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Home » Recipes » Condiments

Chipotle Lime Sour Cream Sauce

Published: Jan 12, 2024 · Modified: Apr 5, 2025 by Christina Koncker · This post may contain affiliate links · Leave a Comment

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Oh yes, you are so going to score points for serving this Chipotle Lime Sour Cream sauce next Taco Tuesday! Plus, it's super easy to make, requiring only sour cream, chipotle en adobo peppers, and fresh lime juice. A quick blend and brief refrigerator chill and you're ready to serve this smoky, creamy, and refreshingly acidic sauce.

This sauce is on the liquidy side, perfect for drizzling on taco salads, burrito bowls, or enjoying as a chip dip. You know those super thin Tostitos Cantina Thin & Crispy chips? I'm obsessed with them, but they aren't ideal for enjoying guacamole or chunky salsas because they aren't a robust chip in the strength department. BUT they are perfect for dipping in this Chipotle Lime Sour Cream Sauce without breaking! 

Chipotle Lime Sour Cream sauce

This sour cream sauce is SO GOOD drizzled on these sizzling Chicken Fajita Tacos and on top of this Creamy Beef Taco Soup. And you must pair it with these Chipotle Chicken Quesadillas.

Jump to:
  • What to Love about this Chipotle Lime Sour Cream Sauce
  • How to Make Chipotle Lime Sour Cream - Ingredients
  • How to Make Chipotle Lime Cream Sauce - Directions
  • Chipotle Lime Sour Cream Sauce Variations
  • Top Tip
  • FAQ
  • Try this Chipotle Lime Crema with
  • Chipotle Lime Sour Cream Sauce
  • Recent Recipes on Midwexican

What to Love about this Chipotle Lime Sour Cream Sauce

Only 3 ingredients! Sour cream, canned chipotle en adobo peppers, and fresh-squeezed lime juice are all you need. 

Easy preparation! Break out that immersion blender, food processor, or blender - whatever you prefer or have on hand - to quickly whip up the sauce.

The flavor! The smoky heat from the canned chipotle en adobo peppers, the acidic hit from the lime juice, and perfectly creamy base make for an excellent Mexican cream sauce. 

The resulting viscosity. Thin enough to drizzle, but thick enough to coat a spoon, or better yet, a tortilla chip!

How to Make Chipotle Lime Sour Cream - Ingredients

Chipotle Lime Sour Cream Ingredients
  • Sour cream 
  • Canned chipotle en adobo peppers (and sauce)
  • Lime juice (fresh-squeezed is best)
  • Salt, to taste

Scroll on down to the recipe card for quantities.

On a Minnesota spicy scale of 1 being ketchup and 10 being I smelled a habanero and started crying, I'll give this sauce a 4. The sour cream helps rein in the heat from the canned chipotle en adobo peppers quite nicely, but it still has a nice bite to it. When I'm feeling zesty I add two chipotle en adobo peppers, kicking it up to a 9. Trust me, the Midwest math checks.

How to Make Chipotle Lime Cream Sauce - Directions

chipotle lime sour cream

Add all ingredients to a food processor or blender, or add to a glass measuring pitcher if you plan on using a stick blender like I did.

chipotle lime crema

Blend for 15 seconds or so, just long enough to pulverize the chipotle en adobo pepper into the sour cream. 

chipotle lime crema

Taste, and add salt if desired. Refrigerate for 2-3 hours to get that perfect gloopy thin consistency.

chipotle lime crema with tortilla chips

Serve with Tostitos Cantina Thin & Crispy chips, taco salad, or burrito bowls. 

Note: The sauce will be unpleasantly, imperfectly thin (IMO) at this stage. Like we're talking milk thin. Please don't panic. I find that a 2-3 hour refrigeration is necessary to achieve what I call gloopy thin - you know it's thin enough to be drizzleable but thick enough to pleasantly coat a spoon. THIS is the intended viscosity for this sauce. 

Makes approximately 1.5 cups.

Chipotle Lime Sour Cream Sauce Variations

There are several ways to modify this simple recipe to make it your own. Here are a few suggestions to get you inspired. 

