Description
This Chipotle Chicken Copycat Recipe features tender, juicy chicken breasts or thighs marinated in a smoky, tangy chipotle adobo sauce with spices and lime juice. Perfectly pan-seared in avocado oil for a lightly charred finish, this dish brings a bold, smoky flavor to your table that’s ideal for burrito bowls, tacos, or a flavorful entrée.
Ingredients
Scale
Chicken
- 1 ½ pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts (or boneless, skinless chicken thighs)
Chipotle Marinade
- ¼ cup chipotle chiles in adobo sauce (about 2 chiles)
- ¼ cup finely diced red onion
- 2 garlic cloves (finely minced)
- 2 tablespoons lime juice (from 1-2 limes)
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon packed brown sugar
- 1 ½ teaspoons salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 3 tablespoons avocado oil (divided)
Instructions
- Prep chicken: If using chicken breasts, place them in a gallon-sized Ziploc bag and gently pound to about ½ inch thick using a meat mallet or rolling pin. Remove from the bag and cut into six 4-ounce pieces. If using thighs, leave them as they are.
- Make sauce: In a food processor or blender, combine chipotle peppers with adobo sauce, red onion, garlic, lime juice, chili powder, cumin, oregano, brown sugar, salt, black pepper, and 2 tablespoons of avocado oil. Blend for 15 seconds, scrape down the sides, and blend another 15 seconds until smooth.
- Marinate chicken: Pour the blended chipotle marinade over the chicken pieces in the sealed plastic bag. Massage the bag to ensure all the marinade envelops the chicken evenly. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or up to overnight to develop flavor.
- Prepare to cook: When ready, transfer the chicken to a bowl, reserving any leftover marinade in the bag. Let the chicken rest at room temperature for 10 minutes before cooking to ensure even cooking.
- Cook chicken: Heat 1 tablespoon of avocado oil in a large cast-iron skillet over medium heat. Arrange chicken in a single layer and cook for 7-9 minutes until lightly charred on one side. Brush chicken generously with the reserved marinade, flip, and cook for another 6-8 minutes until the internal temperature reaches 160°F.
- Finish and cut chicken: Remove the chicken from the skillet and place on a clean plate. Tent loosely with aluminum foil to allow carryover cooking until the internal temperature reaches 165°F. Once cool enough to handle, cut the chicken into bite-sized cubes or strips.
- Serve: Garnish with finely chopped cilantro and serve immediately as a main dish or sliced in a Chipotle Chicken Burrito Bowl.
Notes
- If you prefer grilling, preheat your grill to medium-high heat and cook chicken pieces for 6-7 minutes per side, brushing with leftover marinade, until internal temperature reaches 165°F.
- Letting the chicken rest before cooking helps achieve more even cooking and juicier meat.
- Adjust the amount of chipotle peppers to control the spice level.
- Use avocado oil for its high smoke point and mild flavor, which suits searing well.
