Panera Chile Lime Ranch Dressing is a low calorie homemade tangy salad dressing copycat of Panera's Chile Lime Rojo Ranch from the Southwest Chile Lime Ranch Salad with Chicken. It comes together in just minutes and can be stored in the refrigerator.
My favorite salad at Panera is the Southwest Chile Lime Ranch Salad with Chicken (with the BBQ Chicken Salad coming in at a close second!) It comes with a Chile Lime Rojo Ranch Dressing which is so delicious.
Panera salads are quite expensive, so I don't usually get them often. With having to stay home so much this spring and summer, I decided to make a homemade version of the salad which would not be complete without the dressing!
This homemade Chile Lime Ranch Dressing tastes just like I remember. It's a little sweet, a little spicy, with a unique blend of flavors. Soon I'll be sharing the copycat of the salad I made with the dressing! (UPDATE: See my version of Panera Southwest Chile Lime Ranch Salad).
This dressing is low calorie at just 50 calories for a 2 tablespoon serving! This can even be lowered by using light versions of the dairy components.
Also try my Cilantro Lime Crema Costco Copycat on salads!
LOVE PANERA? Check out my Panera Copycat Recipes: BBQ Chicken Salad, BBQ Ranch Dressing, Broccoli Cheddar Soup, Sonoma Chicken Stew, and Creamy Roasted Tomato Soup!
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Recipe Details
This recipe appears to have a lot of ingredients, but it's basically a simple buttermilk ranch dressing with a bunch of dried herbs and spices. The Panera version has Greek yogurt, so I added some of that.
The lime juice adds some tanginess, and the chipotle adds a kick. If you like spice, you can add more adobo sauce or chipotle to bump it up. You can also adjust the amount of cayenne.
The turmeric is used for coloring, so you can omit if you'd like. I wanted the dressing not only to taste like the one from Panera but also look like it.
Adjusting the Spice
I have suggestions for the amounts of chipotle pepper and adobo sauce, but these can be adjusted based on your preference. The more you use, the spicier it will be. I suggest starting out small and tasting it. Then, you can add more if you prefer more heat.
Gluten Free Option
This dressing is naturally gluten free!
Looking for More Healthy Recipes?
Panera Southwest Chile Lime Ranch Salad
Panera BBQ Chicken Salad
Panera BBQ Ranch Dressing
Cilantro Lime Crema Costco Copycat Dressing
Garlic Braised Chicken Thighs with Roasted Carrots
Lemon Orzo Salad {Vegan}
Chicken Caesar Salad
Garlic Roasted Cauliflower
Cauliflower Crust Pizza
Haricots Verts with Shallots
Low Carb White Chicken Chili
Turkey Chili {Low Carb Option}
Turkey Burgers
Huli Huli Hawaiian Chicken
Spicy Honey Brushed Chicken Thighs {MSPI}
📖 Recipe
Panera Chile Lime Ranch Dressing
Ingredients
- ½ cup buttermilk (see note)
- ¼ cup mayonnaise (regular or light)
- ¼ cup sour cream (regular or light)
- ½ cup Greek yogurt
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 1 tablespoon white or apple cider vinegar
- juice of 1 lime
- 1 chipotle in adobo
- 1-2 teaspoons adobo sauce (more to increase spice)
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 2 teaspoons cumin
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ¼ teaspoon mustard powder
- 2 teaspoons dried cilantro
- ½-¾ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- turmeric (for color, optional)
- cayenne (to taste)
Instructions
- Combine all ingredients in a food processor.
- Blend until smooth.
- Refrigerate in an airtight container such as a mason jar until ready to use. Keeps for about 1 week.
Gertie says
I could eat this with just a spoon. So good. Thanks for sharing!
Alyssa says
Delicious recipe! Do you know the amount of calories it is?
Meghan says
So glad you liked it! I did a rough calculation of calories, and it's about 20 calories per tablespoon, but this will depend on whether you use light or regular sour cream and/or mayo and what % fat the Greek yogurt is. Hope that helps! 🙂
Brian says
Wow! Made it tonight and this is EXACTLY it!!! Thank you!
Meghan says
Thank you for the feedback! So glad you liked it!
Michelle says
Hi, I haven't made this yet, but do you think this will keep longer in the fridge if you use fermented mayo instead of regular? I put some whey into my mayo when I make it at home so it lasts about 2 weeks instead of 3 days, so flavored mayos last longer too. Or does the expiry date more depend on the other dairies as well?
Meghan says
Hi there, I think the lime juice and vinegar probably help extend how long it will last, but you're right this may depend more on the expiration date of the buttermilk, sour cream and yogurt. In my experience with homemade dressings, they do tend to get a little thinner over time. This may have something to do with the acid breaking down the dairy. I think adding a little extra yogurt to thicken if desired might do the trick. Hope this helps!