Chipotle Chicken Recipe
➤ Introduction for Chipotle Chicken Recipe
Chipotle Chicken is a fantastic tasty Mexican style dish. It’s tender chicken that is drenched in a smoky, spicy sauce made from chipotle peppers in adobo.
Chipotle peppers are dried and smoked jalapeño filled with smoky goodness.
This balanced dish is spicy, smoky, and tangy but is versatile enough to be rolled into tacos, burritos, burrito bowls and salads.
➤ Why I Love This Chipotle Chicken Recipe
•Bold Flavor Profile: The perfect balance of smoky, spicy, and slightly sweet flavors
•Versatile: Use in tacos, burritos, bowls, salads, or as a main dish
•Meal Prep Friendly: Makes excellent leftovers and can be used in multiple meals
•Adjustable Heat Level: Easily customize the spice level to your preference
•Option: High in protein and can be part of a balanced meal
•Quick to Prepare: Simple marinade and cooking process for weeknight dinners
➤ Chipotle Chicken Recipe Ingredients
•2 pounds of boneless, skinless chicken thighs (chicken breasts work tooifthat’s what you have)
•3-4 chipotle peppers from a can – the ones that come in that smoky adobo sauce
•2 tablespoons of that same adobo sauce from the can
•4 garlic cloves, chopped up fine
•2 tablespoons olive oil
•2 tablespoons honey(or brown sugar if you’re out of honey)
•1 tablespoon ground cumin
•1 tablespoon dried oregano
•2 teaspoons smoked paprika
•1 teaspoon salt
•½ teaspoon black pepper
•Juice from 2 limes
•¼ cup fresh cilantro, chopped (save some extra for sprinkling on top at the end)
➤ How to Make Chipotle Chicken Recipe
1• Prep your marinade: Put all the chipotle peppers, adobo sauce, garlic, olive oil, honey, cumin, oregano, smoked paprika, salt, pepper, and lime juice in a food processor or blender. Blend until smooth. No chunks!
2• Let that chicken marinate: Place your chicken in a large ziplock or container with a lid. Pour the marinade on the chicken and add the cilantro. Seal the bag/container and massage the chicken to coat evenly. Place in the fridge for at least 2 hours, but preferably overnight – your chicken will benefit from all of that flavor.
3• Ready to cook!
•If you’re grilling: Preheat your grill to medium-high heat. Cook the chicken 5-7 minutes on each side. The chicken should be cooked to 165°F in the thickest part (use a meat thermometer if you have it).
•If you’re cooking on the stovetop: Preheat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add a tablespoon of oil to the pan. Cook the chicken for 6-8 minutes on each side until cooked through.
If you’re more of an oven man, go ahead and preheat your oven to 425°F. Place the chicken on a baking sheet (consider placing some parchment paper down if you don’t want to have to scrub the baking sheet later) and bake for 20-25 minutes until it’s cooked all the way through.
You can tell that it is ready when it looks golden brown with some dark spots here and there. After it is done, give it a minute or two to cool so you don’t burn yourself cutting into it, and then pile on the extra cilantro!
➤ Chipotle Chicken Recipe Tips & Variations
• Too spicy for you? Simply use 1 or 2 chipotle peppers instead of the full amount of 3-4. Want it hotter? Add another pepper or use a pinch of cayenne pepper.
• Want it creamier? Add a couple tablespoons of Greek yogurt or sour cream to the marinade.
• Love citrus? Add some juice from an orange along with the lime – it makes it pop.
Like it tangy? A tablespoon of apple cider vinegar will do the trick.
• Don’t eat meat? You can use this marinade on firm tofu or tempeh too.
• Want it sweeter? Try three tablespoons of honey – this will really counteract some of that smoky heat.
➤ Serving Suggestions for Chipotle Chicken Recipe
• Put it in warm tortillas with avocado, pico de gallo, and lime wedges – killer tacos! Put it on top of burrito bowls with rice, beans, corn, and guacamole.
• Chop it and add it to a Southwest salad with romaine, black beans, corn and ranch.
• Put it over cilantro-lime rice with some roasted veggies on the side.
• Use it on Mexican-style pizza – trust me! Stuff it into quesadillas with melted cheese for something fast and satisfying!
If you love this smoky, spicy chipotle chicken, then you have got to try our Chicken 65 Recipe – it has a bunch of wonderful, vibrant spices and its unbelievably crispy. Just another way to set your chicken apart with big flavor!
➤ Storage and Leftovers
• In the fridge: Keep your cooked chipotle chicken in a sealed container for up to 4 days.
• In the freezer: Pop it in freezer bags or containers – it’ll keep for up to 3 months. Just move it to the fridge the night before you want to eat it so it can thaw out.
• Heating it back up: Microwave it with a little splash of water so it doesn’t dry out, or warm it up in a pan over medium heat until it’s hot all the way through.
Chipotle Chicken Recipe
Course: Dinner, Lunch6
servings15
minutes25
minutes280
kcalIngredients
2 pounds of boneless, skinless chicken thighs (chicken breasts work tooifthat’s what you have)
3-4 chipotle peppers from a can – the ones that come in that smoky adobo sauce
2 tablespoons of that same adobo sauce from the can
4 garlic cloves, chopped up fine
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons honey(or brown sugar if you’re out of honey)
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 tablespoon dried oregano
2 teaspoons smoked paprika
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon black pepper
Juice of 2 limes
¼ cup fresh cilantro, chopped (save some extra for sprinkling on top at the end)
Directions
- Prep your marinade: Put all the chipotle peppers, adobo sauce, garlic, olive oil, honey, cumin, oregano, smoked paprika, salt, pepper, and lime juice in a food processor or blender. Blend until smooth. No chunks!
- Let that chicken marinate: Place your chicken in a large ziplock or container with a lid. Pour the marinade on the chicken and add the cilantro. Seal the bag/container and massage the chicken to coat evenly. Place in the fridge for at least 2 hours, but preferably overnight – your chicken will benefit from all of that flavor.
- If you’re grilling: Preheat your grill to medium-high heat. Cook the chicken 5-7 minutes on each side. The chicken should be cooked to 165°F in the thickest part (use a meat thermometer if you have it).
- If you’re cooking on the stovetop: Preheat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add a tablespoon of oil to the pan. Cook the chicken for 6-8 minutes on each side until cooked through.
Notes
- • For milder flavor, use fewer chipotle peppers
• Makes excellent leftovers for meal prep throughout the week
• Try adding 1 tablespoon of apple cider vinegar to the marinade for extra tanginess
• Store cooked chicken in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days
➤ Chipotle Chicken FAQs
Q: Can I use chicken breast instead of chicken thighs?
⤷ A: Yes! Definitely. Justbe mindful that breasts tend to cook more quickly and have a lower fat content than thighs. Start checking a few minutes before the recipe is done to avoid overcooking.
Q: How spicy will this be?
⤷ A: With 3-4 chipotle peppers, it has a nice medium kind of heat to it. If you are unsure of your heat tolerance start with less, you can always add more the next time around.
Q: Can I prep this ahead of time?
⤷ A: Yes! You can marinate the chicken up to 24 hours in advance – it will taste even better. Plus, once you cook the chicken, it stores really well in the fridge for the week for meal prep.
Amazing recipe thank you so mush my family liked it !
Response from crispycooking
Omg glad to hear that!!