I really like to make my own condiments and spices whenever possible, so when I wanted to try chipotle mayo in my fish tacos, making my own was a no-brainer!
Homemade Chipotle Mayo
I’ve been making my own mayonnaise for years now. I like being able to use healthy oils such as coconut or olive oil and I prefer to avoid the preservatives in store-bought mayo.
My family loves the smoky, spicy flavors of the southwest though so I decided to add a little zip to my regular mayo with this chipotle mayo.
I use about a cup of my homemade mayo as the base, although you can also find some good store-bought mayos these days too (like this one). The sour cream is optional but adds creaminess and tones down the heat. If you don’t eat dairy, just use more mayo instead. I add some chipotle chili powder, garlic powder, lime juice and zest, chives, salt, and pepper. Give it a good stir and it’s done!
This mayo is a great substitute for regular mayo in almost any recipe. Try it in fish tacos or dipping sauce for homemade fish sticks, french fries, chicken salad or egg salad, or just a veggie dipping sauce.
Is Chipotle Powder the Same as Chili Powder?
Nope! Chili powder is made out of dried ground peppers mixed with other seasonings like cumin, garlic, and oregano.
Chipotle powder (this stuff) is just ground peppers. Chipotles are jalapeños that are allowed to ripen until they’re nice and red. Then they’re smoked and dried. At that point they’re either canned, ground into powder, or left whole.
Chipotle powder is smoky and a bit spicy. If you’re not a fan of heat, you can sub mild smoked paprika for the chipotle powder.
More Homemade Condiments With Southwest Flavor
I mentioned that we’re a big fan of southwest flavors around here, right? We like them so much that I’ve come up with my own recipes for a lot of southwest spices and condiments. Give them a try… you might find that you like making your ingredients from scratch too!
- Adobo Seasoning
- Chili Seasoning
- Cilantro Pesto
- Enchilada Sauce
- Fajita Seasoning
- Fermented Salsa – full of probiotics
- Garlic, Onion, and Chili Powders – instructions on how to dry and make your own
- Homemade Taco Seasoning – a staple in our house
Next I’m working on a homemade pico de gallo recipe to use of all my garden tomatoes!

Chipotle Mayo Recipe
Ingredients
- ½ cup mayonnaise
- ½ cup sour cream (or another ½ cup mayonnaise)
- ½ tsp chipotle powder (or more to taste, or 1-2 chipotle chilis from a can of chipotle in adobo)
- ½ tsp garlic powder
- 1 small lime (zest of entire lime and juice of half of it)
- ¼ tsp black pepper
- 1 pinch salt (or more to taste)
- 1 tsp chives (dried)
Instructions
- In a small bowl, whisk together all the ingredients until combined.
- Use in place of regular mayo to give any recipe a southwest flavor!
Notes
Nutrition
Or, if you’re not a fan of making your own chipotle lime mayo (which makes me wonder why you searched for this and read this far), Primal Kitchen now has a delicious pre-made Chipotle Lime Mayo recipe.
Do you make flavored mayos? What kinds do you like?
This is a good question. Did you receive a response?
About 3/4 – 1 cup
Thank you for sharing this recipe! I will definitely make this.
my hubby makes his own chipotle powder, he’ll appreciate this recipe. Thanks:)
Thanks, I tried some last night and it was so good! You saved me looking for a recipe!
Looks delish! How much mayo is in “one batch?”
Looks sooo yummy! My hubby would love it. 🙂 thanks for sharing!
Ha! I’ve picked up a bottle of chipotle mayo at least twice in the store and put them back when I read the ingredients. And I thought, “I’m sure The Mommypotamus will come out with a recipe for it one of these days.” Good things come to those who wait! Thanks, Heather! 🙂
Lol, that’s awesome!
Yum! This sounds amazing!
This looks delicious! I’m on the candida-diet right now, but my “cheat” is mayo. This looks delicious!
Yum! My husband will love this! Thank you for sharing.