Chicken Chipotle Recipe

This is the very best Chipotle Chicken Recipe!

This juicy Chipotle Chicken can be prepped and cooked almost immediately or marinated for longer for super convenient and sensationally delicious dinner.  The Wet Rub is quick and easy and tastes better than any restaurant!  

Chipotle Chicken with lime and cilantro.


 


Favorite ways to serve this Chicken Chipotle Recipe

Living in San Diego (Carlsbad is north San Diego), I have a plethora of Mexican restaurants at my fingertips.  Thank goodness, because Patrick and I crave Mexican 90% of the time.  But even after all our Mexican tasting, my favorite meat is still my Carne Asada and my favorite Mexican chicken is still my very own Chipotle Chicken recipe!  Its a fraction of the cost of dining out, 10X the flavor and you can whip it up on a craving or prep beforehand to be instantly at your fingertips.  Serve it with Cilantro Lime Rice and Beans Beans for an easy instant meal or tacos, burritos, empanadas, etc..

I’ve used this same Chipotle Chicken Recipe as the crowning adornment of my Southwest Salad with Creamy Avocado Salsa DressingChipotle Chicken Salad with Mango Dressing, Chipotle BBQ Chicken Salad with Tomatillo Avocado Ranch, Chipotle Ranch Chicken Flatbread, BBQ Chipotle Chicken Sandwiches,  and Chipotle TexMex Creamy Roasted Red Pepper Pasta – can you tell I’m obsessed with this Chipotle Chicken recipe?!

Fresh cut Chipotle Chicken with lime and cilantro.

Chipotle Chicken ingredients

The Chipotle Chicken marinade is more of a Wet Rub than a marinade.  I find this concentrates the flavor for even more robust, fiestalicious chicken. 

  • Chicken: You will need one pound of chicken for this recipe. I used boneless skinless chicken breasts, however, this recipe will work with any cut of chicken if you adjust the cooking time. Try it on boneless chicken thighs, drumsticks, chicken wings, etc.
  • Lime juice: You may use fresh or bottled lime juice, but fresh is always best! The lime juice cuts through the robust, earthy seasonings and helps tenderize the meat by breaking down its fibers and connective tissues.

Chipotle Chicken Seasoning

The Chipotle Chicken is bathed in aromatic Mexican spices of:

  • chipotle
  • chili powder for a smoky heat
  • chili powder
  • cumin
  • smoked paprika
  • garlic
  • onion powder

The spices are mixed with olive oil and lime juice to tenderize the meat so its oh so juicy and then slathered all over your chicken.  Just look at those spices ready to create a fiesta in your mouth!

Showing how to make Chipotle Chicken with lime and cilantro marinade.

Depending on your time, you can cook the chicken right away, or wait 30 minutes or better yet, let marinate 8 hours.   The longer the chicken marinates, the more tender and flavorful it will become.

Preparing chicken for Chipotle Chicken with lime and cilantro.

How to make Chipotle Chicken

You can grill your Chipotle Chicken or cook it on your stove.  Both produce fabulous results but your grilled Chipotle chicken will naturally be more smoky and have less cleanup.  Grilling chicken is not always practical, however, so I’ve included directions for both how to grill your Chipotle Chicken and how to cook it on your stove. 

  1. Pound chicken to an even thickness with the side of a can or meat mallet. This quick step: 1) tenderizes the chicken as it breaks up the tissues and 2) the uniform thickness allows the chicken to cook evenly all over.
  2. In a small bowl, whisk the chicken rub ingredients together.
  3. Rub the wet rub marinade evenly all over chicken breasts.
  4. Allow chicken to sit for 30 minutes at room temperature or refrigerate up to 8 hours then bring to room temperature before cooking.

Do you wipe marinade off chicken before cooking?

No, you should not wipe the marinade off before cooking. Marinades are designed to enhance flavor by imparting a mixture of spices, herbs, acids, and oils into the meat. Leaving the marinade on the chicken as it cooks creates a savory crust of flavor. It also helps the chicken retain moisture during cooking by acting as a barrier against the heat, preventing excessive moisture loss.

