What Is A Dirty Chai?

It may sound like the punchline to a joke you wouldn't tell around your mom, but a dirty chai is actually not all that scandalous. What goes into the Starbucks favorite? If you order up a "Dirty Chai," you're really asking for a shot of espresso in a chai latte.

This order is one of the favorites off the Starbucks Secret Menu (to which we humbly offer our Ultimate Guide), and your favorite barista is almost certain to know how to make it.

As far as secret menu items go, the dirty chai is a favorite amongst baristas — unlike many on the list, these don't take much longer to make and are fairly simple (no three pumps of this syrup, six pumps of that one).

A real masala chai, of course, doesn't come from Starbucks at all: the Starbucks version of this traditional Indian tea is made from scoops of a weird flavor powder. A proper chai, conversely is made of black tea, milk, and spices. Want to skip the scoopable stuff and try the real deal? Check out our Masala Chai Recipe.