos since my husband and I like our salsa super hot.
I tried this today and it was pretty good. I also ended up adding a touch more salt and some fresh cilantro. I can’t imagine my salsa without it. 🙂 I’m curious to try it again in a few hours after the ingredients have had a chance to mingle and party together. Thanks for the recipe! Definitely a good one that you can easily adjust to your taste. 🙂
I still don’t understand how you use “canned” jalapenos & they’re not pickled? I’ve only heard of fresh or pickled. Am I missing something? thanks
Thanks for this recipe!! I LOOOOOOVVVE Chilis salsa, and we live over and hour away from the nearest Chilis…so this will solve my cravings! 🙂 Do you think I could bottle this salsa?
Hi Danielle!
I think that would work fine, especially where so many of the ingredients are canned. Thanks for the comment!
Does anybody know if this would freeze okay? I have a ton of fresh tomatoes and don’t want them to spoil. I’d love to make salsa with them but don’t want to “can” them with a pressure cooker and all. Thoughts?
They do fry them in the same oil but, they always do the all the chips first thing the morning before any meat is cooked in the oil, so the answer is really no.
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May I ask why my comment has been removed? I made the recipe and I said how it came out (which wasn’t a “copycat” in my opinion) and said what I thought would work more. But I guess only comments that praise the recipe are allowed? Wow. If that is the attitude, I won’t be using this website again.
We appreciate your comment on our salsa. We are reviewing it and will consider the suggestions you gave us. We honor your opinions and are open to suggestions. Thanks so much for your input. -The Six Sisters
wow just made this and hit the spot for my pregnancy cravings for chilis salsa! I omitted the cumin because I am not a huge fan of that flavor and it tastes just like chilis!!another great pinterest find! thanks
I don’t like too much spice (like, at all, haha) so I only used 1 smaller jalapeno and I think the other woman was right that the cumin then stands out a little too much with less peppers? I’m going to let it marinate in the fridge overnight, then might go back and pick up another pepper to toss in there and see if it balances things out…
My husband is a general manager for Chili’s and he said there is indeed cilantro in the salsa base! 🙂 He said chili’s puts cilantro in almost everything. 😉
Just made this last night and it was awesome! I used three jalapenos with seeds and stems removed and one with the seeds. It tastes really close to chili’s, my favorite! I’ve actually never made salsa before and this one is so easy I can’t imagine buying store-made again unless I’m really in a pinch.
Note on the chips: I love how thin chili’s chips are and the closest I’ve found in a store is the Xochitl (pronounced so-CHEEL) brand. They’re not everywhere, but Whole Foods and some other random grocery stores carry them.
I made this last night and have to say was highly disappointed. It was good, don’t get me wrong but when I spent all day thinking I was going to have salsa that tasted like Chilis and then it tasted nothing like it, it was a big let down! I will be keeping this recipe because it was quick and easy and tasty I will just call it something else!
I made this recipe earlier today, and I have to say it’s definitely missing something. I won’t be making this again.
What does it mean canned but not pickled jalapenos? I can’t find this.
Just buy the small can of jalapenos. Use 3 or 4 in the recipe. More if you like the heat!
The issue I have with this is the 1 yellow onion. Because they vary so much in size. Are we talking about an onion that measures 2 cups or 1/4 cup chopped?
I regularly make hot and spicy food when my friends call round, mainly Indian or Malaysian, just want to say your salsa works great with them.
Thanks for the recipe
Dave
I agree with several of the posts. This is great salsa, but tastes nothing like chilis. There are tons of copy cat recipes listed for this, and I have tried them all. None are right. I have been eating this salsa every week for years and would know. I bribed our waitress tonight, and she was able to confirm ingredients, but not amounts. The one ingredient missing from every recipe post is vinegar.
I love this salsa! I also love how quick this comes together. Thank you!
Like other commenters, I am having trouble finding canned jalapenos that are not pickled. Can I get a hint as to the brand that you use so that I can find a comparable one. I made it with the only whole canned jalapeños I could find, but when I opened the can they were pickled. Thanks in advance!
We buy whatever is the cheapest. Right now in our pantry we have Kroger Jalapeno peppers diced – 4 ounce can.
Way too much Cumin!
I’m not trying to be rude at all, but this did not taste like Chili’s at all to me. I wish I would have read the comments first. 3 jalapeños are way too much. I can’t handle spicy and that’s why I love Chili’s. Any suggestions from those that felt it was like Chili’s to make it taste better? I hate to throw it all away.
That is a very good tip
Wondering… can you can this recipe?
We have never canned or bottled this salsa. We have only eaten it fresh. I’m not sure how the canned tomatoes would do after already going through a canning process.
I made this salsa yesterday, and it has a gelatin look and texture to it. What did I do wrong? I used fresh tomatoes, blanched them and peeled them, and fresh jalapenos. I followed the recipe but don’t know why it has a strange texture.
We don’t use fresh tomatoes with this particular recipe. You used canned tomatoes.
Definitely make sure that you only use 1/4 or 1/2 cup onion. I used whole quartered onion and it was way to much. Also what store did you find whole( non pickled)canned jalapenos?
We found them at Smith’s food and drug.
What if you are using fresh ingredients, garden fresh tomato & jalapenos, how much would you use then?
this tasted great until…..I put it in the fridge to let the flavors blend, and 2 hours later it looked like gel. Jello like. It wasn’t a liquid at all. I followed the recipe exactly, so I am not sure what I did. Any ideas?
Just add similar amounts of the fresh as you would the canned.
I used two whole fresh jalapeños (seeds and all) an it was WAY hotter than the restaurant version. I’d cut back to one or seed them. I am going to double the rest of the recipe & leave out the peppers and mix together. We like cilantro, so added some. I gotta say… the taste is spot on! My guy is gonna be so happy!
yeah no one was bragging at all they were just helping out. and why would it be a big deal if they are proud that they did work there? that job might have gotten them through college or at least they had a job and weren’t living off welfare!
Nope. At chili’s right now. No cilantro.
Ok. I spend some time checking the salsa out while at chili’s, correction, it DOES HAVE CILANTRO, But it is so tiny & there is not much of it. I found one tiny piece in a little container. So, I was wrong, sorry Miche. You were right
So this salsa is wonderful for sure! The only thing that I decided to do differently then the recipe is to add a whole teaspoon of ’Sweet Bite chili sauce,( world best chili sauce in 2017 ) i get as a present from my friend and it really tasted wonderful.He bout from http://www.worldofchili.com This salsa has a great refreshing taste and I you can really make it as mild or hot as you want it based on how much chili you add. I am a college student so I am always looking for things to snack on or take for group dinners and this is pretty cost effective and delicious, making it the perfect option!
Could this be pressure canned for winter storage?
I’m sure it can. We always eat it fresh because it can be prepared in about 5 minutes.
OMG, delicious and so easy. Even found all the ingredients over here in Vietnam!!!
How many garden tomatoes would you use instead of the canned tomatoes? Excited to try this recipe
I made this for my husband’s gathering and it was a huge hit! Really easy to make and wonderful flavor!
I just inhaled almost a whole bag of tortilla chips with this salsa! It is so much like Chili’s!!! After reading the comments I used 1/2 t. of cumin and some sliced jalepenos… probably about the size of two smallish ones. Also used half of a large yellow onion. This was AMAZING!! It’s stand-over-the-sink-and-eat-it-good!!! Thank you!