There is nothing like the bold and creamy kick of Chipotle crema Made with smoked adobo sauce, sour cream, garlic and fresh lime juice. You can make this bold and creamy Chipotle Crema (crema de chipotle) recipe with just 4 ingredients in just 5 minutes.
Chile crema pairs well with all your favorite Mexican recipes, such as pollo asado and carne asada recipes.
What is chipotle crema?
“Mexican crema” is a thick cream used in Mexican cuisine similar to how the United States uses sour cream. It adds a cooling effect to burritos, tacos, Mexican verde verde, etc. When mixed with chipotle peppers it becomes chipotle cream.
Traditionally, this delicious sauce is made with Mexican crema, but it is not easy to find, so we use sour cream, mayonnaise, crème fraîche or a combination of these options.
Component
Below are the “must have” ingredients to make a chipotle adobo sauce recipe. For the full ingredient list, see the recipe card below.
Chipotle peppers in adobo sauce
Chipotle peppers in adobo sauce are smoked and dried red jalapeños, re-cut and cooked in a spicy and slightly sweet tomato-based sauce. The peppers provide a rich, smoky flavor and mild heat, while the adobo sauce adds depth with its complex blend of flavors, including notes of vinegar, garlic, and various spices.
They are often used in Mexican and Southwestern US cuisines to add smoky heat to dishes such as chili, stews, marinades and sauces.
Variations
While the chipotle sour cream mix is perfect as is, it can be tweaked to suit your taste buds. Here are some common edits to consider:
spicy cream
Add more peppers to the mix to increase the spice. Start with half a pepper and work your way up.
Light cream
Looking for a versatile cream? Skip adding the peppers and use only the adobo sauce.
Traditional cream
Instead of sour cream, they replaced it, in equal parts, with Mexican cream.
Chipotle powder
If you don’t have chipotle pepper in adobo sauce, you can use dried chipotle powder. Start with 1/2 tsp and work your way up.
Tips for recipes
- lime juice – Do not replace fresh lime juice with bottled lime juice. Since the ingredient list is minimal, you won’t be able to mask the “bottled” taste.
- particularly smooth – Use a blender, food processor or immersion blender for an extremely smooth final product.
- taste test – Add more of each ingredient to your taste. We like to add more peppers and garlic.
- refrigerators – The cooler the chipotle cream, the more the flavors blend together. It also allows the sauce to thicken a bit, so this is a key step if using it as a dip versus a sauce. We recommend keeping in the fridge for at least an hour before serving.
- dilute the sauce – The sauce thickens as it sits, so stir in 1/2 tablespoon of water at a time, until the desired consistency is achieved.
uses
Dip – Use it as a dip for Mexican potatoes, carne asada fries, or chili cheese fries.
sauce – Perfect for spooning on quesadilla with steak, cheese quesadilla or mulita.
Taco recipes – This seasoning drizzled on tacos is divine. Think carne asada tacos or street tacos.
storage
To ensure your chipotle crema stays fresh, store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator. It should stay fresh and tasty for up to a week.
Calories: 485KKL
cost: $2.00
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Add the sour cream, chipotle peppers, lime juice, garlic and salt to a small bowl and mix to combine. Taste and adjust each ingredient.
Note 2 – Add more peppers to the mix to make it extra spicy. To make mild, use only the adobo sauce, not ground peppers.
Note 3 – Do not use bottled lime juice.
Calories: 485KKL | Carbohydrates: 19G | protein: 6G | Fat: 45G | Saturated fat: 23G | Polyunsaturated fat: 2G | Unsaturated fat: 11G | Cholesterol: 136mg | sodium: 72mg | potassium: 322mg | fiber: 4G | Sugar: 10G | vitamin: 1451IU | Vitamin C: 12mg | calcium: 243mg | iron: 1mg
