First Step: Gather and Prepare Ingredients. Measure out ¼ cup mayonnaise, 1 cup sour cream or your preferred alternative. Drain chipotle peppers from adobo sauce if you want a milder flavor. Gather lime juice, garlic, and salt. Make sure your mini food processor or blender is clean and ready.

Second Step: Blend Key Ingredients. Place mayonnaise, sour cream, chipotle peppers along with a little adobo sauce, lime juice, garlic, and a pinch of salt into the food processor. Blend the mixture until it turns smooth and creamy. This should take about 1-2 minutes, depending on your processor.

Third Step: Taste and Adjust. Taste your chipotle sauce carefully. Add more lime juice to brighten it or an extra pinch of salt to balance flavors. For more heat, blend in another chipotle pepper or a spoonful of adobo sauce. If the sauce is too thick, add a teaspoon of water or lime juice and blend again for desired consistency.

Fourth Step: Customize for Dietary Preferences. For vegan preparations, replace sour cream with cashew sour cream and mayonnaise with a plant-based alternative before blending. For a lower-calorie version, swap mayo and sour cream for Greek yogurt, blending until smooth and adjusting seasoning as needed.

Final Step: Store and Serve. Transfer the finished chipotle sauce into an airtight container. Refrigerate for at least one hour to let flavors meld. Serve as a versatile dip, spread, or drizzle over grilled chicken, tacos, burritos, or grain bowls. Leftover sauce stores well up to one week in the fridge; use clean utensils each time.