My copycat Chipotle Chicken Recipe makes beautifully seasoned, charred, and grilled meat for a spicy exterior and unbelievably juicy center. It takes a couple of hours to marinate, but you can’t deny the results: juicy and full of peppery flavors from the herbs, seasonings, and adobo chiles. In less than 45 minutes, you can make Chipotle Mexican Grill chicken. This will quickly become your friends’ favorite fast food place.
And since I have this Chipotle chicken recipe, it doesn’t matter if there is a Chipotle near me or not. I can make it right in my own kitchen! Making your own burrito bowls at home is a great way to save time and money. Plus – you can make Mexican food anytime that craving hits!.
This tastes just like the real thing, and makes such a simple easy weeknight dinner. I love how easy these taco bowls are to make. They’re a great recipe for when you don’t want to spend a lot of time making meals.
This cult favorite chicken is popular for a reason. The marinade tenderizes and flavors the meat with herbaceous yet spicy seasonings.
Grilled to juicy perfection, Chipotle Mexican Grill chicken can be thrown right into any quesadilla, fajita, taco, burrito… You name it!
I love to really replicate the restaurant experience by serving with a vibrant bowl of cilantro lime rice, pico de gallo, guacamole, and/or corn salsa — some of my favorite Chipotle recipes!
When it comes to chicken, I can’t live without my margarita, tequila lime, or chipotle lime grilled chicken recipes.
Chipotle chicken has become a staple menu item at restaurants across America. With its perfect balance of smokiness, spice, and subtle sweetness, this chicken packs some serious flavor that keeps fans coming back for more. But what exactly is chipotle chicken, and what makes it so irresistibly delicious? Let’s break it down.
Chipotle Chicken 101: The Basics
At its core, chipotle chicken is simply chicken that has been marinated and/or cooked with chipotle peppers Chipotle peppers are smoked, dried jalapeño peppers, which give the chicken a distinctive smoky-spicy flavor profile. The chicken absorbs the complex flavors of the peppers through either marinating, basting, or cooking the meat directly with the peppers.
Adobo sauce is a tangy Mexican marinade that is usually served with canned chipotle peppers and is used in most chipotle chicken recipes. Some of the most common ingredients in adobo sauce are garlic, vinegar, oregano, and other Mexican spices that go well with the smokey peppers. The acidity in the adobo also helps tenderize the chicken.
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Chipotle peppers – imparting a smoky earthy heat
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Adobo sauce – providing tangy, herby flavors and tenderizing the meat
Combined, these elements infuse the chicken with an unforgettable depth of flavor.
The Different Ways to Make Chipotle Chicken
There are several ways to make chipotle chicken, and each one gives it a slightly different taste and texture:
Grilled
Grilling imparts a lovely char while locking in juices and the marinade’s flavors. The smokiness of the grill also enhances the chipotle pepper’s own smoky essence. Grilled chipotle chicken makes fantastic fajitas or tacos.
Baked
Baking is a hands-off, convenient cooking method that thoroughly permeates the chicken with the marinade. Basted with adobo sauce halfway through, baked chipotle chicken stays extremely moist and tender.
Slow-Cooked
For the deepest flavor infusion, slow-cooked chipotle chicken can’t be beat. The low, slow heat tenderizes the meat while allowing the smoky, spicy flavors to fully develop. Shredded chipotle chicken from the slow cooker makes an amazing taco or burrito filling.
Pan-Seared
To cook the chicken all the way through, sear it in a hot pan and then finish it in the pan juices and marinade. You’ll have great pan sauce and edges that are crispy and caramelized.
No matter which cooking method you choose, the result is tender, juicy chicken bursting with complex flavors. Play around to find your favorite technique!
Key Ingredients That Make Chipotle Chicken Pop
While chipotle peppers and adobo sauce form the flavor base, a few other ingredients help round out that signature chipotle chicken taste:
- Garlic – An aromatic complement to the earthy peppers
- Spices like cumin, oregano, chili powder – Warm, rustic seasoning
- Lime juice – A bright, fresh addition to balance the smokiness
- Cilantro – Herby lift with a hint of spice
Combining the richness of the chicken with this symphony of flavors is what makes chipotle chicken such an irresistible experience for the palate.
Why Chipotle Chicken Uses Chicken Thighs
Almost all real chipotle chicken recipes call for chicken thighs instead of breasts. Because of a few things, dark meat thighs are great:
- More fat and collagen – Makes them extra juicy, moist, and flavorful
- Withstands overcooking better – Stays tender even with extended cooking times
- Absorbs marinade more readily – Takes on those smoky, spicy notes efficiently
So while boneless, skinless chicken breasts might seem like the obvious choice, thighs are the clear winner when it comes to delicious, foolproof chipotle chicken.
How Long to Marinate for Maximum Flavor
When making chipotle chicken at home, resist any urge to rush the marinating time. For optimal flavor infusion, allow the chicken to soak in that flavor-packed adobo sauce for at least 2 hours, and ideally overnight. The longer the better!
