Copycat Chipotle Chicken Recipe
This copycat recipe for Chipotle chicken is spot-on, and arguably even better than the original restaurant favorite! The chicken can sit in the marinade overnight for an easy weeknight dinner. Cook the chicken on the stove top, in the oven, on the grill, or in the air fryer, and then use it in your favorite Mexican meal.
Many years ago, my husband suggested replica Chipotle burritos for lunch, and while I will get either chicken or barbacoa in my burrito, burrito bowl, or tacos, my husband is a straight-up chicken burrito lover, so I knew that’s what I’d make.
A round of searching for the perfect Chipotle chicken recipe led me to this amazing marinade. When my husband smelled it, he said he just wanted to eat it by the spoonful. It’s amazing and makes the BEST flavorful, juicy chicken!
Ingredients for the Chipotle Chicken Marinade
This marinade is phenomenal and gives the chicken all of its flavor. It comes together quickly and smells phenomenal! Here is what we use:
- Red Onion + Garlic – The base of the aromatics for the marinade.
- Adobo Sauce – This is from a can of chipotle peppers in adobo sauce (you can freeze and save the peppers and any additional sauce for future uses).
- Olive Oil – Or you can use your favorite cooking oil.
- Ancho Chile Powder – This specialty chili powder is sometimes available in supermarkets with a large international spice section but can also be purchased online.
- Cumin, Oregano, Salt, and Pepper – Cumin and oregano are standard Mexican spices and impart a sweet smokiness.
- Chicken Thighs – Boneless skinless chicken thighs are perfect for this recipe; they absorb the marinade well and stay nice and juicy with no fear of drying out, which can sometimes happen when cooking chicken breasts.
The marinade could not be simpler to make – add the onion, garlic, adobo sauce, olive oil, chile powder, cumin, oregano, salt, and pepper to a blender or food processor and process until smooth. Pour into a measuring cup and add enough water to reach 1 cup.
Poke holes all over the chicken with a fork, then combine the chicken and marinade in a resealable plastic bag, turning it over so that the marinade coats all of the chicken.
The chicken can be marinated for an hour or up to one full day. Of course, the longer you let it stew in that marinade, the more the flavor will soak into that chicken.
How to Cook the Chicken
You can cook the chicken by baking, grilling, or using an air fryer, but I really, really recommend that you sauté in a pan, preferably a cast iron skillet if you have one. Doing so will guarantee a wonderfully crusted exterior, which is this chicken’s creme de la creme.
It’s super simple; here’s how we cook it:
- Preheat a large skillet over medium heat.
- Add enough olive oil to coat the bottom of the pan.
- Add the chicken to the pan and cook, turning occasionally, until completely cooked through, 165 to 175 degrees F on an instant-read thermometer. (I recommend cooking in two batches and adding more olive oil in between if needed).
- Remove the chicken to a large cutting board and allow to rest for at least 10 minutes. Slice or chop the chicken as desired.
Enjoy!!
Save This Recipe
Enter your email address, and we'll send it straight to your inbox!
Ways to Enjoy This Chipotle Chicken
You could use this chicken in any scenario that involves chicken, but the most obvious (or most popular) is to make burritos or a burrito bowl with it. Use the chicken as the base and add your favorite toppings:
- Beans (black beans or pinto beans)
- Rice (cilantro-lime rice or Mexican rice)
- Salsa (traditional salsa, black bean-corn salsa, or mango salsa) or a fresh pico de gallo
- Guacamole
- Shredded lettuce
- Shredded cheese
- Sour cream
- Queso
You can also use this chicken as a jumping-off point for any of the following:
- Chicken tacos
- Chicken fajitas
- Chicken enchiladas
- Salads
- Chicken wraps
To round out your meal, serve tres leches cake, alfajores, or churros for dessert!
Recipe Tips and Notes
- Chicken – While chicken thighs are the preferred meat for this recipe, you can also make this recipe with chicken breasts.
- Spice Level – I would give this a mild spiciness level; we have family members who are pretty averse to spice and have eaten without an issue.
- Adobo Sauce – You will not need all of the sauce from the can of chipotle peppers, but you can freeze the remainder (use an ice cube tray for easy measuring!) and the chipotle peppers for another recipe.
- Storage – Leftovers should be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
- Freezing – You can freeze the marinade, the marinaded raw chicken, and the cooked chicken. Use an airtight, freezer-safe resealable bag or container. Thaw the marinade or the marinaded chicken in the refrigerator overnight before using.
More Favorite Mexican Recipes
Enjoy these other Mexican main dishes for dinner!
