Featured in our Chile Lime Chicken meal, this chile lime paste is a savory, flavor-packed blend with a medium spice level. Chipotle pepper, garlic, lime zest, butter, and smoked paprika come together as a thick, rich paste that’s absolutely delicious on any protein.
- Prep Time: 10
- Cook Time: 5
- Total Time: 15 minutes
- Yield: 8 oz (1 cup) 1x
Ingredients
Scale
- 2/3 cup melted butter
- 2 tbsp minced garlic
- 2 tbsp chopped chipotle peppers in adobo sauce
- 3 tbsp ancho chili powder
- 1 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 1/3 tbsp lime juice
- 1 1/3 tbsp lime zest
- 2 tbsp kosher salt
- 1 tsp black pepper
Instructions
- If you’re using fresh garlic, finely mince the garlic. Set aside.
- Using a microplane or fine grater, zest the lime into a small bowl. Then cut the lime in half and squeeze out the juice, removing any seeds. Set both aside.
- Finely chop the chipotle peppers. Be sure to scoop up a bit of the adobo sauce to add in with the pepper for extra flavor.
- In a small saucepan or pot, melt the butter over low to medium heat.
- Once the butter is melted, add the minced garlic. Stir and cook for 1–2 minutes, just until fragrant. Be careful not to brown the garlic. Remove the pot from the heat.
- Add the lime zest, lime juice, chopped chipotle pepper (with a bit of the adobo sauce), and the other ingredients listed. Stir until everything is well combined.
How to use: Rub paste generously over your protein of choice. It works well on skin-on chicken breast, skin-on chicken thighs, or even crispy tofu.
- Cooking tip: Spread the paste on the skin side and place in a 400°F oven, skin side up, baking it for 30-45 minutes or until the chicken reaches 165°F internal temperature and the skin gets crispy.
Notes
- The paste will be runny at first because of the melted butter. If you prefer a thicker paste (like the kind you get when you have the meal), transfer it to a bowl and refrigerate. The butter will firm up and give the paste a more solid texture.
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