Boneless chicken thighs (or breasts) are used in this simple and quick chipotle chicken recipe, which tastes great in tacos, quesadillas, and other homemade dishes.
Chipotle Chicken
The aromas of smoke, spice, and savour are delightfully combined in this recipe for Chipotle Chicken. The outcome will be juicy and delectable whether you cook them in an air fryer, on a grill, or in a skillet. You’ll like this easy dish that doesn’t need to marinate if you’re itching for a homemade take on the well-known fast-food franchise.
Why This Recipe Works
- Quick: There’s no need to wait for the chicken to marinate—making the rub only takes a few minutes. It will be done in around 15 minutes if you season and cook it straight away.
- Juicy Chicken: There are several methods to prepare chicken thighs, which are a delicious meat cut.
- Flavorful: Bold spices are packed into this meal by the ancho chile powder and chipotle in adobo sauce.
- Simple: You only need to chop up a few pantry staples for this easy chipotle chicken dish.
- Gluten-free: Ideal for diets that exclude dairy and gluten.
Chipotle Chicken Ingredients
- Chicken: Remove any excess fat from skinless, boneless chicken thighs.
- Garlic: Grind or smash two cloves of garlic.
- Chipotle in Adobo Sauce: One tablespoon of the adobo sauce is plenty for one potent pot of chili. Transfer the remaining mixture to a zip-locked bag for future use after freezing it in an ice cube tray.
- Seasonings include dried oregano, powdered cumin, ancho chili powder, salt, and pepper.
How to Make Chipotle Chicken
- Season Chicken: Sprinkle both sides of the thighs with salt and pepper. In a bowl, mix together the garlic, cumin, oregano, ancho chile powder, and chipotle in adobo sauce. After properly coating the chicken with the spice mixture, leave it for a few minutes. You may cook them immediately or, for more taste, refrigerate for up to overnight.
- pan: Lightly oil and heat a large pan or griddle over medium-high heat. Cook for approximately six minutes on each side of the thighs.
- Grill: Turn the heat up to medium-high on your grill or grill pan. Cook for six to eight minutes on each side after greasing the grill grates with oil.
- Air Fryer: In an air fryer, cook the chicken for 14 to 15 minutes, turning it halfway through. Preheat the fryer to 400°F.
- How is the doneness of chicken determined? Regardless of the cooking technique you use, the chicken is done when the exterior is browned and an internal meat thermometer reads 165°F.
- Serving: After the meat has finished cooking, move it to a platter and give it some time to rest before slicing. By doing this, you keep the chicken’s fluids from dripping out.
Copycat Chipotle Chicken Bowl
I always have the chicken bowl when I order from Chipotle, but it’s really simple to prepare at home. To create your own Chipotle Chicken Bowl, you can mix and match these ingredients and toppings:
1. Start with a Base:
- Cilantro Lime Rice
- Brown rice
- Shredded Romaine lettuce
- Cauliflower rice
2. Add Protein:
- Adobo-marinated chicken
- Barbacoa (shredded beef)
- Carnitas (slow-cooked pork)
- Steak
3. Add Beans:
- Black beans
- Pinto beans
4. Finish with Toppings:
- Sauteed peppers and onions
- Pickled red onions
- Pico de gallo
- Corn salsa
- Salsa verde
- Guacamole
- Sour cream or use Greek yogurt
- Cheese (shredded Monterey Jack or queso fresco)
- Shredded romaine lettuce
How to Store Chipotle Chicken
Make taco chicken thighs ahead of time and enjoy simple dinners for half the week. Store leftovers in the refrigerator for up to 4 days or freeze them for up to 3 months. Serve it warm from the microwave in tacos, quesadillas, burrito bowls, taco salads, and other dishes.
Variations
- Chicken: Use chicken breasts if you’re a fan of white meat.
- Ancho Chile Powder: Use ordinary chili powder in place of ancho if you don’t have any.
More Chicken Recipes You’ll Love
Chipotle Chicken
Skinless, boneless chicken thighs (or breasts) are used in this simple and quick recipe for chipotle chicken. It's great for tacos, quesadillas, handmade burrito bowls, and more. It's spicy and smokey.
- 1 1/2 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs (trimmed of fat (about 8 thighs))
- 1 1/4 teaspoons kosher salt (and fresh ground black pepper, to taste)
- 2 cloves garlic (minced or crushed)
- 1/2 to 1 tablespoon chipotle in adobo sauce (from 1 can, you can freeze the rest for future use)
- 1 teaspoon ancho chile powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- Season Chicken: Season both sides of the chicken thighs with salt and pepper.
- Dried oregano, ground cumin, ancho chile powder, chopped garlic, and chipotle in adobo sauce should all be combined in a mixing bowl. Make sure the chicken thighs are completely covered by rubbing them with the spice mixture in a uniform layer. Give them some time to settle so the flavor can fully develop. Either cook immediately or chill for up to overnight; the longer the better taste!
Skillet Method:
- Heat a large griddle or pan to a medium-high temperature and spray it with oil.
- After adding the chicken thighs to the skillet, cook them for about 6 minutes on each side, or until they are 165°F inside and have a browned exterior.
- Before serving, take the chicken out of the skillet and let it a few minutes to rest. Juices will redistribute as a result, maximizing taste. Cut it up and add it to burritos, rice bowls, tacos, and other dishes.
Grill or Grill Pan Method:
- Set the temperature of your grill pan or grill to medium-high. To keep it from sticking, oil the grill pan or grates.
- Once the chicken thighs are fully cooked and have an internal temperature of 165°F, place them on the grill or grill pan and cook for about 6 to 8 minutes on each side.
- When done, take the chicken off of the burner and let it a few minutes to rest before serving. Resting enables the fluids to redistribute and the tastes to mingle. Serve it sliced in rice bowls, tacos, and other dishes.
Air Fryer Method:
- Start the air fryer at 400°F. As required, arrange the seasoned chicken thighs in batches into the air fryer basket in a single layer.
- To ensure equal cooking, turn the chickens halfway through the 14–15 minute cooking time. Verify that the interior temperature has reached 165°F by using a meat thermometer.
- After cooking, move the chicken thighs to a platter and let them a few minutes to rest before serving. By doing this, you can be sure the chicken will stay tasty and moist. Serve it sliced in rice bowls, tacos, and other dishes.
