Chipotle Chicken (Best Copycat Recipe)

5 from 17 votes

The best Chipotle chicken copycat! The chicken is deliciously charred, smoky, spicy, and perfect for salads, burrito bowls, tacos, and more.

Prep Time10

Cook Time10

Total Time4 20

Course: Dinner

Cuisine: Mexican

Keyword: Chipotle chicken, chipotle chicken copycat, chipotle chicken recipe

Servings: servings

1 (7-ounce) can chipotle peppers in adobo sauce use sauce only and discard or save peppers
½ cup water
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
4 garlic cloves
1 tablespoon Ancho chili powder
1 tablespoon distilled white vinegar
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon ground black pepper

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.
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.
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.
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!