- Prep time: 15 min
- Marinade time: 3 hours (minimum)
- Servings: approximately 4 dishes
- Cook time: 15 to 20 min
Here is a great recipe that produces delicious chicken similar in flavor of the chicken served at Chipotle restaurants. It has a ton of flavor, reheats well, and can be used in a variety of dishes. Everything from a main meal to rice bowls and salads.
I enjoy making the marinade in the morning and letting the chicken marinade in it until dinner time, but if needed sooner I recommend a minimum of 3 hours for the chicken to absorb the flavors of the marinade.
Cooking Method:
- Flat top griddle atop a grill of your choice
- Could be cooked directly on the grill, a smoker, or a cast iron pan
Two of the most used accessories I have are the Recteq large flat top griddle along with a good Instant Read thermometer such as the ThermoPro TP13. The griddle is large enough to cook for a crowd, yet small enough to fit on an average size grill. Easy to clean and made so well it should last a lifetime if taken care of properly.
Tips:
- Use boneless, skinless chicken thighs
- Flat top should be hot enough to produce a sear on the chicken, but not so hot that it burns the marinade
- For an additional kick use more chipotle peppers in the marinade
Ingredients:
- 2 1/2 lbs of boneless, skinless chicken thighs (approximately 10 thighs)
- Chipotle peppers in adobo sauce (small 7oz can) such as Goya or Embasa Chipotle peppers in adobo sauce
- 1/3 cup of beer (I used a Modelo)
- 1/2 cup finely chopped sweet onion
- 2 cloves of garlic, peeled and diced
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 2 teaspoons of chili powder
- 2 teaspoons of chipotle powder
- 2 tablespoons of freshly squeezed lime juice (about 2 limes)
- 4 tablespoons of avocado oil
Instructions:
In a food processor (or blender / nija) add:
- 1 pepper from the can of chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, then add 2 tablespoons of adobo sauce from the can
- Add the dry ingredients listed above
- Add the avocado oil and lime juice
- Do Not Add the beer at this time!
Blend for 30 to 60 seconds until smooth, then taste to your liking. If you like more heat, add another pepper or more chili powder and repeat blending. With the blender turned off add the 1/3 cup of beer and mix with a spoon.
Pour the mixture into a large zip lock bag (or a large glass bowl), add the chicken thighs, seal and mix thoroughly. Place in the refrigerator for a minimum of 3 hours. I make this before work, place in the fridge and then remove when ready to go on the grill later that evening. By this time the marinade thickens slightly, but the chicken has absorbed a ton of flavor.
Cooking Instructions:
- Preheat grill to 425 degrees (if you have a griddle preheat with the griddle on)
- When the grill and griddle reach temp, then add a few teaspoons of avocado oil to the hot griddle
- Using tongs remove the chicken thighs from the bag and place them (wet from the marinade) onto the hot griddle (they should start to sizzle)
- Cook for 6 minutes, then flip them and cook another 6 minutes until the internal temperature reaches 160 degrees as checked with an instant read thermometer
- When the chicken reaches 160 degrees, remove from the grill, place on a cutting board and cut into bite size chunks and then place back on the griddle and continue cooking for another 4 to 5 minutes until they start to caramelize
- Remove from griddle, place in a bowl and serve with your favorite accompaniments. We made Salad bowls for dinner with them!
Enjoy!