Spice it up... even more! Add a few dashes of cayenne pepper or chipotle powder to instantly add some heat. You could also add a few dashes of your favorite hot sauce, but be careful not to add too much or you risk the sauce perhaps getting too thin.

Add more flavor. A dash or two of garlic powder, onion powder, or cumin adds more dimension. 

Add a fresh herb. You know the one - cilantro. I don't care for it myself, but cilantro's addition turns this into a lovely Chipotle Lime Cilantro sauce. Or so I've heard.

Top Tip

I may have mentioned this earlier, but plan on refrigerating the Chipotle Lime sauce for 2-3 hours before serving so you get the perfect consistency.

Chipotle Lime Sour Cream Sauce pin

FAQ

What can I use Chipotle Lime Sour Cream Sauce for?

This Chipotle Lime Sour Cream sauce can be used as a dressing for taco salads, a tortilla chip dip, or atop tacos, burritos, tostadas and more! This sauce is about the viscosity of a Chipotle Lime Crema. I haven't tried this yet, but it has the potential to make a great pasta dish, maybe with some Rotisserie chicken and fresh corn....

How long does homemade Chipotle Lime Sour Cream sauce last?

Store the Chipotle Lime Sour Cream sauce in a lidded container. For best results, use within 5 days.

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Chipotle Lime Crema

Chipotle Lime Sour Cream Sauce

Christina Koncker
Taco Tuesday called! And it's needing some Chipotle Lime Sour Cream sauce. Sour cream, canned chipotle en adobo peppers, and fresh lime juice are all you need for this smoky, creamy, and refreshingly acidic sauce.
5 from 1 vote
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 5 minutes mins
Refrigeration Time 3 hours hrs
Total Time 3 hours hrs 5 minutes mins
Course condiment
Cuisine American, Mexican
Servings 1.5 cups
Calories 388 kcal

Equipment

  • 1 immersion blender

Ingredients
  

  • 1 ¼ cups sour cream
  • 1 chipotle en adobo pepper plus 2 teaspoons chipotle en adobo sauce
  • 2 teaspoons lime juice
  • Salt (to taste)

Instructions
 

  • Add all ingredients to a food processor or blender, or add to a glass measuring pitcher if you plan on using a stick blender like I did here.
    1 ¼ cups sour cream, 1 chipotle en adobo pepper, 2 teaspoons lime juice
  • Blend for 15 seconds or so, just long enough to pulverize the chipotle en adobo pepper into the sour cream. 
  • Note: The sauce will be unpleasantly, imperfectly thin (IMO) at this stage. Like we're talking milk thin. Please don't panic. I find that a 2-3 hour refrigeration is necessary to achieve what I call gloopy thin - you know it's thin enough to be drizzleable but thick enough to pleasantly coat a spoon. THIS is the intended viscosity for this sauce. 
  • Taste, and add salt if desired.
    Salt
  • Refrigerate for 2-3 hours to get that perfect gloopy thin consistency. 
  • Serve with Tostitos Cantina Thin & Crispy chips, taco salad, or burrito bowls.

Notes

Store the Chipotle Lime Sour Cream sauce in a lidded container. For best results, use within 5 days.
On a Minnesota spicy scale of 1 being ketchup and 10 being I smelled a habanero and started crying, I’ll give this sauce a 4. The sour cream helps rein in the heat from the canned chipotle en adobo peppers quite nicely, but it still has a nice bite to it. When I’m feeling zesty I add two chipotle en adobo peppers.
*Please note that nutrition facts are calculated using an online calculator and are estimates. 

Nutrition

Calories: 388kcalCarbohydrates: 11gProtein: 5gFat: 37gSaturated Fat: 19gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 9gCholesterol: 113mgSodium: 60mgPotassium: 247mgFiber: 1gSugar: 7gVitamin A: 1198IUVitamin C: 4mgCalcium: 195mgIron: 0.4mg
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Christina from Midwexican

About Christina

I'm a home cook with 20+ years of experience and have been blogging about it since 2017. I'm a Minnesota native who can't get enough of south-of-the-border flavors. My recipes combine comforting Midwestern eats with bold Mexican and Tex-Mex flavors. If you love comforting food, bold flavors, and - most importantly - tacos! then you'll love what I'm cooking!

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