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!
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.
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
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
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
Nutrition Information
NOTE: This recipe was updated on 3/24/23 to include new information, photos and video. It was originally published on 4/4/18.
Astrid Nieborg says
Delicious!!!
Very nice with pulled meat!
Mike H. says
Yes, it works very well with it. Enjoy!
Janelle says
Tried this recipe and it’s soooo good! Thank you for this great recipe
Mike Hultquist says
Yes! Glad you enjoyed it, Janelle!
Antonia Henrie says
I love this recipe! I like your video. Very instructed.
Mike Hultquist says
Glad to hear it, Antonia! Thanks!
Paygon Charlie Harris says
Great! Is this freezable please?
Mike H. says
Thank you, Paygon. Not sure how well it would freeze, as the ingredients would probably separate. But this should last a few weeks easily (or longer) in the refrigerator, sealed.
Mark says
love to hear it Enjoy
Mike H. says
Enjoy!
Ysa says
Can i freeze it?
Mike Hultquist says
I don't recommend freezing it because of the mayo/crema content.
Madison says
Can this be used as a pasta sauce? Like pasta a la diabla?
Mike H. says
Absolutely, Madison. Go for it!
Athanasia says
Terrific recipe! This is the first time I made a chipotle sauce instead of store bought. I am making my second batch in less than a week. So easy and delicious. Thank you.
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Mike Hultquist says
Boom! Glad you're enjoying it, Athanasia! Thanks for sharing this!
Gwen says
Wow definitely super spicy! I did use low fat Mayo and low fat sour cream- thinking full fat wouldve toned it down! Thanks for the recipe!!
Mike H. says
You are very welcome, Gwen. Enjoy!
Cindy says
We love the shrimp recipe, made it for my husband about two weeks ago and now he’s asking me to please make it again. He likes it alot and the heat and then I put a rice on the dide some minute rice with a little bit of flavoring and it’s so good thank you for posting this recipe.
Mike H. says
You are very welcome, Cindy - enjoy!
Kimberly Robinson says
Was craving a saucy slurpy chipotle burrito. Searched the internet and found… This sauce was unexpectedly really spicy , idk how I completely missed the name of this website. Oh well . It’s good sauce for sure, and now I have spicy burritos. Shrug. Definitively gonna find a different recipe next time around though
Mike Hultquist says
OK, Kimberly. Glad you liked it overall. I do make things quite spicy here at Chili Pepper Madness.
Doug Lovern says
Is this recipe amenable to bottling? Any tips?
Mike Hultquist says
Doug, I've never tried to can this, and I don't believe it's the sort of recipe that is amenable to canning/bottling.
Kevin says
Made this exactly like the recipe said and it is freaking amazing. This is now my to go to sauce for just about everything. Thank you so much for this amazing recipe.
Mike Hultquist says
Awesome! Thanks, Kevin!