This Chipotle Lime Sauce is made with chipotles in adobo, fresh lime and orange juice, garlic, soy sauce, cumin, and olive oil. It is savory, spicy, and tangy. It is incredibly versatile and can be made with chicken, pork, or even with a plate of beans and rice or a veggie quesadilla.
This sauce comes together in less than 10 minutes, with plenty of leftovers for dipping, drizzling, or freezing for later. There is enough that half of it can be used as a marinade and the other half can be spooned over cheesy Chipotle Chicken Quesadillas, on top of tostadas, or in chicken tacos.
It is made without mayo, sour cream, yogurt, or dairy of any kind.
If you really love spicy sauce, you may love this sauce drizzled on these Crispy Cheesesteak Wraps, or swap it for the hot honey in these Hot Honey Wings.
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Why You’ll Love This Recipe
No Cooking, Only Blending: This sauce can be made without pulling out a single cooking dish or pan. All the ingredients are tossed together in the blender, and that’s it. Done!
It's Unique: It is spicy, savory, and slightly sweet. It is a blast of flavor. The combination is so unique and crave-worthy.
Ingredients
- Chipotle Peppers in Adobo: These can be found in a small can, usually in the International Section of a typical grocery store. They can also be found at Target and Whole Foods. Use the entire can including the sauce.
- Garlic Cloves: The garlic cloves are peeled, and not diced since they will go straight into the blender.
- Limes: Use fresh lime juice from 2 small limes. Do not use bottled lime juice.
- Orange: Use fresh squeezed orange juice from half an orange. It is more cost-effective than buying a bottle of orange juice. It's also fresher and tastes better.
- Cumin, Salt, and Black Pepper: Simple spices added to the sauce.
- Soy Sauce: Adds a salty savory flavor. Despite adding only 1 tablespoon of soy sauce, it adds a lot to the flavor of the sauce.
- Olive Oil: Use extra virgin olive oil, which adds more flavor than regular olive oil. I tend to buy Spanish extra virgin olive oil which you can find at Costco and Trader Joe’s. I am partial to Spanish olive oil after living in Spain for two years. It’s a high-quality product that often goes under the radar in the US.
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
Substitutions and Variations
- Chipotle Peppers in Adobo: The recipe calls for a 7 oz jar, but if you can only find a 6 oz or 8oz can that will work just fine. If it’s much larger, like 12 oz, just use a portion of the can including some of the sauce, rather than the entire can. Additionally, a company called Frontera will sometimes sell a glass jar or even a pouch of their version of a chipotle sauce. This can be used instead if you cannot find the canned chipotles.
- Garlic Cloves: I recommend fresh garlic that you peel yourself, however, you can use pre-peeled garlic if that is what you have on hand.
- Limes: I do not recommend using bottled lime juice. Key limes will also work.
- Orange: I recommend freshly squeezed orange juice, but you can also use a clementine, tangerine, or even a carton of orange juice.
- Soy Sauce: I often use Kikkoman or Trader Joe’s, but feel free to use any brand.
How to Make Chipotle Lime Sauce
Below are the three simple directions and step-by-step photos for making Chipotle Lime Sauce.
Note: The recipe card with instructions, ingredient list, and quantities is included further below these step-by-step photos.
Step 1. Add all the ingredients to a blender.
Expert Tip: If you prefer a less spicy sauce, reduce the amount of chipotle peppers and adobo sauce that you add to the blender. You can always taste the sauce and add more afterward if you want a little more heat.
Step 2. Blend all the ingredients for 1-2 minutes at medium speed until smooth. Taste and adjust if necessary by adding more olive oil or salt.
Step 3. Pour the sauce into a bowl. The sauce can now be used for dipping, drizzling on meat or vegetables, or as a marinade for cooking.
Recipe Tips
- Juicing Limes: If you do not have a juicer or citrus reamer, squeeze the lime before cutting it (press it between the counter and the palm of your hand rolling in all directions). Then cut the lime in half and to make juicing easier, stick the prongs of a fork into the lime as you squeeze the lime around the fork.
- Juicing an Orange: You only need the juice from half the orange, so I recommend juicing the other half and drinking it while preparing the dish so it doesn’t go to waste.
- Olive Oil: This recipe calls for ½ cup of extra virgin olive oil. If you feel that the sauce is too thick you can always add more olive oil, which will also temper the spiciness of the sauce.
How To Serve, Store, and Freeze
- To Serve:
- Marinade: This sauce can be used as a marinade for chicken and pork. Use ⅓ to ½ of the sauce to pour over the chicken or pork and cook. Reserve the remaining sauce for dipping, drizzling, etc.
- Dipping/ Drizzling: Drizzle the sauce in a cheese quesadilla with veggies or meat or on the side for dipping. Serve over refried black beans, or with beans and rice. It can be used on top of tostadas, in tacos, or enchiladas.
- To Store: Keep in an airtight container in the fridge for 1-2 weeks. Stir well before serving.
- To Freeze: keep in an airtight container or a freezer bag and freeze for up to 3 months. Before serving, add the sauce to a blender for 1 minute until emulsified and smooth.
Chipotle Lime Sauce FAQs
This chipotle lime sauce is made of chipotles in adobo, garlic, lime juice, orange juice, soy sauce, salt, pepper, and cumin. This sauce is not made with mayo, sour cream, or yogurt.
It is smoky, spicy, and tangy from the lime and orange juice. The primary flavor is chipotle.
You can adjust the spiciness of the sauce by adding more or less chipotle peppers or by adding more or less olive oil.
Other Spicy Dishes to Consider:
If you tried this Chipotle Lime Sauce or any other recipe on my website, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went and what you made it with in the 📝 comments below. I would love to hear from you!
Chipotle Lime Sauce
Ingredients
- 1 7oz can chipotles in adobo
- 1 clove garlic, peeled
- 2 small limes, juiced
- ½ orange, juiced
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ cup extra virgin olive oil
Instructions
- Add all of the ingredient to a blender.
- Blend for 1 to 2 minutes until smooth.
- Pour into a bowl and use as a dipping sauce, to drizzle on meat, vegetables, or beans, or as a marinade.
Notes
- Adjust the Spice Level: If you prefer a less spicy sauce, reduce the amount of chipotle peppers and adobo sauce that you add to the blender. You can always taste the sauce and add more afterward if you want a little more heat.
- Olive Oil: This recipe calls for ½ cup of extra virgin olive oil. If you feel that the sauce is too thick you can always add more olive oil, which will also temper the spiciness of the sauce.
- Juicing Limes: If you do not have a juicer or citrus reamer, squeeze the lime before cutting it (press it between the counter and the palm of your hand rolling in all directions). Then cut the lime in half, and to make juicing easier, stick the prongs of a fork into the lime as you squeeze the lime around the fork.
- Juicing an Orange: You only need the juice from half the orange for this recipe. So I recommend juicing the other half and drinking it while preparing the dish so it doesn’t go to waste.
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