To create the perfect chipotle chile, you actually start with a jalapeño. Once the jalapeño is ripened, it’s smoke-dried, transforming it from an ordinary jalapeño to a chipotle. Chipotles have the same intense kick as jalapeños but with a deep and smoky flavor.
On the Scoville scale, used to compare the hotness of chiles, chipotle chiles range from 17,000–37,000 heat units. While habanero peppers, for instance, can be up to 250,000 heat units.
