The BEST Copycat Chipotle Chicken Recipe (Tastes Legit Like Chipotle's)

This copycat Chipotle chicken recipe is jam-packed with flavor. It combines meaty chicken breasts with the perfect blend of fresh spices with onions, garlic, and a savory adobo sauce to make a rich marinade that tastes just like the restaurants. Then, the freshly marinated chicken gets cooked until it's perfectly tender and juicy. What's even better than how this copycat Chipotle chicken tastes is how easy it is to make. In fact, you can put it together by following just a few simple steps, and it cooks up in no time.

The Best Chipotle Chicken

You guys probably know by now I have a bit of an obsession with Chipotle Mexican Grill, and their chicken. In fact, the chicken burrito bowl might just be my favorite thing on the menu because of how good the chicken is.

I mean, the chicken there just has the perfect balance of spices, and I love how it turns out slightly blackened, but yet it's still super tender and juicy.

So, since I love Chipotles chicken as much as I do, I decided to come up with a copycat version of it. And, well, I know I'm a bit biased, but I seriously think this copycat version tastes just like the real deal. It has the same delicious assortment of spices and seasonings, and the chicken always turns out super juicy and loaded with flavor.

Gah, it's just so good, and it's so easy to make too! In fact, all you have to do to make it is mix up the marinade, let the chicken marinate in it, and then cook it.

Yup, that's all there is to it.

Plus, all that takes well under an hour, so you'll have this delicious juicy chicken ready for rice bowls in no time. 

By the way, since most of the time spent making this copycat Chipotle chicken recipe is spent letting the chicken marinate, you'll have plenty of time to whip up some yummy sides to go with it. For what it's worth, I recommend making these air fryer tortilla chips and Chipotle guac. 

Ingredients

One of the best things about this Chipotle chicken recipe is that it's made almost entirely with kitchen/pantry staples. In fact, I'm willing to bet you already have most - if not all - of the ingredients you'll need on hand to make it!

Anyway, here's what you'll need to make it:

• ¼ cup red onion, chopped
• 1 teaspoon garlic paste
• 1 tablespoon adobo sauce
• 1 tablespoon ancho chile powder
• 1 teaspoon cumin powder
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 2lb. chicken breasts, skinless, boneless
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• 1 tablespoon olive oil or rice bran oil

And here are some side ideas to serve with the chicken:

• Cilantro lime rice
• Chopped avocado
• Chopped cilantro

Pretty simple stuff, eh?

By the way, if you have any leftover chicken after making this recipe, I definitely recommend making this chicken taco casserole with it! It's absolutely delish, and it's a hit with the entire fam every time I make it.

Oh, also, you can use many of these same ingredients to make this pollo asado recipe as well. It's another delicious chicken recipe like the one from Chipotle.

Ingredient Substitutions And Suggestions

While I recommend making this copycat Chipotle chicken with the ingredients listed above, there are some ways you can put your own spin on it and possibly save yourself a trip to the store as well.

So, with that said, I'll go over some of my favorite ideas to try below.

Use Other Cuts Of Chicken

This recipe calls for chicken breasts, but chicken thighs will work just as well. In fact, my wife prefers it when we make this recipe with the thighs.

Add Some Heat

If you want to add a bit of heat to your Chipotle chicken, you can add some chopped-up chipotle peppers or chipotle chiles to the marinade. You can also add a sprinkle of chipotle chili powder. Just remember not to overdo it with the heat since it can easily overpower the chicken.

Make A Buritto or Burrito Bowl With It

This Chipotle chicken is flavorful enough to eat all by itself, but it also goes great in a burrito/burrito bowl too.

Personally, I love chopping up the chicken and mixing it with some Cilantro lime rice, black beans, salsa, sour cream, lime juice, or anything else you want to create the perfect burrito bowl. 

How To Make Chipotle Chicken

Now it's time for the fun part - making the chicken!

Again, it's super easy to make this copycat Chipotle chicken recipe. As I mentioned, you basically just combine the marinade ingredients together, marinate the chicken in them, and then cook the chicken on the stovetop until it's ready to serve. 

Anyway, let's stop wasting time and get cooking!

Step 1: Make The Marinade

First things first, you'll want to add the chopped onion, garlic paste, adobo sauce, chile powder, cumin, and oregano to your food blender or food processor. Then, you'll want to blend everything together until it's mostly smooth and combined, and then you can set it aside.

Step 2: Marinate The Chicken

Now you can season the chicken breasts with some salt and pepper, place them into a large bowl - or zip-lock bag - and add the prepared marinade to it.

Then, after you've added the marinade, you can give everything a mix and let it rest in the fridge for about 30 minutes or overnight to really enhance the flavors. By the way, if you put the chicken in a bowl, you'll want to cover it before putting it in the fridge.

Step 3: Cook The Chicken

Once the chicken has had a chance to marinate, you can heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.

Then, once the oil is hot, add the chicken to the skillet and cook for a few minutes, flipping it once, until the thickest part of the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165°F. The time will vary, depending on how thick the chicken breasts are.

Step 4: Slice And Serve

When the chicken has fully cooked through, you can remove it from the pan and place it on a cutting board. Then, you'll want to tent the cooked chicken with some aluminum foil - to keep it warm - and let the chicken rest for 10 minutes.

Finally, to finish up, you can cut the cooked chicken into slices - or cube shapes - like at Chipotle, and then serve it and enjoy!

How To Store Chipotle Chicken

This copycat recipe for Chipotle's chicken makes 4 large servings, so it should be just enough for a large family dinner! If you're lucky, you might even have some leftovers.

Speaking of leftovers, the best way to store your leftover chicken is in an airtight container in the fridge. Stored this way, the Chipotle chicken should last about 3-4 days.

Alternatively, if you want your store your leftover chicken for even longer, you can freeze it for up to 4 months. Just transfer it to an airtight container - or freezer-safe bag - once it's cooled and store it in the freezer.

How To Reheat Chipotle Chicken

When you're ready to enjoy your Chipotle chicken again, you can either eat it cold or reheat it.

That said, to reheat the chicken, just transfer it to a baking sheet lined with parchment and heat it in the oven for about 10-12 minutes at 350°F or until it's fully warmed.

Alternatively, to heat the chicken up even quicker, you can use the microwave. Just heat it in 30-second increments until it reaches your desired temperature.

Wrapping It Up

Well, that's how to make Chipotle's chicken at home!

I know I'm a bit biased, but I really do think this recipe is just as good - if not better - than the chicken at Chipotle. I don't know if it's the balance of spices or the juiciness of chicken that makes this dish so good, all I know is that I can't get enough of it.

Also, it's really the perfect meal for a group since everyone can enjoy the chicken in their own way - whether they make a burrito, rice bowl, or salad.

Anyway, I hope you enjoy this easy Chipotle chicken copycat recipe as much as I/we do.

As always, if you give it a try, be sure to leave a comment below and let us know how it went!

More Chicken Recipes

If you enjoyed this recipe, there's a good chance that you'll love some of our other easy chicken recipes. And we've got a ton of them on the blog.

Here are some reader favorites:

• Chick-Fil-A chicken nuggets
• McDonald's spicy chicken sandwich
• Zaxby's chicken fingers
• Olive Garden chicken marsala
• Alice Springs chicken
• Chick Fil A grilled chicken sandwich

Oh, and as always, make sure to check us out on TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube! We post new recipes on them every day.

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