Chipotle sauce is an easy way to add smokiness, heat, and zesty flavor to any dish. It can be drizzled over tacos or turned into a creamy dip. Either way, this recipe is incredibly easy to make with the help of just a few pantry staples.
When it comes to elevating recipes, sauces and seasonings are key. And when it comes to Mexican-inspired recipes, it’s hard to beat chipotle sauce (or chipotle crema) for that creamy, spicy, addictive flavor. If you’ve never made it at home before, let me show you how easy it is!
What Are Chipotle Peppers In Adobo Sauce?
The secret to this homemade sauce is chipotle peppers in adobo. But what is that exactly? Well, it’s a combination of things. Chipotle peppers are red jalapeños that have been smoked and dried. And the adobo is a velvety, tangy, and sweet sauce made from dried chili peppers.
Together, they make for a zesty, spicy, and amazingly flavorful pair, which is why they’re sold in jars that way.
You can use the chipotle peppers for an intense smoky heat. Or use a tablespoon of the sauce for a subtle, fiery sweetness. Needless to say, it makes for an extremely versatile pantry staple if you like adding a spicy kick.
Chipotle Sauce Ingredients
All you need to do is blend a few simple ingredients in a food processor until the sauce smooth and creamy. It couldn’t be any easier!
- Mayonnaise: This is the base foundation for any chipotle sauce. I’m using my homemade mayonnaise recipe (it’s so easy!).
- Sour Cream: Adds extra creaminess and a slight tanginess.
- Chipotle Peppers in Adobo: The key ingredient that gives this sauce its smoky and spicy flavor.
- Lime Juice: The acidity balances out the spiciness.
- Garlic and Salt: Helps tie all the flavors together.
Can You Use Chipotle Powder?
If you can’t find chipotle peppers, a dried and ground version works in a pinch! Just keep in mind that one dried chipotle pepper is equivalent to 1/2 teaspoon of chipotle powder. If you feel that’s not enough, you can always add a bit more and blend again.
Ways To Use Chipotle Sauce
Now that you have your sauce, let the fun begin. I like to use it in my creamy chipotle shrimp to give the sauce that delicious smokiness. But there’s countless ways to use it. Here’s a few ideas.
- Dip it with: baked zucchini fries, curly sweet potato fries , baked yuca fries , or a chicken and black bean wrap
- Drizzle it on top of: salmon tacos, shrimp tacos, carne asada tacos , salmon patties, or chicken fajitas
- Spoon it on top of: carne asada fries, taco salad, or carnitas burrito bowl
Different Variations
If you need to meet a dietary need or switch up the flavors, below are a few options.
- Make it dairy-free by substituting the sour cream with cashew sour cream.
- Make it vegan by using the cashew sour cream and a vegan mayonnaise.
- Spice it up by adding an extra half of a chipotle pepper into the food processor.
Storage Tips
To store chipotle sauce: Scoop it into an airtight container and store in the fridge for up to 1 week.
To store leftover chipotle peppers: Since the peppers and sauce have a strong flavor, you’ll most likely only be using a quarter of the can. So I recommend freezing them in a freezer-safe bag or glass container. They’ll keep for about 3 months and can thaw easily whenever you’re ready to use.
More Creamy Sauces That Taste Just As Good
Here’s a few of my favorites that I love to use for tacos, rice bowls, or just for dipping. Enjoy!
Description
Video
Ingredients
- ¼ cup mayonnaise
- 1 cup sour cream
- 2 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce
- ½ lime, juiced
- 1 clove garlic
- salt to taste
Instructions
- In a food processor, add the mayo, sour cream, chipotle peppers (plus a little additional sauce), lime juice, garlic and a pinch of salt.
- Process until the sauce becomes smooth and creamy.
- Taste test to see if you need to add any more lime juice or salt.
Lisa’s Tips
- This recipe yields about 1 1/2 cups of chipotle sauce.
- To store: Scoop it into an airtight container and store it in the fridge for up to 1 week.
Nutrition
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Great sauce with the creamy chipotle shrimp recipe, I may keep it on hand for carrots and celery, it’s so tasty!
The chipotle sauce is great for so many things, including as a dip for veggies. Enjoy, Jennifer!
Made as directed. It was wonderful! Served on ground beef tacos with shredded cabbage.
What a delicious way to use this chipotle sauce! Glad it was a hit, Michele.
This looks delicious! Can I use an immersion blender if I don’t have a food processor?
Hi Jen – yes, that should work fine. Enjoy!
Made this to add flavor to my fajitas and it was a hit. My family really like how this sauce elevated the taste of the dish.
This chipotle sauce with fajitas is the perfect pairing! Glad the whole family loved this recipe, Margie.
So great! Using on rice bowls. Thank you!
I’m sure this tastes amazing on protein rice bowls!
I added Oregano and Cumin. I found it not spicy enough. The next time we used it I added Tapatio sauce until it spiced up.
My wife also liked it much better after spicing it up.
How do I add a picture?
Hi Dale – I’m glad you enjoyed this chipotle sauce with a little extra kick!
Just okay for me. Made it exactly as written at first then added another pepper and more sauce but it was still kind of bland.
When I make this sauce I always double it because it is that good. Everyone who tries it always asks for the recipe. I usually use low fat mayo and replace sour cream with plain Greek yogurt. Thanks for sharing this great recipe!
Happy you love it, Lisa! And smart move to make a double batch. ;)
I feel like i should have seen this coming – this recipe was much too sour for my tastes. I only used a small amount of lime, and a pretty low vinegar mayo, but with all the ingredients being sour, the result was not palatable for me.
