Description
Mexican-inspired chicken chipotle enchiladas blend smoky chipotle peppers with tender shredded chicken in a creamy sauce. Melted cheese and fresh cilantro complete this zesty dish you’ll crave time and again.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 ½ lbs (680g) boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs
- 2 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce (canned)
- 1 tbsp adobo sauce (from the can)
- 2 tbsps olive oil
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tsp cumin
- 1 tsp chili powder
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ tsp black pepper
- Juice of 1 lime
- ¼ cup chicken broth (optional, for thinner sauce)
- Fresh cilantro, chopped (for garnish)
Instructions
- Sauce Preparation: Blitz chipotle peppers, adobo sauce, garlic, lime juice, and chicken broth in a blender until achieving a velvety, uniform texture.
- Seasoning Process: Thoroughly coat chicken with olive oil, smoked paprika, cumin, chili powder, salt, and pepper, ensuring comprehensive and even coverage.
- Cooking Technique: Choose between stovetop or grill method. For stovetop, sear chicken in a preheated skillet over medium heat, cooking 5-6 minutes per side until golden and fully cooked. If grilling, maintain medium-high heat, developing attractive char marks and preserving juicy interior for 6-8 minutes per side.
- Flavor Infusion: After reaching optimal doneness, lavishly drench chicken with prepared chipotle sauce, allowing gentle simmering for 2-3 minutes to create a rich, glossy glaze.
- Serving Presentation: Slice or shred chicken into delicate strands, garnish with fresh cilantro, and accompany with vibrant lime wedges to enhance the dish’s zesty profile.
Notes
- Enhance Spice Complexity: Toast whole spices before grinding to unlock deeper, more intense flavor profiles and elevate the overall taste of the chipotle chicken.
- Marinade Magic: Allow chicken to marinate for minimum 30 minutes (ideally 2-4 hours) to help spices penetrate deeply and tenderize the meat for maximum juiciness.
- Heat Management: Control chipotle pepper intensity by removing seeds for milder heat or adding extra peppers for a more fiery experience, tailoring the spice level to personal preference.
- Meal Versatility: Transform this recipe into gluten-free, low-carb, or keto-friendly options by serving over cauliflower rice, lettuce wraps, or zucchini noodles instead of traditional sides.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Dinner, Lunch
- Method: Grilling
- Cuisine: Mexican
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 5
- Calories: 350
- Sugar: 1g
- Sodium: 400mg
- Fat: 14g
- Saturated Fat: 2g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 6g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 47g
- Cholesterol: 100mg