This creamy chipotle lime sauce is spicy, sweet and tangy and perfect for grilled chicken, burrito bowls, fish tacos and as a salad dressing. Keep this recipe on hand next time you need an interesting sauce for cookouts or to spice up dinnertime.
There is no shortage of sauces and dressings on the aisles of grocery stores, but making homemade sauce means you have complete control over the flavor and the ingredients. That is especially true for this creamy chipotle lime sauce as store bought versions may include lots of added sugars, salts and unwanted stabilizers. Plus you can easily customize this recipe to your taste preferences.
Ingredients that Matter
This creamy chipotle lime sauce uses mostly basic ingredients:
- Chipotle Peppers in Adobo Sauce. We love the smoky flavor and moderate spice level of these peppers in sauce. It's typically made by drying and smoking jalapeno peppers then packing them into a small can with a tomato and spice sauce. Both the peppers and sauce are used in this recipe. There's a good amount of heat to chipotle peppers in adobo, so we suggest tasting a bit of the adobo sauce to see how you prefer the heat level.
- Plain Yogurt. The creaminess of this sauce comes largely from plain full-fat yogurt. It imparts a nice tang and creamy texture and helps smooth out the spice from the peppers. Use a low-fat or no-fat yogurt if you are watching calories and fats.
- Mayonnaise. A little mayo here gives the sauce more body. Did you know the fat from mayonnaise helps coat your tongue, meaning it enhances the flavor of the sauce? As with the yogurt, feel free to sub in a lighter mayonnaise as desired.
- Lime. The bright, tangy flavor comes from fresh lime juice. We definitely suggest using fresh lime juice, not the artificial stuff that comes in a jar or green squeeze bottle. Plus, we use some of the lime zest for its unique floral citrus flavor.
- Honey. Just a bit of sweetness tames some of the heat in this sauce, plus the honey flavor is an ideal flavor combination with lime and chipotles. Need to use another sweetener? Try maple or agave.
- Scallions and Garlic. Both scallions and garlic are used as aromatics, giving the sauce more complexity and depth. Save some of the scallion greens to sprinkle on top the sauce before serving.
How to Make Chipotle Lime Sauce
Simply add all the ingredients to the base of a blender and let the machine do all the work. It should become silky smooth in about 30 seconds when blending on high. Don't have a blender? Try using a small food processor. Or, if needed, you can simply chop the peppers, garlic and scallions and fine as possible and stir into the other ingredients.
You can adjust the spice level by adding one pepper instead of two or by adding another teaspoon of honey.
What to serve this sauce with?
The natural smoky and spicy flavors of this chipotle sauce go well with grilled proteins, like chicken, flank steak and even salmon or mild white fish. Try drizzling over a bed of greens and add chopped tomatoes and our Roasted Black Beans to make a simple and healthy protein-packed lunch.
Chipotle Lime Sauce is also delicious drizzled on fish tacos, burrito bowls or our Baked Crispy Chicken Tacos.
How to Store Chipotle Peppers?
There are several ways to store a can of chipotle peppers in adobo once opened.
- Transfer to an air-tight container, put a label on it and refrigerate for about one week.
- Place one pepper in an ice cube tray and cover evenly with adobo sauce. Freeze until solid then transfer to a zip-top bag and freeze.
- Or, puree peppers and adobo sauce until smooth and place one tablespoon portions on a parchment-lined baking sheet and freeze until solid. Transfer portions to a zip-top bag and store in the freezer.
How Long do Chipotle Peppers and Adobo Last?
Chipotle peppers in adobo should be used within one week when stored in an air-tight container in the refrigerator. They should stay fresh and flavorful stored in the freezer in a zip-top bag for a few months. Thaw before using, if needed, or add directly to soups, stews or marinades.
How to make this sauce vegan
To make this creamy chipotle lime sauce vegan simply swap the mayonnaise and yogurt for vegan/dairy-free alternatives. Use the same amount, just be sure not to use a flavored vegan mayo or yogurt. And swap the honey for another natural sweetener like maple syrup.
Most chipotle peppers in adobo sauce are vegan and gluten free. Just be sure to check packaging first.
Recipe
Creamy Chipotle Lime Sauce
- Total Time: 5 min.
- Yield: 1 cup 1x
Description
This creamy chipotle lime sauce is smoky, tangy and sweet and the ideal topping for grilled chicken, burrito bowls, tacos and as a salad dressing.
Ingredients
- ½ cup plain full-fat yogurt (see note)
- ¼ cup mayonnaise
- ½ tsp. lime zest
- 2 Tbsp. lime juice
- 2 scallions, white and green parts separated
- 2 chipotle peppers and 1 Tbsp. adobo sauce (from 1 [7 oz.] can chipotle peppers in adobo sauce)
- 1 garlic clove
- 2 tsp. honey
- ¼ tsp. salt, plus more to taste
- 1 pinch black pepper
Instructions
- Place yogurt, mayonnaise, lime zest, lime juice, scallion whites, chipotle peppers and adobo sauce, garlic, honey, salt and pepper in the base of a blender and blend on high until smooth, about 30 seconds. Adjust seasoning as desired. Serve immediately or transfer to an air-tight container and store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Garnish with scallion greens before serving.
Notes
- Use a low-fat or no-fat yogurt or mayonnaise as desired.
- To make this recipe vegan, swap in vegan yogurts and mayonnaise and maple syrup instead of honey.
- Store leftover chipotle peppers in adobo sauce in an air-tight container in the regenerator for up to 1 week. Or free for up to 3 months.
- Prep Time: 5 min
- Cook Time: 0 min
- Category: sauces
- Method: blend
- Cuisine: American
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