This Chipotle chicken is an exact Chipotle restaurant copycat. It’s beautifully charred, has a deep smoky, spicy flavor, and is perfectly juicy. Add it to burrito bowls, tacos, and more!
Why You’ll Love This Chipotle Chicken
If you didn’t know, Chipotle is one of my favorite fast-casual restaurants when I want a quick bite that’s filling, healthy, and affordable. That’s why I have several Chipotle copycat recipes on this website already, like carnitas, cilantro lime rice, and fajita veggies. But I have to say, this grilled and chopped chicken is SO good—dare I say, even a little better than Chipotle. Here’s what I love about it:
- It’s easier than you think. Once you make the adobo sauce, the rest comes together easy!
- Endless serving options. Just like Chipotle, you can add this chicken to so many meals for a protein boost. I’ll share a few of my favorite ideas below.
- Perfect for a potluck. I love serving this for a Chipotle-themed potluck with guacamole, pico de gallo, and more.
Chipotle Chicken Ingredients
- Chicken thighs: Boneless, skinless thighs cook up juicy and full of flavor. You can use chicken breasts as well, though Chipotle does use thighs.
- Chipotle peppers in adobo sauce: You’ll only be using the sauce for this recipe, but you can use the remaining peppers to make my chipotle sauce! I’ve linked my favorite brand in the recipe card below.
- Dried spices and herbs: A blend of ancho chili powder, ground cumin, dried oregano, salt, and black pepper adds a savory depth and a kick of heat to the adobo marinade. For more information on the chili powder, see the recipe notes.
- Distilled white vinegar: The acidity brightens the adobo sauce and gently tenderizes the chicken while it marinates.
- Fresh garlic and olive oil: The final flavor boosters that round out the marinade.
Find the printable recipe with measurements below.
How To Make It
Step one: In a blender or food processor, combine the adobo sauce, water, oil, garlic, chili powder, vinegar, salt, cumin, oregano, and pepper. Blend until smooth.
Step two: Place the chicken thighs in a large bowl and pour the marinade on top. Stir to make sure each piece is well coated. Cover the bowl and marinate in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours or overnight.
Step three: Preheat a grill, flat top griddle, or cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. Cook the chicken for 5 to 6 minutes per side, or until the internal temperature reads 165°F (74°C) on an instant-read thermometer and the outside of the chicken is nicely charred.
Step four: Let the chicken rest for a few minutes, then chop it into bite-sized pieces.
Ways To Serve & Store
- My favorite Chipotle burrito bowl combination is cilantro lime rice, chopped lettuce, fajita veggies, black beans, pico de gallo, guacamole, and cheese.
- For a southwest flair top it on a bowl of cowboy caviar. I recently did this and it was the tastiest Tex-Mex combo!
- Store any leftover chipotle chicken in the fridge for 3 to 4 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months in a sealed container. I recommend storing it chopped, so it’s quick to thaw and enjoy.
More Mexican Recipes
If you make this chipotle chicken recipe, I’d love to hear how it turned out in the comment box below! Your review will help other readers in the community. And if you’re hungry for more healthy food inspiration and exclusive content, join my free newsletter here.
Description
The best Chipotle chicken copycat! The chicken is deliciously charred, smoky, spicy, and perfect for salads, burrito bowls, tacos, and more.
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Blend the sauce. In a blender or food processor, combine the adobo sauce, water, oil, garlic, chili powder, vinegar, salt, cumin, oregano, and pepper. Blend until smooth.
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Marinate the chicken. Place the chicken thighs in a large bowl and pour the marinade on top. Stir to make sure each piece is well coated. Cover the bowl and marinate in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours or overnight.
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Cook the chicken. Preheat a grill, flat top griddle or cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. Cook the chicken for 5 to 6 minutes per side, or until the internal temperature reads 165°F (74°C) on an instant read thermometer and the outside of the chicken is nicely charred.
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Rest and chop. Let the chicken rest for a few minutes, then chop it into bite sized pieces.
- Storage tip: The perfect ingredient for meal prep! This will last for 4 to 5 days in the fridge or up to 3 months in the freezer.
- Ancho chili powder vs regular chili powder: Ancho chili powder is made from dried poblano peppers and brings a warm, smoky flavor that’s not too spicy, just rich and earthy. On the other hand, regular chili powder is more of a spice blend with cumin, garlic, and paprika. I went with ancho chili powder here because it adds a deep, earthy flavor without overpowering the smoky chipotle. If you don’t have ancho chili powder on hand, regular chili powder will work in a pinch. But the flavor will be a bit different—less smoky and more seasoned.
- The amount of adobo sauce from the can (minus the peppers) is about 4 tablespoons. If you’d like to reduce the spice level in this recipe, you can use 2 to 3 tablespoons of sauce.
- Don’t blend on high if you have a high-powered blender like Vitamix, as it can enhance the pungency of the garlic. Blend on medium. A food processor is fine as-is.
- With the remaining adobo peppers, you can make my creamy chipotle sauce, which is perfect for pairing with meats and seafood, including this Chipotle chicken if you want to elevate that chipotle flavor even more!
Calories: 382kcal | Carbohydrates: 7g | Protein: 44g | Fat: 19g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 10g | Trans Fat: 0.04g | Cholesterol: 215mg | Sodium: 1001mg | Potassium: 605mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 463IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 40mg | Iron: 3mg
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Behind The Scenes
There really are endless ways to serve this up! The photo above was from when I tested this recipe. Because I tested it the same week I tested my cowboy caviar, I ended up topping some leftover chopped chipotle chicken on that and omg, it was amazing! I enjoyed it for three days in a row.
The cowboy caviar is already a chopped veggie mix with tomatoes, corn, bell pepper, onion, and avocado, and it paired perfectly with the chopped chicken. So if you want an easy, healthy, and filling lunch or dinner, I say give that a try. Though I’d love to hear how you’d serve this chicken as well.
