HeySolids
Choking risk
Chipotle is a low choking risk, since it is used only as a trace flavoring. Nothing needs cutting or shaping. See how to serve for how to handle it at each age.
Allergens
Chipotle pepper is not a common food allergen, so a true allergy to it is rare.[1]
Canned chipotle in adobo is a mixed product, so check the label for added ingredients if your baby has an allergy. Start with a small amount and watch for a reaction.
Food safety
Chipotle in adobo is heavy in both salt and sugar, which is what keeps it off a baby's plate rather than anything about the chili. Children under 2 don't need added sugar, and salt shouldn't be added to food in the first 12 months and kept low through the toddler years.[2]
Chili heat is uncomfortable rather than dangerous, but it easily puts a baby off a meal. Keep dishes mild and build the smoky flavor another way - smoked paprika gives much of the same character with no heat and no salt.
How to serve
Up to 2 years old
Best to skip - use smoked paprika instead
Chipotle is usually sold canned in adobo, a sauce heavy in salt and sugar that a young child doesn't need. The heat is strong too. Leave it out before age 2, and build the flavor another way.
For mild smoky flavor
A small pinch of sweet smoked paprika, not the hot kind, gives a similar smoky note without the heat or the salt.
2+ years old
A trace of mild smoky flavor
After age 2, a small amount of chipotle can add smoky flavor to a family dish. Rinse the adobo sauce off a canned pepper, take out the seeds and membrane, and use about a quarter of one in a dish that serves the whole family. Keep the rest of the meal low in salt.