Chipotle Chicken (Copycat)

Meggan Hill

• Updated

5 from 1438 votes

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Skip the restaurant and make your own copycat Chipotle Chicken recipe at home. The marinade is quick, easy, healthy, and tastes even better than the real thing! Make white meat or dark meat and follow my instructions for either baking or grilling.

Chipotle chicken in a white serving bowl.


 

The perfection of Chipotle Mexican Grill, made even more perfect because you get to eat it in the comfort of your own home, whenever you want it.

Chipotle Chicken is tender and juicy, packed with flavor, and perfect on everything. And whether you want to grill it, sauté it, or bake it in the oven, I’ve got all your options covered!

Chipotle Chicken Ingredients:

Ingredients for Chipotle chicken in various bowls.

Chipotle does not use red onion in their marinade. However, the recipe tastes better with it, so it comes down to this philosophical question: Do I post the recipe that tastes closest to Chipotle’s recipe, or do I post the recipe that tastes the best? I kept the onion.

  1. Combine all the marinade ingredients in a food processor or blender.
  2. Blend until smooth, then transfer to a plastic bag or covered container.
  3. Add the chicken, mash around to distribute, and let marinade for 30 minutes.
Chipotle Chicken marinading in a plastic zipper bag.

How to Make Chipotle Chicken Marinade

That smoky, spicy flavor in Chipotle’s chicken comes from two primary ingredients: Dried ancho chiles and adobo sauce.

To create this flavor, you can:

  1. Buy Ancho Chile powder – Depending on how much you want to buy, we recommend McCormick Gourmet Ancho Chile Pepper and Amazing Ancho Chile Powder.
  2. Make your own Ancho Chile powder
  3. Soak Dried ancho chiles (I recommend Olé Rico Dried Ancho Chiles)

Marinade Method 1: Using Ancho Chile Powder

Ancho Chile Pepper powder is available to purchase, or you can make your own.

  • ¼ cup of the powder is equivalent to 2 oz. of the peppers (stems and seeds removed, ground up).
Ancho chile powder dumped out of a glass jar onto a counter.

Marinade Method 2: Soaking Dried Ancho Chiles

  • Slow-Soaking the dried ancho chiles takes at least 12 hours. Once the chiles are soft, I like to open them up, remove the stems, and rinse out the seeds (I recommend using kitchen or latex gloves).  For additional heat, add in seeds from the chipotle peppers.
  • Quick-Soaking shaves 12 hours off this recipe. You toast the dried chiles in a skillet and microwave them in water. It works perfectly!

What is a substitute for adobo sauce?

Whisk together:

  • 1 tablespoon tomato paste
  • 1 tablespoon cider vinegar
  • 1 teaspoon chipotle powder (or ½ teaspoon each smoked paprika and cayenne powder)
  • ½ teaspoon cumin
  • Pinch EACH of oregano, garlic powder, and salt

How to make Chipotle Chicken

If you’ve ever been to the restaurant, you know Chipotle grills their boneless, skinless chicken thighs on a flat-top grill.

Here are your cooking options at home:

  1. Stove-top skillet (indoor, similar to Chipotle’s method)
    Chipotle chicken cooking in a black skillet.
  2. Gas grill (outdoor, minimal cleanup)
  3. Baked in the oven (cover with parchment paper for juicy chicken every time)
Photo collage of three photos, the right in the upper right hand corner is the seasoned chicken covered in parchment paper, below is a seasoned sliced chicken breast, and the upper left are three seasoned chicken breasts in a white baking dish.

Slice or dice and use for burritos, tacos, bowls, salads, everything!

A Chipotle burrito bowl in a white bowl.

Chipotle Chicken Recipe FAQs

What can I do with my leftover Chipotle peppers and/or adobo sauce?

Transfer to a bag and freeze for future use, or use in:

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Chipotle chicken in a white serving bowl.

