This creamy chipotle sauce recipe is quick and easy to make and focuses more on the chipotle and less on the other ingredients for real chipotle flavor, so good! Chipotle all the way, super creamy!

Creamy Chipotle Sauce on a serving spoon

Homemade Chipotle Sauce Recipe

This is MY kind of chipotle sauce, my friends. It is nice and creamy yet still holds onto all that wonderful smoky-tangy chipotle flavor we all crave. That’s how we want it, right?

What is Chipotle Sauce?

Chipotle sauce is a popular creamy sauce made with spicy, smoky chipotle peppers mixed with mayonnaise and sour cream or crema. You'll find it served in numerous fast food restaurants, like Taco Bell or Subway.

It's a versatile sauce or condiment made with simple ingredients, the perfect way to add flavor and zing to sandwiches, French fries, grilled foods, and so much more.

There are different ways to make it, but they are all quite similar.

I’ve had other chipotle sauces and found many of them lacking. The recipes call for far too much cream or mayonnaise or other ingredients to achieve their desired flavor, but in the end, all you’re really left with is a mixture of mayo and sour cream or Greek yogurt that is colored with a dash of chipotle sauce or chipotle powder added in

NAH! That’s just not enough chipotle sauce for me. We need creamy chipotle sauce with real flavor.

With my chipotle sauce recipe, we’re focusing on the chipotle, and it’s super easy to make. You KNOW how much I love EASY.

Let's talk about how to make chipotle sauce, the right way.

Homemade Chipotle Sauce Ingredients

Chipotle Peppers in Adobo Sauce. Use the canned product you normally find in the grocery store. You can also use the product labeled "adobo sauce". If offers the smoky-spicy flavor, made with smoked and dried jalapeno peppers. The dried chipotles are drenched in delicious adobo sauce.
Mexican Crema. You can use sour cream or Greek yogurt, but I prefer the flavor of Mexican crema.
Mayonnaise. Use your favorite brand. Works with vegan mayo as well.
Fresh Cilantro.
Spices. Cayenne powder, garlic powder, cumin, and salt.

How to Make Chipotle Sauce - the Recipe Method

First, gather up your ingredients, which include a can of chipotles in adobe (but of course!), along with ½ cup Mexican crema (or sour cream), ¼ cup mayo, chopped cilantro, cayenne powder for flavor and heat, garlic powder, cumin, and a bit of salt and pepper.

Mixing creamy chipotle sauce in a food processor

If you'd like a citrus pop, squeeze in a bit of fresh lime juice.

Next, add it all to a food processor and puree until smooth.

BOOM! Done!

That’s it. Easy, right? I love the chipotle pepper flavor. So smooth and creamy, and delicious!

PLUS! You’ll be using the WHOLE can of chipotles in adobo sauce for this. No need to dirty up tiny little storage containers in the refrigerator trying to save the rest. Use ALL of it.

Much better.

Recipe Tips

Sour cream is great, though I prefer the flavor of Mexican crema. You can usually find it near the sour cream in the grocery store. Also, consider making it with a bit of yogurt as well.
Real mayonnaise will give you much more flavor. You can make it with non-fat versions, but real mayo it superior.
Want even MORE chipotle flavor? Add in another can of chipotle peppers in adobo. You can't go wrong.
Use only half of the chipotles in adobo sauce for a milder version.
Toss in some fresh cilantro for a herbal flavor.

Storage Information

You can store homemade chipotle sauce in a sealed container in the refrigerator for 1 week.

What Goes Best with Chipotle Sauce?

I LOVE to have this on hand for grilled chicken or pork. It’s a great finisher. Toss some fried or grilled chicken wings or legs with this chipotle sauce and go straight to flavor heaven. Fried or grilled shrimp, too.

It's also great served as a chipotle dip with chips. Just pour it into a small bowl. It's one of the best dipping sauces ever.

Or use it as you would any other condiment and drizzle it over sandwiches, wraps or salads. I love it on fish tacos or drizzled over a burrito bowl. Consider it for fajitas or fried fish.

DELISH!

Try it out with this Quick and Easy Chipotle Chicken Recipe, Grilled Chicken Wings or Grilled Shrimp.

You pretty much have to make it homemade. I don't often see chipotle sauce in grocery stores. I'd rather make it at home anyway. More chipotle flavor for me!

Give it a go, my friends. Let me know how you like it, and how you best like to serve it. Curious to hear! Enjoy. – Mike H.

Try Some of My Other Popular Sauce Recipes

Chipotle Mayo
Jacked Up Fry Sauce
Homemade Buffalo Sauce
Sriracha Aioli
Creamy Sriracha Mayo
Cajun Remoulade Sauce
Creamy Fish Taco Sauce
Bang Bang Sauce
This Mexican White Sauce Recipe (Salsa Blanca) is a tasty variation from Virginia that you will love.

Dipping blackened shrimp into Chipotle Sauce

If you try this recipe, please let us know! Leave a comment, rate it and tag a photo #ChiliPepperMadness on Instagram so we can take a look. I always love to see all of your spicy inspirations.

Chipotle Sauce Recipe

This creamy chipotle sauce recipe is quick and easy to make and focuses more on the chipotle and less on the other ingredients for real chipotle flavor, so good! Chipotle all the way, super creamy!

Save Recipe

Course: Salsa

Cuisine: American

Keyword: chipotle, spicy

Prep Time: 2

Cook Time: 1

Total Time: 3

Calories: 23kcal

Author: Mike Hultquist

Servings: Tablespoons

Tap or hover to scale

4.97 from 59 ratings

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Ingredients

7 ounce can chipotles in adobo sauce or use chipotle sauce
½ cup Mexican crema sour cream is good, too
¼ cup mayonnaise
3 tablespoons chopped cilantro
1 teaspoon cayenne powder
1 teaspoon garlic powder
½ teaspoon cumin
Salt to taste

Instructions

Add all of the ingredients to a food processor. Process until smooth!
Store in an airtight jar in the refrigerator.

Video

Notes

Makes about 2 cups. A tablespoon is about 23 calories.

Nutrition Information

Calories: 23kcal Carbohydrates: 1g Protein: 0.2g Fat: 2g Saturated Fat: 0.2g Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g Monounsaturated Fat: 0.3g Trans Fat: 0.003g Cholesterol: 3mg Sodium: 27mg Potassium: 3mg Fiber: 1g Sugar: 1g Vitamin A: 47IU Vitamin C: 0.1mg Calcium: 7mg Iron: 0.2mg

Did You Enjoy This Recipe?I love hearing how you like it and how you made it your own. Leave a comment below and tag @ChiliPepperMadness on social media.

NOTE: This recipe was updated on 3/24/23 to include new information, photos and video. It was originally published on 4/4/18.