4.9 from 99 votes
Copycat Chipotle Chicken
This recipe recreates Chipotle's chicken using a marinade of beer, adobo spices, and lime juice which tenderizes and flavors boneless, skinless chicken thighs. The chicken is grilled to achieve a smoky char and juicy interior, then diced for serving. The marinade's blend of chipotle chili, garlic, cumin, oregano, and chili powder imparts a smoky, slightly spicy taste, characteristic of the restaurant-style chicken. This dish can be served warm as a main protein in bowls, tacos, or salads.
Prep Time
4 hrs 30 mins
Cook Time
15 mins
Total Time
4 hrs 45 mins
Servings:
6
servings
Course:
Main Course
Ingredients
- ½ cup beer
- ½ onion chopped, medium sweet
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1 chipotle chili pepper in adobo sauce
- 3 tablespoons canola oil divided
- 2 tablespoons lime juice freshly squeezed
- 1 tablespoon adobo sauce
- 2 teaspoons chili powder
- 1 ½ teaspoons cumin ground
- 1 teaspoon oregano dried
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper freshly ground
- 2 pounds chicken thighs boneless, skinless
Instructions
- Combine beer, onion, garlic, chili pepper, 2 tablespoons canola oil, lime juice, adobo sauce, chili powder, cumin, oregano, salt and pepper in blender until smooth.
- In a gallon size Ziploc bag or large bowl, combine chicken thighs and beer mixture; marinate for at least 4 hours to overnight, turning the bag occasionally. Drain the chicken from the marinade.
- Preheat grill to medium heat.
- Brush chicken with remaining 1 tablespoon canola oil; season with salt and pepper, to taste. Add chicken to grill, and cook, turning occasionally, until chicken is completely cooked through, reaching an internal temperature of 165 degrees F, about 8-10 minutes. Let cool before dicing into bite-size pieces.
- Serve warm.
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