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. Hello Meggan, thank you so much for the post! I’m a pretty novice cook and have no idea what I’m doing, but I’m good at following instructions and as I’m typing this comment I’m preparing your recipe and cooking something legit for the first time EVER!

    I have two questions though:
    1. Did you see the ingredients items listed on the Chipotle website for every items they serve on their menu? I’m asking this because you use Ancho Chiles and Adobo Sauce while Chipotle listed only Chipotle Chile on their ingredient list for the chicken. 

    2. I was looking through the rest of your recipes but never found the Vegan Pinto Beans and Brown Rice recipes :(, is there a future release where you will post those two recipes? Or maybe guide me in the right direction to prepare those two items? I would appreciate any feedback.

    Thank you again and have a good one.5 stars

    Reply

    1. Hello Moustafa! I’m so excited for you! I firmly believe that when it comes to cooking, practice makes perfect. You’re well on your way. 🙂

      1. Hmmmm, that is interesting about the ingredients list. I have for sure looked at it, but not recently. Chipotle chiles are typically canned in adobo sauce, so they would get that flavor there. But, maybe they now just use the chipotles (which are dried jalapenos) instead of the anchos (which are dried poblanos). I may have to experiment with my recipe. I do think the flavor really comes through the way I have it now, and hope you agree. But, it would be a lot easier if I could eliminate those dried chiles entirely! I’ll have to work on that. Thank you so much for that insight!

      2. I don’t have the vegan Pinto beans but I hope to add them. I don’t know when, but I will try to move it up in my schedule.

      Thanks so much for you comment and I hope you love what you cook! 🙂 Take care.

  2. AH.MA.ZZZZING!!! I did a Chipotle Bar for a b-day party, and even though I was a little skeptical of getting awesomeness from baked chicken breasts, I decided to try it. I followed the recipe closely with the quick soak method and removed all the seeds, and marinaded 10 lbs in 3/4 of the marinade for about 18 hrs. The only difference was I removed the parchment paper at the end and broiled for a few minutes. It TASTED GREAT when I cut it, and I transferred it and some liquid to a slow cooker to keep warm for the party. Several hours later my exhausted husband and I sat down to a late post-toddler-party-madness dinner. I expected cold and dry chewy chicken. What I got instead was mindblowingly tender chunks of perfection. My goodness. How is that possible? I love you. Thank you.5 stars

    Reply

    1. CHRISTINE!!!! I love you too. I love that you made my recipe (took a gamble on a stranger’s blog) and had great results, especially with the chicken breast. I think the broiling was genius – it would add that caramelization normally reserved for grilling. Great idea!!! I’m so glad this worked out for you. Makes me want to cry or sing or something. Take care and thank you so much for your comment which has made my day/week/life.

  3. M..Meggan what other kind of animals can I use for this recipe. I tried lamb and it was delicious. I was wondering  if I could use ghost peppers instead of ancho chilies?5 stars

    Reply

    1. Hi Ross! You tried lamb? And it was good? That’s news to me! I’ve been meaning to try it on beef but haven’t yet. Ghost peppers? Aren’t those INSANELY hot? LOL! Sure – use them if you want to! You’re quite the adventurous eater!

  4. I just made this for the second time inside as I don’t have a grill (small apartment). I used a cast iron pan and boneless skinless breast. If you marinade it for at least 30mins and cook it to the correct temperature, it is very tender. I did not personally care for the results in the oven (it wasn’t bad, it just wasn’t very chipotle-like to me). I added a tiny bit of liquid smoke, just a few drops, to the marinade. It just gave it the tiniest hint of a grilled taste.

    Basically, I cooked it and it didn’t even make it to being used in a recipe. I ate it all 🙁 If you like chipotle, this is as good as it gets at home. Honestly, I think I like the home version a bit better. I will try this again when I pick up some thighs from the grocery store.5 stars

    Reply

    1. Hi Alice!!! This is a lovely comment despite the sad face. 😀 You are right, baking chicken breast in the oven is not quite the same as Chipotle’s. But, I’m glad you found a way to make it indoors that you enjoy! Adding the liquid smoke sounds really good, I’m definitely going to try that! Thanks again for sharing your experience. I seriously appreciate it! Take care.

  5. HeyHey Meggan! Can I use Olive Oil instead of Canola oil? (I never use canola and don’t have any, if I buy some I’m unlikely to ever use it again!) Sorry if this is a stupid question, I’m a pretty novice cook!5 stars

    Reply

    1. Robyn, YES! Not a stupid question. I use olive oil and canola oil interchangeably for the most part, except perhaps in baking if the olive oil is too fruity. In this instance, you would never notice the taste anyway… and I am going to re-write the recipe to include olive oil!!! I’ve made it that way myself. 😀 Thanks!!!

  6. Hi Meggan! I’m excited to try this recipe–it looks amazing! I know you mentioned freezing the marinade, but have you also tried freezing the chicken after it’s cooked? 5 pounds is a lot for just me and my fiancé so I’m trying to figure out if I should make less or freeze some of it for later.5 stars

    Reply

    1. Hi Becky, YES! I have definitely frozen the cooked chicken for later and even dumped it in a slow cooker to warm it up. It tasted great. I completely understand the whole not wanting to make a million pounds of chicken at a time, no matter how good it is. 🙂 But you should be fine freezing it after! Worked for me! xoxo

  7. Hi Meggan,

    We made this for Thanksgiving and it was delicious! We made beans – the bacon (better than Chipotle), salsa, rice, and chicken.  My three-year-old would eat Chipotle 9 days per week if you allowed him and he loved it. This is certainly a more cost-effective option.  Thank you for taking the time to formulate the recipe and sharing.5 stars

    Reply

  8. Hi Meggan!

    This recipe looks great, but I only have a mini food processor and it definitely can’t hold two cups. Would it be possible to make the marinade using a Vitamix blender?

    Reply

    1. Hi Ellen, YES, definitely! I will update the recipe to reflect this. Thank you so much for your question and for making this recipe even better. 🙂

  9. Hi Megan, 
    I’ve read all the comments and your responses.  But, I just want to clarify it before I start making it. 
    1/4 c ancho chili pepper powder
    drain 1 can chipotle peppers in adobo sauce
    1/4 c oil
    1 red onion
    cumin, oregano, black pepper
    Then you add water to bring it to a total of 2 cups
    Is this right?

    Reply

    1. Hi Fay, yes. You do drain the chipotle peppers but reserve the adobo sauce (you probably know this but I just want to make sure). Blend with ancho chile pepper powder, onion, spices, and oil. Pour into a measuring cup and add water until you are at 2 cups. Yes. Good job! I know this recipe is kind of overwhelming.