Chipotle Crema Sauce Recipe (2024)

October 4, 2023July 5, 2021 by Erin

Add some smoke and spice to your favorite recipes with this Chipotle Crema. A Mexican-inspired sauce, this creamy mix is made with chipotles in adobo to give a boost to tacos, salads, and more!

My Chipotle Crema is bound to become your new favorite dipping sauce, garnish, or taco topping. With a million different uses under its belt, this crema will enhance the flavor of everything in which it’s added. All you need is a blender or food processor and 5 minutes to whip it up!

Just like with my cilantro lime crema recipe, the ingredients in the chipotle sauce are quite simple. Made with sour cream, mayonnaise, chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, and a few aromatics, the crema turns out light, tangy, and smoky.

It’s the perfect companion to Fish Tacos, Steak Carnitas Bowls, Sweet Potato Tacos or as a dipping sauce for Air Fryer Quesadillas, Chicken Wings, Air Fryer Salmon Bites and Boiled Shrimp.

What is crema?

This Mexican condiment has a very similar taste, texture, and purpose as sour cream. Tangy and rich, crema is traditionally made with cream, buttermilk, and lime juice. It’s a cool and creamy finishing touch to tacos, enchiladas, or soups.

The westernized version is typically made with a base of mayonnaise and sour cream before being flavored with add-ins. I used chipotle peppers in this recipe, but lime juice, avocado, and cilantro are all wonderful choices as well.

Ingredients needed

• Sour Cream – Regular or fat-free. You can also use Greek yogurt.
• Mayonnaise –Regular or fat-free.
• Chipotle Peppers & Adobo Sauce – Chipotle peppers in adobo sauce are jalapeno peppers that have been smoked and dried. To rehydrate the peppers, they’re added to a smoky adobo sauce made from peppers, tomato paste, and warm spices. The end result is a somewhat spicy, sweet, smoky, and tangy mix you can use in sauces, chili, salsa, beans, enchiladas, and more.
• Lime
• Garlic
• Cumin
• Salt

How to make it

Add all of your ingredients to a blender or food processer. Blend until the sauce is smooth. Give it a taste to see if you need to add more salt.

Either serve the finished crema right away or refrigerate until you’re ready to serve.

How to use it

You can use the chipotle sauce for almost anything! It adds creamy and smoky elements to your meals or appetizers, plus it’s an amazing go-to dip for your snacks. Here’s how I suggest using it:

• With seafood: Drizzle some crema on top of fish taco bowls, salmon, or shrimp skewers. It’ll also add a nice smokiness to an avocado tuna salad and poached fish.
• As a dip: For zucchini fries, air fryer quesadillas, sweet potato fries, air fryer shrimp, chicken wings and tenders, and brussel sprouts.
• As a dressing: On burrito bowls, buddha bowls, southwest salad, street corn chicken tacos, and stuffed poblano peppers.
• As a spread: On sandwiches, paninis, and hamburgers.

Variations

• If you don’t have chipotles in adobo, use chipotle powder or smoked paprika and a pinch of cayenne instead.
• Vegan crema: Replace the mayonnaise and sour cream with plant based alternatives.
• For extra spice, blend an additional chipotle pepper in the sauce or add a pinch or two of cayenne.
• To lighten it up, replace the mayonnaise or sour cream with plain Greek yogurt.

Storing

The adobo crema stores well in a sealed jar or squeeze bottle in the fridge. Use it up within 5 days.

The texture of the crema will naturally thicken as it sits in the fridge. If it’s too thick, stir in a little lime juice or a splash of water until it thins out.

Recipes to enjoy with chipotle crema

• Quinoa and Turkey Taco Lettuce Wraps
• Slow Cooker Carnitas
• Chicken Tortillas Soup
• Mexican Meatballs
• Sweet Potato Tacos
• Air Fryer Quesadillas
• Cauliflower Tacos

More homemade sauces

• White BBQ Sauce
• Jalapeno Ranch Dip
• Chick-Fil-A Sauce
• Aji Amarillo
• Remoulade Sauce
• Mojo Sauce
• Buffalo Sauce
• Honey Mustard Sauce
• Cilantro Lime Crema
• Lebanese Garlic Sauce
• 9+ Tasty Taco Sauces

Did you try this chipotle crema sauce recipe?

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