If you love Chipotle as my as much teenager son, then this Grilled Chipotle Chicken Copycat will be your new favorite meal. Better than the original, the tender chicken is marinated in a blend of chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, lime and warm spices before hitting the grill for a beautifully charred exterior and juicy center. No more paying for extra protein. Meal prep a batch at home and have it on hand all week long.
Looking for more copycat recipes from your favorite restaurants, try my version of the In-N-Out Burger, Zuppa Toscana from Olive Garden or my favorite Beefy Crunchwrap.
What Makes Chipotle Chicken So Flavorful?
The key to a great Grilled Chipotle Chicken Copycat is the marinade. Chipotle peppers in adobo sauce bring smoky heat, while lime juice adds acidity and brightness. Garlic, cumin, oregano, adobo seasoning and paprika build a savory, earthy flavor profile.
The combination is bold without overpowering the chicken. Once the marinated chicken hits a hot grill, the outside develops a delicious char while the inside stays juicy and tender.
For an even closer restaurant-style experience, chop the grilled chicken into bite-sized pieces after it rests. This makes it perfect for building burrito bowls, tacos, and meal-prep containers
Ingredients needed to make Grilled Chipotle Chicken Copycat
- Chicken: boneless, skinless chicken thighs are my first choice because they stay juicy on the grill and have plenty of flavor. Chicken breasts can also be used if you prefer leaner meat.
- Chipotle peppers in adobo sauce: provide smoky heat and a deep chile flavor, while the adobo sauce adds even more seasoning to the marinade.
- Spices: a mixture of cumin, oregano, paprika and adobo seasoning help create the bold flavors of this dish.
- Lime: adds acidity and brightness while helping balance the smoky heat of the peppers.
- Garlic: fresh garlic adds savory depth and gives the marinade.
Dad’s Seasonings
Must have grillin seasonings!
How to Make Grilled Chipotle Chicken Copycat
Step 1: Make the chipotle marinade
The secret to this Grilled Chipotle Chicken Copycat recipe is in the marinade itself. A few smokey ingredients create the best tasting and most tender grilled chicken I’ve had. And like I said before, so much better than the restaurant version.
In a blender add a whole can of chipotle peppers in adobo sauce. Add in the dry spices including cumin, oregano, smoked paprika and adobo seasoning. Drop in 4-5 fresh garlic cloves, some water and freshly squeezed lime juice.
Blend the ingredients together until you get a nice smooth texture. You want a thick, flavorful marinade that can completely coat the chicken.
Step 2: Marinate the chicken thighs
This Grilled Chipotle Chicken Copycat recipe is perfect for meal prepping. Make the marinade the night before, store it in the fridge overnight and grill up the next day.
In a deep bowl, add boneless, skinless chicken thighs. Pour the marinade over the chicken making sure get a good coating on everything.
Close the container and store it in the fridge for at least 1 hour. For even more flavor, marinate the chicken for several hours or overnight. Many copycat versions use anywhere from about 30 minutes to overnight to allow the smoky chile and citrus flavors to penetrate the chicken.
Step 3: Grill the Chipotle Chicken
This Grilled Chipotle Chicken comes together in minutes over high direct heat. Dinner will be ready in 15 minutes.
Preheat the grill to high 400 degrees Fahrenheit and set it for direct heat. Place the chipotle marinated chicken on the hot grates and grill 10 minutes per side or until the internal temperature reaches 175 degrees Fahrenheit.
Dark meat takes longer to cook, therefore going higher in final temps is recommended for thighs. They will not dry out.
While the chicken is cooking on the grill, lightly season the protein with salt.
Recipe Tip
Use chicken breast for a leaner version.
Chicken thighs are a great cut to use if you are worried about drying the meat. They stay tender and juicy much easier than a breast with no fat.
Once they are cooked, remove the Grilled Chipotle Chicken Thighs from the grill and let them rest for 10 minutes.
How to make Cilantro Lime Rice
Another great dish that Chipotle is known for is their Cilantro Lime rice. This is simple to make and can be done while the Grilled Chipotle Chicken is cooking.
How to cook rice
Start with rinsing the rice. This step will help remove excess starch, resulting in grains to separate better when cooked.
Next, in a sauce pan, add 1 cup of dry white rice and 2 cups water. Bring everything up to a boil.
Recipe Tip
Whenever cooking rice, the water to rice ratio should always be 2:1
Turn down to simmer, cover with a lid and let it cook until all the water has evaporated into the rice. Do not remove lid to peak or stir. Once the liquid is gone, let it rest for a few minutes and fluff with a fork.
Add in the cilantro and lime
Once the rice is cooked, add some roughly chopped cilantro, a squeeze of oil oil and lime juice from 1-2 limes. Taste and season with salt if needed.
Serving Suggestions
Enjoy the Grilled Chipotle Chicken Copycat the way you would at Chipotle. You can add roasted corn, beans, grilled veggies or keep it simple and just enjoy the chicken with the rice. Can’t go wrong here.