Chipotle Chicken Marinade: stove top directions

  1. If your marinated chicken has been refrigerated, let sit at room temperature for 15-30 minutes (time permitting).
  2. Heat a large non-stick skillet over medium high heat. Once very hot, add chicken and cook, undisturbed for 3-5 minutes, or until nicely browned (or blackened if you prefer) on one side.
  3. Turn chicken over, cover, and reduce heat to medium. Cook for approximately 5-7 more minutes (depending on thickness of chicken), or until chicken is cooked through. Remove to a cutting board and let rest 5 minutes before slicing.

Grilling directions for Chipotle Chicken

  1. If your marinated chicken has been refrigerated, let sit at room temperature for 15-30 minutes (time permitting).
  2. Meanwhile, grease and preheat the grill to medium heat, 375-450°F.
  3. Grill chicken undisturbed for 5-7 minutes per side, or until chicken is cooked through. (An inserted thermometer should read 165 degrees F.)  The cooking time will vary depending on the thickness of your chicken.
  4. Remove chicken from grill and let rest 5 minutes before slicing.

No matter how you cook this Chipotle Chicken – it will be epically flavorful, epically delicious and ready to transform your meal into the best Mexican (fill in the blanks____tacos, burritos, etc.), with crazy little prep and crazy huge flavor.   Epic flavor.   It’s waiting…

How to store Chipotle Chicken

To store: Store chipotle chicken in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days or freeze for up to 3 months.

To freeze chicken in marinade: Add the chicken to the marinade in a freezer safe bag, squeeze out excess air and freeze for up to 3 months. When you’re ready to use, the chicken will marinate as you thaw the chicken in the refrigerator; cook immediately so it doesn’t marinate for too long and become mushy.

To freeze leftover chicken: Let the cooked chicken cool completely then transfer it to an airtight container or plastic freezer bag and squeeze out any excess air. If you want access to individual pieces of chicken, wrap each chicken breast in plastic wrap before adding to the freezer bag. Freeze for 2 to 3 months.

Chipotle Chicken Recipe FAQs

Is chipotle chicken spicy?

Yes, chipotle chicken packs some heat, but this recipe is not overly spicy. I would say this recipe is about medium spicy, and should be perfect for most people. To make it less spicy, reduce the chipotle pepper to ½ teaspoon. To make it spicier, increase to closer to 1 ½ teaspoons chipotle pepper.

What does Chipotle chicken taste like?

Chipotle chicken is smoky, spicy and a bit tangy from the lime juice. The chipotle pepper is complemented by the warm, earthy, slightly bitter citrus notes of cumin, smoky sweetness from the smoked paprika and aromatic garlic and onion powders. The zesty lime juice cuts through the robust richness.

How long is too long to marinate chicken?

The cut of chicken and acidity level of the marinade will determine how long is too long to marinate the chicken. Marinating chicken for too long can make it mushy because the marinade’s acidic components break down the proteins excessively. In most cases, chicken should not be marinated for longer than 24 hours. In cases with a highly acidic marinade, it should not be marinated longer than 4-8 hours. For thin cuts of chicken marinate no longer than 2-4 hours.

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©Carlsbad Cravings by CarlsbadCravings.com

Close up of cut Chipotle Chicken with lime and cilantro.

If you love Mexican food, you will also love my Slow Cooker Mexican Chicken,  Slow Cooker Carnitas, Skillet Chicken Fajitas, and Slow Cooker Barbacoa Beef!

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Easy Chipotle Chicken Seasoning

The best Chipotle Chicken Recipe seeping with flavor is a meal all in one or instantly transforms tacos, burritos, salads, bowls, etc into the most epic tacos, burritos, salads, bowls EVER! This juicy Chipotle Chicken can be prepped and cooked almost immediately or marinated for longer for super convenient and sensationally delicious dinner. 
Servings: 4
Total Time: 20 minutes
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes

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Ingredients

  • 2-3 chicken breasts pounded thin (1 pound)

Chipotle Chicken Rub

Instructions

  • In a small bowl, whisk chicken rub ingredients together and rub evenly all over chicken breasts. Time permitting, allow chicken to sit for 30 minutes at room temperature or refrigerate up to 8 hours then bring to room temperature before cooking.*
  • STOVETOP DIRECTIONS
  • If chicken has been refrigerated, let sit at room temperature for 15-30 minutes (time permitting).
  • Heat a large non-stick skillet over medium high heat. Once very hot, add chicken and cook, undisturbed for 3-5 minutes, or until nicely browned (or blackened if you prefer) on one side. Turn chicken over, cover, and reduce heat to medium. Cook for approximately 5-7 more minutes (depending on thickness of chicken), or until chicken is cooked through. Remove to a cutting board and let rest 5 minutes before slicing.
  • GRILLING DIRECTIONS
  • If chicken has been refrigerated, let sit at room temperature for 15-30 minutes (time permitting).
  • Meanwhile, grease and preheat the grill to medium heat, 375-450°F.
  • Grill chicken undisturbed for 5-7 minutes per side, or until chicken is cooked through. (An inserted thermometer should read 165 degrees F.)
  • Remove chicken from grill and let rest 5 minutes before slicing.

