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Chipotle pollo asado bowl with cilantro lime rice in a bowl
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Chipotle Pollo Asado Recipe

This Pollo Asado Recipe includes all of the spices, seasoning, and marinade you will need to make tender, juicy chicken with tons of flavor. Love the new Chipotle chicken? You're going to love this copycat version.
Course dinner, lunch
Cuisine Mexican
Keyword chicken asada, Chipotle pollo asado, pollo asado, pollo asado marinade
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes
Servings 4 servings
Calories 306kcal
Author Brandi Crawford

Equipment

Ingredients

  • 1 ½ pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs See notes.
  • 1 teaspoon olive oil
  • 2-3 tablespoons water Optional

Marinade

  • 7 oz Chipotles in Adobo Sauce
  • 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
  • 2 tablespoons fresh orange juice I juiced an orange.
  • ¼ cup fresh cilantro
  • 3 garlic cloves
  • ¼ cup chopped onions
  • ½ teaspoon cumin
  • ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
  • salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

Marinade

  • Add all of the ingredients for the marinade to a blender, food processor, or a large bowl to use with a handheld immersion blender.
    7 oz Chipotles in Adobo Sauce, 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice, 2 tablespoons fresh orange juice, ¼ cup fresh cilantro, 3 garlic cloves, ¼ cup chopped onions, ½ teaspoon cumin, ½ teaspoon smoked paprika, salt and pepper to taste
  • Blend the ingredients until it creates a thick sauce.
  • Coat the chicken thighs in the marinade. (Marinating overnight is optional and not required).
    1 ½ pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs

Pan-Seared Chicken

  • Heat a skillet or grill pan (I use a cast iron) on medium-high heat with olive oil.
    1 teaspoon olive oil
  • When hot, add the chicken along with all of the sauce/marinade. Searing the chicken in all of the sauce will keep it from drying out.
    For boneless chicken thighs, cook for 5 minutes and then flip and cook for an additional 3-5 minutes until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees.
    For bone-in thighs use an oven-safe skillet (like a cast iron), Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Sear the chicken on each side for 4 minutes each to get the skin crispy. Once crisp, bake the chicken for 18-20 minutes or until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees.
  • Remove and cool before serving.
  • Once the chicken has cooked, I like to drizzle the leftover additional sauce from the pan over the cooked chicken. This enhances flavor and keeps the chicken juicy. While the chicken is searing, if you notice the sauce is starting to dry out in the skillet add the optional water. Drizzle the sauce over the cooked chicken.
    2-3 tablespoons water

Air Fryer Chicken

  • Coat the air fryer basket with olive oil.
  • Add the chicken to the air fryer basket.
  • Bone-in Thighs: Air fry the chicken on 400 degrees for 10 minutes. Open the air fryer and flip the chicken. Cook for an additional 10-12 minutes or until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees.
    Boneless Thighs: Air fry the chicken on 400 degrees for 8 minutes. Open the air fryer and flip the chicken. Cook for an additional 6-7 minutes or until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees.

Grilled Chicken

  • Coat the grill grates with olive oil
  • Preheat grill to 350-400 degrees.
  • Grill the chicken for 15-30 minutes, flipping, and until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees.

Notes

  • Chicken thighs are really juicy, especially in comparison to something like chicken breast. Bone-in thighs are juicier than boneless and usually have a longer cook time. I like to add this chicken to a rice bowl, so boneless works better for me.
  • Feel free to use any chicken you wish including breasts or drumsticks. 
  • This recipe makes enough of the sauce marinade to drizzle over the chicken after it has been cooked. My favorite way to make this dish is on the stovetop for that reason. If you opt to make it in the air fryer or on the grill, if you wish, you can reserve half of the sauce marinade to drizzle over the chicken after it has cooked.
  • Adjust the spices and ingredients in the marinade to suit your taste and needs. If you like spicy chicken, add red cayenne pepper.
  • If pan searing I recommend a cast iron skillet or stainless steel pan. A non-stick pan likely won’t give you the crust on the chicken you want for a dish like this.

Nutrition

Serving: 6oz | Calories: 306kcal | Carbohydrates: 12g | Protein: 33g | Fat: 13g