I always use a good strong sour cream (daisy). If i try this again, i will need to find a sour reduction scheme.
Thanks for sharing your recipe!
-greg frohring
Can I use a blender instead?
Hi Cee – You can use a blender, but you might need to double the ingredients to make sure you have enough liquid in your blender.
Can I use it to cook with? I wanted to make chipotle pasta with chicken, will this sauce work for it? I would appreciate your help. Thanks
Hi Maria – Yes! I use it to make my chipotle shrimp recipe, but you could also do chicken and pasta.
My wife and I had lunch in Matamoros, Mexico yesterday. She had “Chipotle Chicken” and I had “Chipotle Trout”. Both were outstanding. The “sauce” was just such a special flavor, for all sorts of dishes. Yummy stuff. Thanks for all of this information?
Hi Lahry – I’m so glad you made such delicious dishes with this chipotle sauce!
Thanks for the help. I have been doing things with Chipotles in Adobo since I first tasted them. My first project was to Craft a Barbeque Sauce. That was a great idea that I still use. Then I moved on to Crema. I haven’t use mayo on mine, but now I will!
There really is so much you can make with chipotles in adobo. That’s wonderful you’re experimenting with lots of creative ideas, John. Enjoy this chipotle sauce!
I think I over-processed it and now it’s runny and not really creamy. Any suggestions on how to thicken it up?
This is excellent! I wish I had made double the amount for the meatloaf, which is wonderful.
Thank you for the recipes.
Hi Diana – I’m glad you loved this chipotle sauce!
Great recipe! Simple and delicious. Adding this to my sauce tab of ingredients.
Happy you loved it, Janeth!
This sauce is amazing. It’s so creamy and flavorful. My husband and I were pleasantly surprised by how good this sauce was.
Thanks Jill! It’s simple but really packed with flavor. :)
Love the smokey flavor from this sauce! And it isn’t spicy at all!
Hi, do you have a suggestion for a dairy free option for this sauce?
Thank you!
You can use any vegan sour cream. You could also use the cashew cream recipe on my website, though it will be a bit thinner.
It’s perfect!
Happy to hear you’re loving this chipotle sauce!
Super excited to try this! Just curious, I’d the nutrition label at the bottom per serving? If so, how much is in a serving?
This is a first for me. I am so thankful you came into my file…well your recipes since I’ve never met you LOL. I have never had Chipotle anything. I mixed this up last night and added it to my tacos tonight. Yummy!! You have widened my outlook on food more then you will ever know.
Thanks so much for leaving a review and glad your first try at this chipotle sauce was a success for taco night, Juden!
SO GOOD! I did end up adding a little more lime juice, because I like it zingy. Yummy!
Nothing wrong with a little extra lime juice! Glad you enjoyed it Tracy :)
Its still pretty good but the sourness from the sour cream kind of gets in the way of the Chipotle peppers. I like to use plain yogurt instead. I use two yogurt cups (10.6 oz), 7.5 oz can of Chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, everything else in this recipe plus some cumin and a little cayenne and it turns out exactly how it would be from a burrito place.
This was so yummy on fish tacos! I used jalapeño cream instead of sour cream and it was a huge hit! Thanks so much for sharing 🙂
So easy and so delicious. I make this all the time. Thanks for recipe, Lisa!
Trying to eat more veges. Got more dip recipes? Hubbie eats a lot of dip from Costco.
Thank you very much!
If you head over to my appetizers/snacks category, you will find more!
I could eat this by the spoonful! I made it to go with fish tacos and it was wiped out in one sitting. Even my picky daughter liked it!
Glad you and your family enjoyed this chipotle sauce!
Subbed Greek Yogurt for sour cream and it was great!
Best tasting homemade dressing. Supper spicy so I have to lesson the amount of Chipotle in Adobo. I think it pairs amazingly with Lisa’s Tuna meatballs!
Sounds delicious with the tuna meatballs!
So delicious!! is it ok to freeze if I make extra and how long is it good for in the freezer?
This will keep in the freezer for up to 3 months!
Do you have a recommendation for chipotle peppers in adobo sauce that has a clean ingredient statement?
I’ve had a hard time finding chipotle peppers in adobo sauce without the inflammatory gmo oils. Might be something we have to make from scratch.
I’ve done several sauces for various taco/quesadilla recipes. This one is my favorite!
Delicious dip! We had it with tacos!
Glad you enjoyed this chipotle sauce Katie!
Hi Lisa,
Unfortunately, you can’t buy chipotle peppers in adobo sauce where I live. Is it possible to replace them with chipotle chilli powder or do you have another idea? I would so love to try your recipe for Creamy chipotle shrimp!
Hi Sabine – make sure to read my tips in the post above. :)
Hi Lisa,
I read your tip right after I posted the comment, but I couldn’t delete it anymore. I am so sorry! But since I asked, I already cooked this recipe 3 times and all just LOVE it!!! Thank you so much again for your delicious recipes!!
I doubled the chipolte peppers to give it more flavor. Very tasty.
Will definitely make this again.
Glad you enjoyed this sauce!
So delicious!!! Thank you Lisa 😉
Glad you enjoyed this chipotle sauce Asun!
The chipolte sauce is insane i loved it it is now my favorite sauce
A added 1tsp smoked paprika and 1,5 tsp chili powder to spice it up a bit.
I LOVE this on zucchini cakes (fake crab cakes). Thank you!
Great idea Susie! Thanks for leaving a review :)
Yes I ve tried this lunchtime it was perfect and I enjoyed, very tasty