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!!
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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!
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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.
How spicy is this? I can’t have anything spicy but would love to make this. Any suggestions?
If you can handle the spiciness of the chicken at Chipotle, you can handle this!
I would love to make a huge batch of this for a party. What would be the easiest way of making a large batch? Could I could the night before and reheat in crock pot? Oven?? Any advice appreciated!
Would love to know the answer to this also! I’m thinking this would be awesome for my son’s graduation party!
Hi Andrea, Yes I think this would do really well cooking ahead and reheating/warming using either of those methods. Just make sure it’s covered in the oven so it doesn’t dry out!
Chicken was awesome! Love love loved it! Put it on the George foreman, turned out great! Will definetely be making it again!
I think it more flavor than Chipotle restaurant. My family asks for it a few times a week, but I make it like twice a month. I followed the recipe, didn’t add anything or put in any less. It’s really, really good.
We made your delicious recipe here along with your cilantro lime rice and decided it’s the perfect meal when we’re in the “Mexican food mood” !!
https://www.browneyedbaker.com/chipotle-cilantro-lime-rice/
This IS better than the original! It’s all in letting it blacken a smidge in a cast iron pan! What is that that gets a little crisp? The Chipotle sauce? I want chicken to do that in other marinades!
Amazing! My family loved it…even my two young boys! 💕🙌🏻
I marinated the chicken in the morning and we grilled the chicken when we got home from hockey practice. I added about a tbsp of honey to the marinade and we used this chicken in burrito bowls. Wonderful recipe!
Wow, this was good! I made it the day before yesterday and served it with cilantro rice and pinto beans and cheese. My partner (who can be fussy) took about two bites before saying, “Oh yeah. This is a keeper.” I ate the leftovers over rice noodles today for lunch and loved it even more. This is seriously delicious stuff.
I made this for a mexican themed dinner that I hosted on Sunday evening and OMG it was a hit!!! Thank you for this awesome recipe, it is a keeper for sure!
We’ve been making this recipe once a week for the past several months. Thanks so much!
For others trying this recipe, I credit my husband with figuring out the following two tips that bring this recipe over the top for us: (1) using a food mallet to pound the chicken breasts to an even flatness approximately the length of a fingernail, and (2) grilling the chicken. Then we cube the chicken (versus slices) and it’s perfect for burrito bowls or salads.
My whole family enjoyed this chicken and I loved having it for leftovers. We used it for burrito bowls and tacos.
This is the same exact recipe as Megan from Culinary Hill, who’s recipe is it?
How many ounces of chicken would you consider to be 1 serving
MMMMmmmmazing! I was looking for cupcakes and found this recipe. I am so happy I was browsing! Thank you! I am spreading the word on my blog!
My chicken is marinating as I write. I am wondering, though, if I am to wipe or rinse the chicken before cooking? The marinade seems so thick. Do I cook it covered in the thickness? Or not?
Thanks, Rebecca
If you want chipotle chicken, you should probably just go to chipotle. I was super excited to make this. Making the marinade was pretty involved and the water in the marinade doesn’t allow for the Browning i was hoping for . It was quite a bit of work without the payoff I was hoping for. Also it would be nice for a general ballpark on cook time for those of us without thermometers.
It sounds like you made it wrong.
I found this awesome recipe a few months ago, have been making it for the family about twice per month. It’s good.
I have tried a lot of Chipotle flavored Chicken recipes. This one is the best by far! My whole family, picky kids included, loved this one!
Your husband was right!!! I made this after being mad at a Chipotle the past three visits. My favorite chicken seems to be more dried out every time I order it.
I might never go again. Thanks so much for this recipe which I will probably make weekly!
Trying to cut back on my eating out at Chipotle and Google brought me to this recipe. Made it tonight and it was so delicious! Gonna try it with shrimp too!
This chicken is now the favorite food in my house. We all did different things with it- I made a bowl, my husband made tacos on corn tortillas and my son made a burrito. Husband and son are huge fans of the chicken at Chipotle; I have never had the chicken (I’m a barbacoa girl). They declared it to an unbelievably spot-on copycat. It is PERFECTION. My son, who asks for tacos every week, said he might never want beef tacos again :-) I can’t wait to make this for every guest we have over this summer :-) Thank you for an amazingly delicious recipe! *Off to check out your other Chipotle copycat recipes!
Excellent recipe good flavor and much more .!!!!! Thank you for posting 😋
Just finished making this and OMG! DELISH! I don’t own a cast iron skillet (altho…it’s quickly becoming 1st on my shopping list) so I just used a non-stick skillet. I followed the advice of making in 2 batches which allowed me to olive oil in between each batch…I also poured a TINY amount of marinade over the olive oil before adding the chicken…Easy to make! MAKES A TON too! SOOOO GOOD! Thanks again for another fab recipe!
I just made this yesterday and am cooking more as I’m typing. This is amazing! I used about 3.5 pounds of chicken thighs. I took half of that and cooked it on low in my crockpot. It was wonderful and shredded beautiful in about 6 hours. Today I am making it in the cast iron skillet. The rice was perfect as well and I just made it in my rice cooker! I cannot wait to serve this to guests and my children. This recipe is A+
Curious-I’m having a taco bar for my son’s graduation party. Do you think if I marinated, cooked and froze the chicken, then put it in a slow cooker it would still hold a lot of flavor and not be dry? It sounds like a fabulous recipe and I’m looking to serve something more flavorful than just plain chicken.
Hi Hilary, Congratulations to your son! I think that would work, but maybe have a little extra marinade to stir in the crock pot in case it needs a little moisture.
This chicken was good, but it definitely didn’t taste like Chipotle’s chicken.
The first time I made this I couldn’t find adobo sauce but it was still incredibly delicious. I still have not found chipotle peppers in adobo sauce but I DID find just adobo sauce. However, it comes in a jar with instructions to add 5 parts water or broth to the adobo sauce. I followed these directions and then measured the 2 Tbsp sauce from this mixture. I haven’t cooked the chicken yet but I feel like all I see and smell is the adobo sauce when I look at the marinade. Has anyone else used this kind of adobo sauce? I’m slightly concerned about how the chicken will turn out since the sight and smell is not appealing to me at all. I am making a ton of it for a wedding this weekend and don’t want to ruin it all if the adobo sauce is too overwhelming. I am going to cook a little bit and test it in case I need to make a new batch of marinade minus the adobo sauce. I’m just curious if anyone else has had experience with this version of the sauce?
This marinade/sauce is SO DELICIOUS!!! Thank you!
I did not plan ahead well, so instead of marinating the meat and then sauteing it, I made up the marinade, seared the chicken in oil, then covered it in the marinade and simmered in my braising pot for an hour or so (until it was done, according to a check of internal temperature.) Then I cut it up. So, it didn’t have that lovely charred exterior like yours (and like you get at Chipotle) but it was still delicious and perfect for our burritos! I also made a few substitutions ( smoked paprika instead of ancho chile powder, and a mixture of tomato sauce, spices, and apple cider vinegar instead of the adobo sauce) but the flavor was still spot-on.
I just found out a need to make this in two days for 35 teenagers. How many servings out of your receipe?
Hi Karen, About 6 servings if you’re talking teenagers! (if you check the recipe box above, the number of servings should always be listed there)
I was so happy to find this recipe. I love chipotle chicken burrito bowls! I do have a question though. Do u have to blend the ingredients in a food processor or blender? Neither of which i have. Or can I just mix them in a bowl?
It really is best to use a blender or food processor, but you can mix by hand if absolutely necessary, but you will have chunks of onion.