Creamy Chipotle Chicken
By Lee Jackson ↣ Published on: May 14, 2021
This super-simple creamy Mexican chipotle chicken recipe has a luxuriant texture and bags of smoky chilli flavour and it’s all thanks to ready-to-go chipotle peppers in adobo sauce. A quick and easy way to inject some authentic Mexican flair to your next chicken dinner.
This Mexican inspired creamy chipotle chicken recipe is so quick and easy to make at home! Flavour for days and not a lot of effort on your behalf. This one's a winner and it's all thanks to one of my favourite ingredients - chipotle peppers in adobo sauce.
The serve as the base flavour, tangy, smoky and spicy - a ready made injection of personality. It's as simple as stirring it into chicken thighs and waiting for the magic to happen. Honestly, this is one of my simplest recipes to make at home and to the unknowing recipients it would appear that you've been slaving over the stove to create so many layers of flavour, which of course, you haven't. Big win!
What are Chipotle peppers?
Chipotle peppers are in fact jalapeño peppers that have been smoked and dried. This preservation process imparts a wonderful smoky heat to the chilli and completely transforms the flavour. They are strong and spicy so a little goes a long way. You can add them as-is to many Mexican salsas, stews and soups, like my wonderful Pozole Rojo Recipe, to impart the rich, smoky delights.
In this preparation the chipotle peppers have been taken a step further and stewed in a traditional adobo sauce, a complex combination of chillies, tomatoes, onion, vinegar, garlic and spices. It creates an intense stew that only need to be used sparingly. They're a common Mexican ingredient and come in small cans to be used in stews, salsas and creamy dressings.
How many chillies should I use?
It depends how spicy you like your food. Jalapeño/Chipotle are spicy, so I would suggest between 2-5. My recipe uses 4 which gives a nice spice that won't blow your head off.
Why it works?
- It's easy - Mexican food can be complex and time consuming, but this recipe utilises a ready-to-go ingredient as the base flavour and little else. The whole thing is very easy to put togther.
Stuff You'll Need
Here are the key ingredients you'll need to grab before starting. A full list is in the recipe below.
- Chipotle Peppers in Adobo Sauce - all the flavour you need comes in these small cans.
- Sour Cream (Mexican if you can get it) brings the silky creaminess to the sauce.
- Chicken thighs - I use whole thighs with the skin on, you can use breast too and remove the skin for either preparation if you prefer.
- Onion and garlic - add a little more earthy backbone to the sauce.
- Fresh Cilantro - (Coriander) for garnishing the final dish.
- Lime - I'll also sometimes squeeze over a little lime at the end for a citrus zing. This is optional.
Step by Step
My creamy chipotle chicken recipe couldn't be easier. It's ready in a few simple steps.
- Step 1 - Blend the chipotle & half the sour cream to make the base for the sauce
- Step 2 - Fry the chicken, skin side down to render out all the fat in two batches.
- Step 3 - Pourr away most of the fat then fry the onion and garlic until soft
- Step 4 - Add the sauce and stir well
- Step 5 - Add the chicken back to the pan with the remaining sour cream and a little water.
- Step 6 - Bring to a simmer then reduce the heat and simmer gently, covered for 20 minutes, then uncovered for 20 minutes.
That's it! Simple and quick. You're ready to serve. I like to serve mine with a tasty Mexican Cilantro rice, plain boiled rice and a pile of fresh corn tortillas.
Serving & Storage Suggestions
- Storage - The flavour only gets better after a few days in the fridge so you can make this well in advance and refrigerate for up to a week. You can also freeze for 3+ months. Be sure to store in an airtight container and reheat until the chicken is piping hot throughout.
- Serving - I think this dish is a perfect contender for rice as it'll soak up all the flavoursome sauce - try my recipe for the deliciously fragrant Mexican Cilantro Rice to pair with the chicken. You can also serve with plain boiled rice and/or corn or flour tortillas.
- Garnishes - are kept simple for this version, but I have been known to scatter over all manner of garnishes to dress up this chicken. Try tomatoes, shredded cabbage, sliced avocado, crunchy sliced radishes, finely diced white onion, thinly sliced raw red and green peppers.
- Trouble getting Chipotle in adobo sauce? - buy dried chipotle peppers and soak 2-3 in freshly boiled water for 30 minutes then drain (remove any stalks), and blend with half the sour cream, 1 tbsp tomato concentrate and 1 tsp ground cumin.
Ready to get cooking?
You'll be thankful to add this simple chipotle chicken dish to your repertoire, it has all the flavour you could want, with none of the slavish and time consuming steps you don't. Celebrate this or keep it secret - those who get to enjoy it need never know just how easy it is. I hope you enjoy!
More Mexican recipes
If you liked this recipe for creamy chipotle chicken, I'm sure you'll love some more of my favourite Mexican recipes.
Any Questions? (FAQ)
Have a question about this recipe? Let me know in the comments.
What are Chipotle peppers?
Chipotle peppers are smoke-dried jalapeño peppers, originating from Mexican cuisine. With a smoky and moderately spicy flavour, they add depth to dishes. Widely used in various recipes, these peppers can be found in both dried and canned forms.
What are Chipotle peppers in Adobo Sauce?
Chipotle peppers in adobo sauce are dried, smoked jalapeños rehydrated and preserved in a tangy, slightly sweet, and spicy tomato-based sauce. This Mexican ingredient adds depth and smokiness to dishes. Commonly used in recipes for a rich, flavourful kick, it imparts a distinctive smoky taste to a variety of savoury dishes.
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Ingredients
- 4 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce
- ½ cup sour cream
- 1 tbsp vegetable oil
- 8 chicken thighs (bone in, skin on) Trim any excess fat from the sides or back of the thighs.
- 1 small onion sliced
- 2 garlic cloves (minced)
- Salt & pepper
- ½ cup cilantro (chopped, for garnish)
For serving
- 1 portion Mexican Cilantro Rice (Green Rice) (optional)
Instructions
- In a food processor or using a hand blender, blend the chipotle peppers with half of the sour cream until smooth. Set aside.
- In a large pan, heat the oil over a medium heat until just hot. Fry the chicken thighs, skin side down for 5 minutes until the fat renders out. There is likely quite a lot of fat in the pan. You may also need to fry the chicken in two batches.
- Drain all the fat from the pan and return about 1 tbsp.Add the sliced onion and garlic and fry for 1-2 minutes until lightly browned. Return the chicken to the pan along with the blended chipotle pepper and stir well. Arrange the chicken skin side up.Stir in 250ml of water and bring to a simmer. Reduce the heat to low, cover the pan, and bubble gently for 20 minutes.Remove the lid and simmer for another 20 minutes. Stir in the remaining sour cream and heat until just beginning to bubble. Remove from the heat and season with salt and pepper.
- Serve garnished with fresh cilantro and Mexican Cilantro Rice (link in ingredients above) or plain boiled rice on the side.
Notes
- Fridge - The chicken will stay fresh in the fridge for up to a week. Indeed, the flavours only get better the longer you wait, so you might consider (if you have the will power) to make this in advance and reheat when you can wait no longer.
- Freeze - the chicken for 3+ months in airtight containers and reheat until piping hot throughout.
- Garnish - Add all manner of toppings to your chipotle chicken including tomatoes, avocado, white onion, bell peppers, radishes, shredded cabbage and more.
Nutrition
This was very delicious, I want to try it with Salmon.
That sounds great – let me know how it tastes!
:) Lee