Marinating for the full recommended time allows the chicken to become thoroughly saturated with the smoky pepper flavor. Just make sure to keep it refrigerated to ensure food safety.
Cooking Up Delicious Chipotle Chicken Dishes
Once you’ve mastered perfectly cooked, marinated chipotle chicken, the possibilities for using it are endless:
- Chipotle chicken tacos, burritos, quesadillas, enchiladas
- Chipotle chicken salad or wrap
- Chipotle chicken pizza with peppers and onions
- Chipotle chicken pasta in a creamy, lightly spicy sauce
- Chipotle chicken sandwiches with avocado and pepper jack cheese
- Chipotle chicken stuffed sweet potatoes or baked potatoes
Really, this flavorful chicken can be added to just about anything. Feel free to get creative!
Frequently Asked Questions
What’s the difference between chipotle powder and chipotle peppers in adobo sauce?
Chipotle powder is made from ground dried chipotle peppers. It provides a simpler smoky heat. Chipotle peppers canned in adobo are whole peppers in a flavorful sauce. The sauce adds another layer of tangy depth.
Can you make chipotle chicken without actual chipotle peppers?
You can try using smoked paprika and cayenne to mimic the smokiness and heat. But for genuinely authentic flavor, chipotle peppers are a must. Prioritize getting chipotle peppers, even dried or canned.
Is chipotle chicken spicy?
It provides a mild to medium level of heat, depending on the specific recipe. The smokiness tends to dominate over the spice. Adjust amounts of chipotle peppers to control the heat level.
What meats work well for chipotle recipes besides chicken?
Beef and pork are also amazing vehicles for chipotle flavors. Try chipotle-marinated steak fajitas, chipotle pulled pork sandwiches, or chipotle-rubbed pork tenderloin.
Conclusion
With its addictive combination of smoke, spice, and tangy citrus notes, it’s easy to see why chipotle chicken has attained such popularity on restaurant menus. The technique of infusing succulent chicken with flavor-packed chipotle peppers and adobo transforms an ordinary ingredient into something extraordinary. Though typically found in Mexican recipes, versatile chipotle chicken can be adapted to all types of cuisines. Next time you find yourself craving serious flavor, give this fiery chicken a try – your tastebuds will thank you! What dish will you whip up with smoky, delicious chipotle chicken?
Ingredients Notes and Substitutions
All you need are a few simple ingredients to get this amazing flavor!
- When I make this Chipotle chicken recipe, I like to use breast meat because it’s tasty, tender, and lower in fat than thighs. But you can use either! In fact, the restaurant uses chicken thighs without skin.
- Chipotles in Adobo—These little peppers are unique because they are dried and soaked in a spicy, tangy sauce that makes them as acidic as they are hot! You could also use regular whole chipotles and an extra 2 tablespoons of adobo sauce instead.
- Cumin, chili pepper, and oregano make the food warm and earthy, hot and spicy, and peppery. You can add more of your favorite spices to the chipotle chicken marinade if you want to get a taste more like the restaurant. Thyme, paprika, and onion powder would fit right in.
- You can use olive oil instead of the original Chipotle chicken recipe’s rice bran oil if you’d like. You can also use canola or sunflower oil, which won’t change the taste of the dish.
You can also easily add any other taco or burrito ingredients or favorite toppings that you want. This could include black beans, sour cream, diced red onion, hot salsa for a spicy flavor, fresh lime juice, ancho chiles, ground cumin, garlic powder, pinto beans, diced bell peppers, chipotle chili pepper, and more. Remember that the more you add, the less this Chipotle burrito bowl will taste like the real thing. That’s the fun of making new recipes your own.
Chipotle Chicken Recipe FAQ
The original Chipotle chicken recipe uses thigh meat, not breasts as we do in this recipe. Keep in mind, however, that the restaurant makes it in large quantities and well in advance, not just before serving as we’re doing here. So breast meat is more than juicy and tender enough to use here!.
The oil used at Chipotle Mexican Grill for chicken is rice bran oil. They put it in almost everything, like salad dressing and rice, because it doesn’t taste strong by itself and doesn’t bother people with allergies. You can certainly use rice bran if you like, but for my copycat Chipotle chicken, I use olive oil.
A whole lot of good stuff! Adobo peppers, cumin, chili pepper, oregano, olive oil, onion, garlic, lime juice, and just a sprinkling of good ol’ salt and pepper. It’s herbaceous, peppery, and acidic — just what you want in a marinade!.
For the best flavor and taste, store leftovers in an airtight container and keep them in the fridge for the next time you eat it. Chicken that has been stored should be eaten within two to three days, but I always eat leftovers from the previous night the next day. It goes great with this Chipotle chicken salad recipe! To warm the chicken all the way through, you can either put it in a large skillet or the microwave. And I promise that this leftover juicy chipotle chicken is so good!.
With love, from our simple kitchen to yours.
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