Notes

*Chicken is still delicious even if cooked immediately but is more flavorful the longer the rub marinates.
**Total time does not include marinating chicken as this time will vary per individual.

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68 Comments

  1. Olivia Brown says

    This looks really good. I love to get recipe ideas your site. I know the recipes are always terrific.

  2. Jenn says

    Have you ever cooked this in a crockpot/slow cooker? I’m interested in this method.

  3. Katie says

    Thanks for sharing this with the web! Delicious! We had it over rice and cauliflower rice veggie mixture. I can think of several ways to use this already!

    • Jen says

      You are so welcome Katie, I’m so happy you loved it! and YES the possibilities are endless – I even add lime zest, toss it in BBQ sauce, anything and everything!

  4. Day says

    Tried this recipe in burritos with cilantro lime rice last night and the kids are still begging for more. Great in salads, tacos, burritos. Tried and True, Delicious!!!!

    • Jen says

      Yasssss! Thank you so much for making my day! I’m so happy this chipotle chicken was such a hit!

  5. Sarah says

    I made this tonight to go with burrito bowls and it was DELICIOUS! My new go-to recipe. Thank you!

    • Jen says

      Yay! I’m so pleased it’s a new favorite, thanks Sarah!

  6. Maria says

    It turned out perfectly!!!! I served with sweet potatoes and broccoli. Thanks for the great recipe.

    • Jen says

      You’re so welcome Maria! Your whole meal sounds delish!

  7. DGarcia says

    LOVE THIS RECIPE! I use this marinade a couple times a month. I also follow this stovetop method and no longer have overcooked chicken! Thank you!

    • Jen says

      Thank you so much, I’m so pleased you loved this recipe and are achieving juicy results!

  8. Tina says

    This is my favorite go-to chicken recipe for burrito bowls. When my college boys are home, I think we make it at least once a week. It’s perfect, quick and easy, and full of flavor. We don’t like bland food around here, and this is awesome. Thank you! Need to try some of your other recipes since we love this one so much.

    • Jen says

      Thanks so much Tina, I’m so pleased this is a go-to favorite! If you love flavorful food, you’ve come to the right place!

  9. John says

    I was wondering if you can substitute thigh for drumsticks? Would I need to make any modifications

    • Jen says

      Absolutely! The only difference is the cooking time. Bake them for about 40 minutes at 400 degrees F or until they reach an internal temperature of 175ºF, flipping the drumsticks once half-way through.

  10. Melissa says

    This is my absolute FAVORITE chicken recipe!! Has a bit of spice and delicious dimensional flavor!

    • Jen says

      Thank you so much, Melissa! I am so happy this is your favorite!!

  11. Emily says

    Amazing! So glad I tried this out and thankful for it being shared. I sautéed some red onion and peppers to mix in with the cooked chicken and made lettuce cups. This one is getting saved for the weekly rotation is our house. I cooked the chicken on the stove top and kept it on a few minutes longer after flipping to get a crisp. Next time I’m going to add pineapple and serve over coconut rice! So many options.

    • Jen says

      Yay! Thank you so much, Emily, I’m so glad this made it into the weekly rotation! Serving with pineapple over coconut rice sounds delicious!

  12. Anna says

    Can I substitute Chipotle peppers for Chipotle powder?

    • Jen says

      Yes, 1/2 teaspoon of chipotle powder is equal to about 1 large canned chipotle pepper. Happy cooking!

  13. sherry hernandez says

    Hi Jenn I have made this chicken a few times ,in the oven ,can I
    make it in the air fryer? Thanks for always coming through your recipes are awesome!!

    Thanks !!!

    • Jen says

      I’m so glad you have been loving the recipes! Yes, this should work fine in the air fryer! Just make sure to get that internal temperature to 165 degrees F!

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