Watch the Recipe Video:
If you make this Chipotle chicken recipe and love it, remember to stop back and give it a 5-star rating – it helps others find the recipe! ❤️️
Copycat Chipotle Chicken Recipe
Ingredients
- ½ medium red onion, coarsely chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, coarsely chopped
- 2 tablespoons adobo sauce, from a small can of chipotle peppers in adobo sauce
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 tablespoons ancho chile powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 tablespoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- Water, as needed
- 3 to 4 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs
Instructions
- Make the Marinade: Place the onion, garlic, adobo sauce, olive oil, chile powder, cumin, oregano, salt, and pepper into a food processor or blender and process until smooth. Pour the marinade into a 1-cup measuring cup and add enough water to reach to 1 cup.
- Using a fork, poke holes all over the chicken thighs and place in a resealable plastic bag. Pour the marinade over, seal, and use your hands to move the marinade around so that all of the chicken is evenly coated. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour, or overnight.
- Cook the Chicken: Preheat a large skillet over medium heat. Add enough olive oil to coat the bottom of the pan. Add the chicken to the pan and cook, turning occasionally, until completely cooked through, 165 to 175 degrees F on an instant-read thermometer. (I recommend cooking in two batches and adding more olive oil in between, if needed). Remove the chicken to a large cutting board and allow to rest for at least 10 minutes. Slice or chop the chicken, as desired. Serve in a burrito, in a salad, or on its own!
Notes
- Chicken – While chicken thighs are the preferred meat for this recipe, you can also make this recipe with chicken breasts.
- Spice Level – I would give this a mild spiciness level; we have family members who are pretty averse to spice and have eaten without an issue.
- Adobo Sauce – You will not need all of the sauce from the can of chipotle peppers, but you can freeze the remainder (use an ice cube tray for easy measuring!) and the chipotle peppers for another recipe.
- Storage – Leftovers should be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
- Freezing – You can freeze the marinade, the marinaded raw chicken, and the cooked chicken. Use an airtight, freezer-safe resealable bag or container. Thaw the marinade or the marinaded chicken in the refrigerator overnight before using.
Did you make this recipe?
Leave a review below, then snap a picture and tag @thebrowneyedbaker on Instagram so I can see it!
Photography by Dee Frances
This recipe was originally published in May 2016.
This recipe comes out amazing every time. I am curious if there is an error where it says 1 tablespoon of salt? That is the only thing I change, I do less than a teaspoon of salt and it comes out delicious!
Ya CONPLETELY LOST ME AD THE ADOBE OR WHATEVER SAUCE. What????????? Don’t do recipes if you’re going to give weird instructions that nobody understands. I’m also not going to scroll up hoping you explain above who the F has time for that?
DONT BOTHER THIS RECIPE. Went to store to make it then got to ingredients for ONLY this recipe out of 10 and had no idea what to do. So annoying!
I have made this for our family an embarrassing number of times! This really does make for the perfect copycat Chipotle chicken, but the marinade is so good that I now always make a double portion and reduce the second batch down for the most amazing sauce/salsa/straight-out-of-the-spoon stuff you’ll ever have! I keep this in the fridge at almost all times. Wonderful recipe, perfect as written, but also flexible and forgiving for missing ingredients or curious palettes that want to explore different flavours. 10/10!
I’ve made this more times than I can count. My family loves this. Anyone I make it for, loves it. I always serve it up with sides of fajita style red peppers, green peppers, and red onions, a copy cat recipe for Chipotle’s corn salsa, and guac. Some nights we make burritos, and some nights we make rice bowls. When I don’t have ancho chili powder, I have substituted regular chili powder, and it’s worked out wonderfully. Our preferred method of cooking is using the air fryer setting on our oven at 425 for 25 minutes (chicken thighs)–but always use a meat thermometer.
This is my second time using this recipe. It has been an instant hit in my family. I love the simplicity of this chicken.
Hi! I am going to try to bake this recipe. How long and at what temperature would you recommend?
This recipe was a hit with my family!
My daughter said it tastes just like chipotle’s chicken!
I really liked that most of the ingredients I had and there wasn’t a lot of ingredients needed!
This recipe never fails. I always bake mine and the juices are heavenly. After, I just dice it up. Love it—we all do!
What temperature and time did you bake it at ? :)
Not the original poster, but if you are using thigh meat try 420 for about 20 – 25mins. Also, get a quality wireless meat thermometer, that way you never second guess doneness.
My friend and I did a Chipotle bar for her daughter’s birthday and this recipe was spot on!!! After we marinated we actually cooked it on a blackstone and it was perfection!
This is better than Chipotle. I marinated 48 hrs and we tried cutting up before cooking and after cooking both ways are great our family is split in half on which is better 2 votes on each cooking method. P.S. Chipotle does Monterey Jack cheese which you can buy in blocks and shred yourself ;)