Chipotle Ranch Dip is an explosion of flavor and has a great kick of spice! Add everything to a blender and let it rip — you’ll be enjoying this dip in no time at all! Plus, I share loads of ways to enjoy this dip later on in the post.

Overhead image of Chipotle Ranch Dip

Chipotle Ranch Dip

Football season and football games are all about the food for me. I mean, I do enjoy a good football game, but for the most part, it’s the food I’m excited about — anyone else?! Taquitos, chicken wings, sliders, meatballs, and all the dips with tons of chips! 

Chicken wings are a game-day favorite for us, so I came up with our “ultimate” dipping sauce! I mean, honey mustard and bleu cheese are still in the line-up, but few things can compare with this incredible Chipotle Ranch Dip.

It’s also so simple to make and tastes way better than any store-bought sauce!

Overhead image of all the ingredients in a blender, ready to be turned into Chipotle Ranch Dip.

Chipotle Ranch Dip Ingredients

  • Mayo. I highly recommend real, full-fat mayonnaise for the best possible flavor in this dip. Hellmann’s/Best Foods® is hands-down my favorite brand (not sponsored).
  • Sour cream. I’ve used both lite and full-fat sour cream in this dip and didn’t notice much of a difference in flavor or creaminess — either works great.
  • Ranch seasoning mix. The secret for ranch flavor without ranch dressing? A seasoning mix! We love Hidden Valley® ranch seasoning mix best — it has the most robust flavor we’ve found! (Again, not sponsored.) Unfortunately, prepared ranch dressing doesn’t work in this recipe, we need the dry seasoning packet.
  • Fresh green onions. A little bit goes a long way and adds a nice freshness to this Chipotle Ranch Dip.
  • Lime juice. This ingredient is also important to the fresh flavor and slight hit of acidity.
  • Garlic. Fresh minced garlic or dried minced garlic both work — whatever you have on hand!
  • Salt and Pepper. These two ingredients are important for balancing and intensifying the flavors in this dip.
  • Chipotle peppers in adobo sauce. You can find canned chipotle peppers in adobo sauce in the Latin aisle of most grocery stores. The chipotles are where the spice is, so control the spice by adding less or more chipotles to personal preference. See the section below on storing leftover chipotles.

Quick Tip

Storing leftover chipotle peppers

There’s nothing worse than using only one or two peppers and not being able to use the rest of the can before it goes bad. Luckily, canned chipotle peppers freeze beautifully! Here’s how to freeze leftover chipotles after using them in this Chipotle Ranch Dip:

  • Spread a sheet of parchment paper onto a large pan.
  • Spoon out peppers with sauce, 1/2 inch apart, onto the pan. Place the pan in the freezer until peppers and sauce are frozen solid– about 1 hour.
  • Once frozen, the chipotles and sauce will peel off the tray easily.
  • Add all the frozen peppers to a freezer-safe plastic bag, seal while pressing out the air, and store in the freezer for up to 6 months.
  • To thaw: Take as many peppers as needed out of the bag and let stand at room temperature for 15-20 minutes or until thawed through (or pop individual peppers in the microwave for 10-15 seconds).

Image of the blended Chipotle Ranch Dip, still in the blender

Ways To Use Chipotle Ranch Dip

  • Use as a veggie dip. We love celery sticks, bell pepper strips, baby carrots, cucumber spears, and snap peas in this dip.
  • Serve with wings. Almost any flavor of chicken wings pairs nicely with this dip — especially a sweeter wing (so you’ll get sweet and spicy!).
  • Use as a sandwich spread. Just picture it! Add zing to any sandwich combination!
  • Drizzle on salads, tacos, or burrito bowls. These Fish Tacos or Shrimp Tacos would both be delicious with this dip.
  • Serve with sweet potato fries. Or drizzle over these Loaded Taco Fries for a delicious appetizer!
  • We love this dip so much, we created this delicious Chipotle Chicken Flatbread as another reason to make more of this dip!

Chipotle Ranch Dip Tips

  • Watch the quantities closely. It’s easy to go on autopilot and dump in the entire can of chipotles or the whole packet of ranch seasoning mix, so be sure to check out the quantities listed in the recipe card as you prepare the dip. Chipotles are incredibly spicy, so we use a very small amount and the entire ranch seasoning mix will be overpowering in flavor.
  • Thin with water as needed. If this dip is too thick (or thickens as it is stored in the fridge), drizzle in some water to thin to desired consistency.
  • Taste and adjust. Make sure to give the dip a few taste tests before serving — you may find you need a pinch more seasoning, a touch more lime juice, or would prefer more of a kick with additional chipotles.

Image of a piece of chicken being dipped into the Chipotle Ranch Dip

Storage

This dip will stay fresh in an airtight container in the fridge for 5-7 days. Give it a brisk stir and, if needed, thin with water before using again. While Chipotle Ranch Dip is a great make-ahead option, it does get hotter as it sits. You have been warned!

