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This incredible sauce is fresh and tangy with a kick of heat. It is so versatile and can transform any ordinary dish into something truly exceptional, with its unique blend of herbs and spices that make every bite a little flavor bomb.
Table of Contents
What is Chipotle Lime Sauce?
This delicious sauce is made with a combination of spicy chipotle peppers and jalapenos, freshly squeezed orange and lime juice, fragrant garlic, herby cilantro and a lovely olive oil. With its smoky and slightly spicy kick from the chipotle peppers and refreshing tang from the lime juice, this sauce is perfect for dipping, drizzling, and spreading over a variety of dishes, from juicy grilled meats and veggies to scrumptious seafood and even salads. You can even use it as a marinade to add a delicious twist to your favorite dishes. It’s no wonder that Chipotle Lime Sauce is so popular in Mexican and Southwestern cuisine – it’s the perfect way to add a little bit of heat and excitement to any meal!
Why You’ll Love This Tangy Dip
It is so delicious! — The combination of smoky chipotle peppers and tangy lime juice provides a unique and delicious flavor that is sure to satisfy your taste buds.
A versatile little recipe! — This recipe can be used in many different ways, including as a dip, marinade, salad dressing, or condiment.
It is Easy-Peezy! — It’s easy to make and requires only a few simple ingredients that you probably already have on hand.
Easy to Store! — Make a batch and freeze in small batches (thin ice cube trays) to keep it on hand for up to 6 months
So Many Ways to Use This Sauce Up!
Dipping sauce — Use Chipotle Lime Sauce as a dip for veggies, crackers, or tortilla chips.
Spread — Spread the sauce on a sandwich, burger, or wrap to add some extra zing.
Marinade — Use the sauce to marinate chicken, fish, or shrimp before grilling or baking for a flavorful twist.
Salad Dressing — Drizzle the sauce over a salad for a tangy and spicy dressing.
Topping — Use the sauce to top tacos, burritos, or grilled meats to add some extra flavor.
Condiment — Add the sauce to your favorite dishes like roasted vegetables, sweet potatoes, or baked potatoes.
Notes On Ingredients & Substitutions
Please check out the recipe card for a full list of ingredients and specific measurements.
Olive Oil — A good olive oil can contribute a rich flavor to the sauce, all while adding a smooth and silky texture and helping bind the other ingredients together.
Jalepeño — They bring a spicy kick, a touch of sweetness, and freshness to chipotle lime sauce, making it flavorful and exciting!
Cilantro — Adds herby freshness and a burst of flavor to the sauce.
Green Onions — Bring a mild onion flavor and a subtle crunch to the sauce.
Garlic Cloves — provide a fragrant and savory depth to the sauce.
Chipotles in Adobo Sauce — I love Chipotles in adobo sauce! They contribute a smoky, spicy, and tangy flavor to the sauce. Go light on this at first and add more to your liking. Check out more tips on working with Chipotles in Adobo Sauce below.
Lime Juice — Squeeze away. Fresh is best. The tang compliments the smokiness of the Adobo Peppers.
Honey — Can’t go wrong with local honey. This helps to balance out all of the flavors and brings more of a complex profile.
Orange Juice — Freshly squeezed is ideal! Are you tired of hearing me say that? Fresh is so good.
Salt — Salt is …. magical. It brings all of the flavors out more profoundly — yet melds it all together.
How to Make
This one is quite simple! Simply blend all of the ingredients. Taste and season to your liking. And listo! You have a delicious sauce to add tang to just about anything.
Top Tips for the Chilis
Take The Heat Down a Notch
Removing the seeds can help to reduce the heat a bit. I simply slice the pepper and use a spoon to pull them all out. Try to avoid getting them on your hands! And definitely don’t touch your eyes after handling these little heat bombs.
start small
These chilis and their sauce can pack a kick! So start with a small amount at first and add to your liking and heat profile.
Freeze The Leftover Adobo Chili Peppers
Wondering what to do with the rest of the adobo chili peppers and sauce? Freeze them into little cubes! I separate each pepper with a dollop of sauce and place them in ice cube trays, then I freeze them. That way, whenever I’m cooking up a storm in the kitchen, all I have to do is pop out a cube and add it to my dish. It’s super convenient, and I always have a ready-to-use supply of chipotle peppers on hand. No more wasted peppers or sauce — this tip is a game-changer!
Variations
Make It Creamy
For a creamier version of this sauce, try adding yogurt. The yogurt can help balance out the heat and other flavors, so you may need to adjust the amount of other ingredients accordingly if you decide to add it.
Adjust the Spiciness
Adjusting the level of spiciness in this sauce is a breeze – simply vary the number of adobo chipotle peppers you use. If you’re feeling brave and want some serious heat, leave the seeds in the peppers for an extra fiery kick! Remember, you can always add more, but you simply cannot add less.
Top Tips
fresh is best!
Are you getting sick of hearing me say that? But, it is so true! Using high-quality and fresh ingredients is essential in any recipe, but especially in a dish like Chipotle Lime Sauce. When you use fresh, high-quality ingredients, you’ll notice that everything becomes more vibrant — from the taste to the texture to the color.
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How To Store
This recipe is perfect to make ahead of time and/or store. Keep it fresh in the refrigerator for up to one week — be sure to store it in an airtight container. To keep for longer than a week, freeze the sauce into small portions in ice cube trays first, then add them to an airtight container, and pop one out when a tangy kick is needed!
Frequently Asked Questions
Chipotle peppers in adobo sauce are jalapeño peppers that have been dried and smoked before being mixed with a spiced tomato sauce, giving them a distinct smoky flavor and spicy kick. For this recipe, mature red jalapeño peppers are typically used, which tend to be spicier than their green counterparts. These peppers have ripened on the vine to their full maturity, giving them a more complex and intense flavor profile. On the Scoville scale, which measures the heat of peppers, jalapeños typically range from 2,500 to 8,000 heat units. Chipotle chilies, however, tend to fall in the middle to upper end of that range, meaning that they can pack quite a punch!
Chipotle Lime Sauce
Equipment
- Immersion Blender or Food Processor
- Cutting board
- Sharp knife
- Air Tight Container
Ingredients
- 2 Chipotles in Adobo Sauce — seeds removed, plus smoky sauce
- 1 c. Cilantro — tough stems removed
- ½ c. Green Onion
- 2 Garlic Cloves — peeled
- 2 tbsp. Fresh Lime Juice
- ¼ c. Fresh Orange Juice
- 1 tbsp. Honey
- ¼ c. Olive oil
- 1 tsp. Salt
- ¼ c. Yogurt — optional (see notes for vegan options)
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Instructions
Chop
- Remove the seeds from the chipotle pepper, roughly chop the cilantro and green onions, peel the garlic, and squeeze the citrus for juice.
Blend
- Blend all of the ingredients. Taste and adjust the seasoning and spiciness. And enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