Chipotle Chicken Bowls
Serve chopped chicken over cilantro lime rice with black beans, corn salsa, pico de gallo, avocado, cheese, and sour cream.
Tacos
Load warm tortillas with chopped chipotle chicken, fresh salsa, avocado, cilantro, and a squeeze of lime.
Try these easy Chipotle Chicken Tacos.
Quesadillas
Add the chopped chicken and shredded cheese between tortillas and grill until crispy and melted.
Salad Bowl
Slice the grilled chicken over romaine or mixed greens and add corn, black beans, avocado, tomatoes, and a creamy dressing.
Meal Prep Bowls
Make a big batch of chicken and divide it between containers with rice, beans, and your favorite vegetables for easy lunches throughout the week.
Alternative Recipes
These Grilled Chipotle Chicken thighs are perfect for a Chicken Fajita Skillet or Bowl.
Final Thoughts
This Grilled Chipotle Chicken Copycat is everything I want in an easy grilling recipe: bold flavor, juicy chicken, smoky char, and plenty of versatility. The chipotle peppers, adobo sauce, lime, garlic, and spices create a marinade that packs serious flavor without requiring a long list of complicated ingredients. Skip takeout and make a better version at home.
Make a big batch and turn it into tacos, burrito bowls, quesadillas, salads, or an easy weeknight dinner. Once you have this smoky, spicy chicken ready in the refrigerator, the possibilities are endless. Enjoy!
Frequently Asked Questions:
Is Chipotle Chicken spicy? There is a very mild heat level to chipotle chicken. It’s more smokey and warm than spicy.
What toppings can I use? You can use anything that you would normally get at Chipotle. From roasted corn, tomato salsa, black beans, cheese, lettuce and guacamole. Customize your meal with the toppings you like most.
If you tried this Grilled Chipotle Chicken Copycat or any other recipe on my blog, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the📝 comments. I love hearing from you!
Print
Grilled Chipotle Chicken Copycat
Fire up the grill, make some homemade grilled chipotle chicken copycat. It's better than the original! Skip the takeout tonight!
Course lunch, dinner, party food, barbecue, main, Main Course
Cuisine Mexican, American
Keyword grileld chipotle chicken copycat, grilled chicken, adobo sauce marinade, chicken marinade, copycat recipe, chipotle restaurant, spicy chicken, grillin with dad recipes.
Prep Time 10 minutes minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes minutes
Servings 4 People
Calories 265kcal
Chipotle Chicken Ingredients
- 6 Boneless, skinless chicken thighs
- Chipotle peppers in adobo sauce
- 5 Garlic cloves
- 1 tbsp Cumin
- 1 tbsp Adobo seasoning
- 1 tbsp Onion powder
- 1 tbsp Oregano
- 2 Limes - freshly squeezed juice
- 1/2 tsp Smoked Paprika
- Pinch of salt
- 1/2 cup Water
Cilantro Lime Rice Ingredients
- 3 cups Water
- 1.5 cups Rice
- 1 Lime - freshly squeezed juice
- 1/4 cup Chopped cilantro
- Pinch of salt
Grilled Chipotle Chicken
In a blender add a whole can of chili peppers in adobo sauce. Add in the dry spices, fresh garlic cloves, water and freshly squeezed lime juice. Blend the ingredients together until you get a nice smooth texture.
In a deep bowl, add boneless, skinless chicken thighs. Pour the adobo sauce marinade over the chicken making sure get a good coating on everything.
Marinate for at least 1 hour. Perferably overnight.
Preheat the grill to high 400 degrees Fahrenheit and set it for direct heat.
Grill the chipotle marinated chicken on the hot grates for 10 minutes per side or until the internal temperature reaches 175 degrees Fahrenheit.
Lightly season the grilling chicken with salt while on the grill.
Once they are cooked, remove the Grilled Chipotle Chicken Thighs from the grill and let them rest for 10 minutes.
Cilantro Lime Rice
Rinse the rice.
In a sauce pan, pour 1.5 cups of dry rice, 3 cups of water and a little salt. Let if cook until the water starts to boil.
Turn down to simmer, cover with a lid and let it cook until all the water has evaporated into the rice. Do not remove lid to peak or stir.
Once the rice is cooked, add in roughly chopped cilantro and freshly squeeze lime juice. Taste and season with salt if needed.
Use Chicken thighs for a leaner version.
If using breasts, pound them to an even thickness so they cook more evenly.
Chicken thighs are a great cut to use if you are worried about over drying the meat. They stay tender and juicy much easier than a breast with no fat. Calories: 265kcal | Carbohydrates: 15g | Protein: 35g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 0.03g | Cholesterol: 161mg | Sodium: 169mg | Potassium: 568mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 288IU | Vitamin C: 11mg | Calcium: 80mg | Iron: 3mg
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