I’m Making These Sticky Potatoes on Repeat

I recently came across a recipe for sticky chipotle braised potatoes, and I was intrigued. After giving them a try, I was amazed at how just a few everyday ingredients transformed into something with surprising depth. I decided to put my own spin on this recipe, and in my version, I came up with the perfect balance of spicy, sweet, salty, umami, and sour components to add bold Southwestern-inspired flavor to every bite.

The Building Blocks of Bold Flavor

A can of chipotles in adobo—mesquite-smoked jalapeño peppers in a tangy, spicy, tomato-based sauce—is my not-so-secret weapon to achieve layered depth of flavor and some smoky heat in any dish, including this one.

I can’t overstate how much I use this ingredient—in meatballs, marinades, soups, stews, braised beans, salad dressing—the list goes on! Both the peppers and the sauce bring smoky heat and savory complexity. Just a tablespoon or two mixed into the sauce for these potatoes offers lingering, layered spice.

For the sweet element in this recipe, I opted for maple syrup, which balances the spice and salt with rich, earthy sweetness. You can go for agave nectar or honey instead, though maple adds unmistakeable, robust, nutty flavors and notes of vanilla that really shine and bring balance to these savory, spicy spuds.

For a hit of salt and umami, I reached for tamari. Often touted as the gluten-free substitute for soy sauce, tamari is so much more. Like soy sauce, it’s a salty, savory liquid condiment made from fermented soybeans, but typically without the presence of wheat. It is brewed with a higher concentration of soybeans, creating a richer, smoother taste than soy sauce. Soy sauce can be used in this recipe, but may offer a slightly saltier, sharper flavor.

And lastly, for a sour edge, vibrant lime juice brightens and enhances the sweet, spicy, and salty elements of this dish. It cuts through the buttery glaze for a truly balanced and rounded flavor profile.

The Best Potato to Use

For the least amount of prep or knife work in this recipe, I like to use tiny potatoes that I can leave whole—just rinse, shake dry, and dump. What can I say? At the end of the day, I’m a lazy chef. Baby red bliss potatoes, baby gold potatoes, or fingerling potatoes with a diameter of 1 to 1/2 inches work best here. Cut larger potatoes in half to ensure even cooking.