Chipotle Copycat Chicken

By Meggan Hill
Skip the restaurant and make your own copycat Chipotle Chicken recipe at home. The marinade is quick, easy, healthy, and tastes even better than the real thing! Make white meat or dark meat and follow my instructions for either baking or grilling. 
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Marinate Time 30 minutes
Total Time 50 minutes
Servings 8 servings
Course Main Course
Cuisine American, Mexican
Calories 326
5 from 1438 votes
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Equipment

Ingredients 

Instructions 

To make the marinade (see recipe notes for dried chiles method):

  • To the bowl of a food processor or blender, add red onion, garlic, adobo sauce, ancho chile powder, olive oil, cumin, dried oregano, 1 teaspoon salt, and ½ teaspoon pepper. Blend until smooth. Pour into a measuring cup and add water to reach 1 cup.
  • Place the chicken in a large freezer-safe plastic bag. Pour in marinade, close the bag, and mash until chicken is evenly coated. Place the plastic bag in a dish and refrigerate at least 30 minutes or overnight.

To make the chicken on the stove:

  • Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a large skillet until shimmering. Add chicken to the pan and cook, turning occasionally, until the temperature reaches 165 degrees on an internal thermometer. Depending on the size of your skillet, you can cook the chicken in batches.
  • Remove to a cutting board and tent with foil for 10 minutes. Chop into small pieces. Season to taste with salt. Serve on tortillas or in bowls with additional toppings as desired.

To make the chicken on the grill:

  • Preheat over medium-high heat. Coat with 2 tablespoons oil. Grill the chicken in batches, turning occasionally until the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees on a thermometer and bits of caramelized fond have begun to cling to the outside of the chicken, 10 to 15 minutes. Add 1 – 2 tablespoons oil to your grilling surface between batches.
  • Remove to a cutting board and tent with foil for 10 minutes. Chop into small pieces. Season to taste with salt. Serve on tortillas or in bowls with additional toppings as desired.

To bake the chicken in the oven (preferred method for white meat):

  • Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Coat a baking dish with oil or nonstick spray and arrange chicken in a single layer. Cover with parchment paper, tucking the paper around the chicken so it is completely covered. Bake for 30 to 40 minutes, until the chicken reaches 165 degrees when tested with an internal thermometer.
  • Remove to a cutting board and tent with foil for 10 minutes. Chop into small pieces. Season to taste with salt. Serve on tortillas or in bowls with additional toppings as desired.

Recipe Video

Notes

To make the marinade with dried ancho chiles:
  1. Quick-Soaking method for ancho chiles: Remove stems and seeds from dried chiles (wearing gloves is recommended). In a dry skillet over medium-low heat, toast the chiles until fragrant but not smoking, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a medium bowl and add 4 c. (1 quart) water and 2 Tbsp. adobo sauce. Microwave on HIGH for 6 minutes. Drain well.
  2. Slow-Soaking method for ancho chiles: Place in a bowl and add enough water to cover completely. Top with a small plate or bowl to weigh down the chiles so they are completely submerged. Soak at least 12 hours or overnight. Drain well.
You can use either Italian or Mexican oregano. They have different flavors (Mexican oregano tastes more like marjoram) but both taste great in this recipe. Feel free to use whatever you have.
Adobo sauce: You can get adobo sauce from cans of Chipotle peppers (I recommend La Costeña) or you can purchase a jar of just adobo paste (La Costeña makes one). Substitute about 3 Tbsp. of paste + 1 Tbsp. water.
Rice Bran oil: Chipotle uses Rice Bran oil in all of their products. Olive oil is more widely available (probably already in your pantry) and works equally well, especially if it has a neutral taste.

Nutrition

Serving: 1 servingCalories: 326kcalCarbohydrates: 3gProtein: 44gFat: 14gSaturated Fat: 3gPolyunsaturated Fat: 3gMonounsaturated Fat: 7gTrans Fat: 0.04gCholesterol: 215mgSodium: 1008mgPotassium: 633mgFiber: 1gSugar: 1gVitamin A: 672IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 49mgIron: 3mg
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5 from 1438 votes (1,271 ratings without comment)

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Comments

  1. This recipe is awesome!! I made 15 lbs of chicken along with the rice for my daughter’s graduation party and it was a HUGE hit, with all of my friends begging for the recipe and my kids asking me to make it again! So much more economical than ordering Chipotle catering!! I used the quick method for the chilies, grilled the chicken thighs then put it in a big electric roasting pan on low for serving, and it stayed nicely moist., although I was pretty generous with the marinade up front, so had some extra and just mixed it in the pan. So glad I just spotted the guac recipe as well. Thanks for your easy to follow and nicely detailed instructions.5 stars

    Reply

    1. I love this!!! If you have time to answer this question, did you just use the one marinade recipe (I have previously identified it for 10 lbs. of chicken) or did you double it? Just wondering if the marinade works for up to 15 lbs. of chicken. 🙂 I honestly could see how that would happen because that stuff is so potent. Such a wonderful story. 🙂 Thank you so much for sharing! Glad it was a success!!