Unfortunately, this dip does not freeze and thaw well. 

More game day favorites

5 from 4 votes

Chipotle Ranch Dip

Chipotle Ranch Dip is an explosion of flavor and has a great kick of spice! Add everything to a blender and let it rip -- you'll be enjoying this dip in no time at all!
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 10 minutes
Servings: 10 servings (1 cup)

Ingredients 
 

  • 1/2 cup regular mayonnaise Note 1
  • 1/2 cup sour cream Note 2
  • 1 and 1/2 tablespoons ranch salad dressing mix Note 3
  • 1 tablespoon fresh green onions
  • 1/2 tablespoon fresh lime juice
  • 1/8 teaspoon dried minced garlic or 1/2 teaspoon fresh minced garlic
  • Fine sea salt & pepper to taste
  • 1-2 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce (NOT the entire can) Note 4

Instructions 

  • BLEND: Combine all of the ingredients in a high-powered blender or food processor. Season to taste with salt and pepper. (I add 1/4 teaspoon of each.) Blend until completely smooth.
  • ADJUST: Taste dip and adjust -- adding more seasonings to taste preference or increasing the chipotle peppers to heat preference. You may even want additional lime juice for a tangier sauce.
  • ENJOY: Serve as a veggie dip with sticks of celery, bell pepper, carrot, cucumber, and snap peas. Serve with wings. Almost any flavor of chicken wings pairs nicely with this dip -- especially a sweeter wing (so you'll get sweet and spicy!). Use as a sandwich spread, drizzle on salads, tacos, or burrito bowls. Use as a dip for sweet potato fries. The sky is the limit!

Video

Recipe Notes

Note 1: I highly recommend real, full-fat mayo for the best possible flavor in this dip. Hellmann's/Best Foodsยฎ is hands-down my favorite brand (not sponsored). There aren't any substitutes that I'd recommend instead of mayo.
Note 2:ย I've used both lite and full-fat sour cream in this dip and didn't notice much of a difference in flavor or creaminess -- either works great.
Note 3: The secret for ranch flavor without ranch dressing? A seasoning mix! We love Hidden Valleyยฎ ranch seasoning mix best -- it has the most robust flavor we've found! (Again, not sponsored.) Unfortunately, prepared ranch dressing doesn't work in this recipe, only the dry seasoning packet. Don't prepare the packet according to directions; just use the dry powder in this recipe.
Note 4: I buy a 7.5 ounce can of Chipotle Peppers in Adobo Sauce and start with 1 tablespoon of pepper(s) and surrounding sauce (which is usually 1 small pepper -- remove seeds if super sensitive to heat). Do not add the entire can; start slow and then add more until this dip is to your heat preference. Note that this dip does get hotter after sitting in the fridge overnight or for a few hours. Also, if you don't add enough chipotle peppers, the sauce may be lacking in flavor.
Nutrition informationย is for the entire recipe, since serving sizes will vary.

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 111kcal | Carbohydrates: 2g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 11g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 5g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 11mg | Sodium: 272mg | Potassium: 22mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 163IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 14mg | Iron: 1mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Meet Chelsea


Hello, and welcome to Chelseaโ€™s Messy Apron! Iโ€™m Chelsea, the recipe developer, food photographer, and writer behind the site. Iโ€™m passionate about creating simple, reliable, and delicious recipes that anyone can make.

Thanks for stopping byโ€”I hope you find something delicious to make!

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5 from 4 votes (2 ratings without comment)

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10 Comments

  1. Ava says:

    5 stars
    This was a great recipe! We made this for a potluck to pair with wings!

    1. Chelsea says:

      Thanks so much Ava! ๐Ÿ™‚

  2. Sue says:

    5 stars
    Today I made the chipotle ranch dip. It was yummy. I know itโ€™s going to be one of my go-to recipes for the future. I love that you are in control of the heat. My son will love it with chicken wings but he likes it HOT! Thanks for a great recipe. I have fallen in love with it!

    1. Chelsea says:

      I am so thrilled to hear this! Thanks so much Sue! ๐Ÿ™‚

  3. Natalie says:

    This looks delicious! Could you use ranch dressing or does it have to be the dry mix?

    1. chelseamessyapron says:

      Unfortunately no. The mix will already be “diluted” (the mix is basically before adding buttermilk/mayo) so the dressing won’t be strong enough for the dip.

  4. Tosha says:

    I made this to smother Chicken Avocado Burritos and it was to die for! Even my mayo-hating husband loved it. Score!

    1. chelseamessyapron says:

      YAY! So excited to hear that!! ๐Ÿ™‚

  5. Gayle says:

    This dip looks fantastic, Chelsea! I’m all about the food during football season too. I could totally imagine myself devouring this dip. Love that it’s made in a blender, too!

    1. chelseamessyapron says:

      Awe thank you so much Gayle! ๐Ÿ™‚