Last updated November 8th, 2024
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This copycat recipe for Panera’s chili lime salad dressing is creamy, zesty, and a little spicy – and perfect for drizzling over salads or burrito bowls.

I was super sad to learn that Panera no longer offers its Southwest Chili Lime Ranch Salad (it was my favorite lunch order!) so I’m on a mission to replicate it at home. After creating my own version of their bean corn salsa, the next crucial step is making our own chili lime ranch dressing recipe at home.
What This Recipe Entails
This dressing is creamy, citrusy, and a little spicy, and it complements the southwest flavors of a salad or burrito bowl so well. And thankfully it takes just a couple minutes to make.
- Prep time: 5 minutes
This recipe uses mayo, lime juice, and then a handful of seasoning to create its bright and full flavor. And you very well might already have everything you need to make it!

Chili Lime Dressing Ingredients
We wanted to keep this recipe as simple as possible and thankfully that was easy to do with a handful of spices that you likely already have! Our chili lime salad dressing is simply made up of light mayo, lime juice, water, and a few seasonings:
- Ground red cayenne pepper
- Chipotle powder
- Paprika
- Turmeric
- Garlic powder
- Onion powder
- Salt
The dressing gets its spice (and a little smokiness) from the cayenne pepper, chipotle powder, and paprika. Turmeric is mostly used to enhance the dressing’s color, but its earthy flavors tone down the lime and balance out the heat as well. Garlic and onion add to the depth of flavor, while salt enhances the overall flavor profile of the chili lime dressing.
Unlike Panera’s chili lime ranch dressing, our salad dressing is mayo-based. Light mayo is the perfect blank canvas for recreating your favorite sauces, dressings, and spreads since it’s so plain. When thinned with lime juice and water, it’s the perfectly pourable consistency for drizzling over salads. Plus, this recipe is so flavorful you’ll never even guess it started with mayo!
How To Make Chili Lime Salad Dressing
It’s super quick and easy to whip up a batch of this chili lime dressing. Here’s how we do it:
- Add light mayo, lime juice, and water to a small bowl.
- Whisk carefully to combine until the consistency is smooth and pourable (add more water if you’d like it thinner).
- Add the seasonings and whisk vigorously until combined.
That’s it! In 5 minutes or less, this chili lime dressing is ready to use on your favorite salads, burrito bowls, and sandwiches. To make mixing small batches of dressings like this one even easier, we use our trusty mini whisk. If you like making your own sauces, spreads, and dressings, we highly recommend getting one.

You can also prepare this dressing ahead of time and store it in a glass bottle or jar in the refrigerator. We like to use these glass bottles for homemade dressings, sauces, and syrups – they’re the perfect size and clean easily in the dishwasher between uses. Or, you can also use a mason jar. Stored properly, this chili lime dressing will stay good for up to 1 month – so you can keep enjoying it over and over!
Serving Suggestions
While we made this dressing to go on our southwest chili lime salad, we’ve found so many great ways to use it. Here are some of our favorites to serve as inspiration for you!
- Use as a sauce for your next burrito bowl like our chili lime chicken burrito bowls or our chipotle lime black bean burrito bowls
- Enjoy on our vegetarian black bean southwest sliders made on King’s Hawaiian rolls
- Drizzle over a southwest inspired California veggie pizza
- Or just serve as a simple dip with some tortilla chips, bread, or crackers
No matter how you choose to use it, this bright and flavorful chili lime dressing adds a southwest flare to any recipe. Give it a try and let us know your favorite use for it in the comments below!
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Chili Lime Dressing
Equipment
- Glass bottle optional
Ingredients
- ½ cup light mayo
- 2 tablespoons lime juice
- 1 tablespoon water
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon ground red cayenne pepper
- ¼ teaspoon turmeric
- ¼ teaspoon chipotle powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Add mayo, lime juice, and water to a small bowl and whisk gently until combined.
- Add remaining ingredients and whisk thoroughly until well-combined. Transfer to a glass bottle or other airtight container for storage, or use immediately.
Notes
Nutrition
If you have any questions regarding the information presented in this post, please refer to our Nutrition Disclaimer here.
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