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Chipotle Chicken Recipe Copycat

My Chipotle Chicken Recipe Copycat is the best. It has great flavor and medium heat. My cooking methods, air fryer or oven both produce juicy chicken with bits of crispy edges.
Course Main Course
Cuisine Mexican
Keyword air fryer, chicken, chipotle
Budget Frugal
Prep Time 12 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Marinade Time 2 hours
Total Time 2 hours 42 minutes
Servings 6
Calories 273kcal

Equipment

  • Air Fryer optional
  • Storage bag or container for marinating

Ingredients

  • 2 pounds chicken boneless, skinless chicken thighs or breasts

For the marinade:

  • 1 medium red onion
  • 2-3 chipotle chiles in adobo sauce
  • 1 tablespoon minced garlic or 3 whole garlic cloves
  • 2 tablespoons adobo sauce
  • ¼ cup apple cider vinegar
  • ¼ cup olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon cumin
  • 1 tablespoon oregano (dried)
  • 2 teaspoons salt
  • 1 teaspoon black pepper

Instructions

  • Prep chicken by placing each piece between plastic wrap or in a plastic bag and pound to an even thickness using a meat mallet or a heavy can. Place in a storage bag or a covered container while preparing the marinade.

Make the marinade:

  • Place red onion, garlic, adobo chiles, adobo sauce, apple cider vinegar, olive oil, cumin, oregano, salt and pepper in a blender and puree.
  • Place the chicken in a plastic storage bag or storage container. Pour contents of blender over chicken. Turn to even coat chicken. Place in refrigerator and all the chicken to marinate for 2-6 hours. You can also allow it to marinate overnight if desired.

To cook the chicken in an air fryer:

  • Follow your air fryer directions for preheating. Place several evenly spaced pieces of chicken in the air fryer. Set the temperature to 370 degrees or use the chicken setting (if your air fryer has one) to cook the chicken for 10 minutes. Turn and cook for another 10 to 15 minutes or until the chicken is golden brown and the juices run clear.

To cook the chicken in the oven:

  • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Place the chicken in a baking pan. Bake for 20 minutes. Turn and bake for another 10 minutes or until the internal temperature is 165 degrees and the juices run clear.
  • Remove the chicken and allow it to rest for 5 minutes. Dice into small, bite-sized pieces.
  • The chicken is now ready to be used in your favorite recipes or frozen for use later.

Nutrition

Calories: 273kcal | Carbohydrates: 5g | Protein: 14g | Fat: 21g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 12g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 54mg | Sodium: 1859mg | Potassium: 221mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 144IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 47mg | Iron: 2mg