Chili Lime Dressing

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.

A mason jar filled with chili lime salad dressing

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!

Panera copycat chili lime salad dressing in a mason jar

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:

  1. Add light mayo, lime juice, and water to a small bowl.
  2. Whisk carefully to combine until the consistency is smooth and pourable (add more water if you’d like it thinner).
  3. 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.

Homemade chili lime salad dressing being scooped from a mason jar with a spoon

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!

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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A mason jar of Panera style chili lime salad dressing

Chili Lime Dressing

Nicole
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.
4.75 from 4 votes
Prep Time 5 minutes
Total Time 5 minutes
Course Ingredient, Sauce
Cuisine American, Mexican
Servings 4 fl oz
Calories 74 kcal

Equipment

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

Consistency: The lime juice and water help thin the mayo so it becomes pourable. Lime juice is potent, though, so if you want this dressing thinner just add more water.
Serving suggestions: Use this dressing on salads, burrito bowls, and tacos. It’ll add some heat and zest to any of these dishes!
Storing: Store this dressing in an air-tight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 month (just remember to give it a quick shake before using again). We use these glass bottles to store dressings, sauces, and syrups we make at home – they’re great! We definitely recommend having a set if you like to make these types of things frequently, too.

Nutrition

Calories: 74kcalCarbohydrates: 4gProtein: 1gFat: 6gSaturated Fat: 1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 4gMonounsaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 4mgSodium: 380mgPotassium: 42mgFiber: 1gSugar: 1gVitamin A: 203IUVitamin C: 4mgCalcium: 6mgIron: 1mg
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Keyword cayenne, chipotle powder, dressing, garlic, lime juice, mayo, paprika, salad dressing, southwest, turmeric

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4.75 from 4 votes (4 ratings without comment)

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