  2. You are a rock star. This is so informative. Thank you for reminding me that I want to get a grill press. This recipe sounds so good I can’t wait to try it. But you will never convince me to toss those chipotle peppers 😉 Also I had no idea about wheat in canned chipotles! That stuff pops up in the weirdest places.5 stars

    Reply

  3. Hi,

    This looks like an awesome recipe. I will be using chicken breasts. Do you think it would dry out the chicken if I cut it into small pieces then baked it?

    Reply

    1. Hi Amber, if you follow the parchment paper method I would think that would still trap the moisture and keep the chicken breast from drying out. The trick is to not overcook the chicken breasts. I can’t tell you exactly how long to cook it for if it’s cut up because I haven’t tried it that way, but there is definitely a point where it will be done but not dry. You just have to check the temperature often, I think, to find it! Good luck. 🙂

  4. Thank you so much for your help! It turned out very delicious and just melt in your mouth tender! Perfect ?5 stars

    Reply

    1. That is so great to hear!!!! I am definitely going to try making it a slow cooker myself so I can add a section on that to the recipe. Thank you so much for letting me know. 🙂

  5. Hey. So if Im using a total of 5lbs of a mixture of chicken thighs and breasts in the crock pot, how long would you cook it for? And would it be best on low or high do you think?

    Reply

    1. Hi Bee! I’m a big fan of: 3-4 hours on HIGH or 7-8 hours on LOW. This seems to be a the standard crock pot time for most things, including chicken. If you are around, you could always check it earlier and see if it’s done sooner. I think the results (taste-wise) would be the same no matter if you did high or low. 

  6. Hey! So I want to use a blend of chicken thighs and breasts for pulled chicken tacos. But I’d like to do it in the crockpot? I know it won’t have the same texture but hoping it will still have the great flavor.  Thoughts?

    Reply

    1. Hi there Bee! The marinade is outstanding and I think it would be fantastic in a crock pot and used for tacos. I will add this to my list of things to try out, too. I am currently testing out the freeze-ahead options! I plan to reheat it in a crock pot (although it has already been grilled so it won’t be the same). But I think it would work just fine. Delicious, even!

  7. Because I’m thinking more of a pulled chicken for tacos. I know it won’t have the same texture. But hoping it would still give it a great flavor?

    Reply

  8. Hey! I want to use a blend of chicken breasts and thighs, and I was hoping to do it all in the crock pot….what do ya think?

    Reply

    1. And yes, using a blend of chicken breast and thighs should work just fine. Again, another option I’ll add to my list to test out. 🙂

  9. I am considering trying this for  a group of 25.  Can I make the ckn ahead of time and freeze it?  If so, what is the correct way to heat it without it getting dry.  Looking forward to trying this recipe.  

    Reply

    1. Hi Carolyn, I have never made the chicken ahead cooked and then reheated it. I have, however, frozen the chicken while it’s in the marinade and then cooked it after that. It was perfect! I think freezing & reheating it once cooked would probably work fine although like I said I haven’t tested it. If I were doing it, I’d probably reheat it in the oven at 350 degrees or so, maybe for 30 to 40 minutes, covered in foil. This is just off the top of my head. I will try this out and report back (I will also try reheating in a slow cooker) although likely not in time for you to know for your gathering. I do hope you like it. Also, with regard to avoiding dryness, first be sure to start with the dark meat. That’s your best insurance against dry chicken! Then, using the foil on the pan in the oven should help prevent it from drying out too. Thanks for your question and good luck. I will definitely reply again (and update the recipe) once I’ve tried this out. Thank you so much!

  10. I am having a taco bar at my son’s graduation party and this recipe sounds great!  If I make the chicken in advance, do you think it could be re-heated and kept warm for several hours without drying out?  Thanks for sharing!  I just discovered your blog and can’t wait to check it out.

    Reply

    1. Hi Betsy – YES. I would definitely use dark meat (chicken thighs) and you shouldn’t have any issues. Are you thinking crock pot? People are going to love it! Great idea!