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    You are here: Home / Recipes / Meal Prep / Easy Chipotle Chicken Thighs

    Easy Chipotle Chicken Thighs

    Posted: Mar 25, 2021 Last Modified: Nov 13, 2021 by Carmy · This post may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases.

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    This stove top Chipotle Chicken Thighs come together so quickly on a skillet that you’ll have your meal ready in no time. Packed with flavour with a kick of spice, you’ll be making this regularly!

    As a Chipotle fan girl who has moved to a city WITHOUT one, I’ve been itching to have a bowl of chipotle chicken! So to save H a multi-hour drive so I can fulfil my cravings, I’ve just started to make my own at home. While it’s not as speedy as the assembly line at Chipotle, this chipotle chicken thighs recipe is pretty easy and when paired with my sides of corn and cilantro rice, it’s pretty close to the real deal!

    A white plate with chipotle chicken, caramelized corn, and cilantro lime rice.


     

    Why You’ll Love This Recipe

    • It’s so easy! Marinate your chicken in a small dish (the smaller the dish the less marinade is needed) and then add it to your skillet on the stove top. This post will teach you how to cook chicken thighs in a pan quickly. A couple minutes on each side and you’ve got a quick boneless chicken thigh recipe!
    • It’s packed with flavour. This pan seared boneless chicken thighs recipe is inspired by Chipotle’s chicken so I’ve added as much seasoning as I can to get the flavours as close to Chipotle’s as possible!
    • Makes for the perfect meal prep. Meal prep a batch of this chipotle lime chicken for the week! It reheats wonderfully.
    A white plate of chipotle chicken thighs.

    What You’ll Need

    chipotle powder and chipotle peppers in adobo sauce.
    • chicken thighs — boneless skinless chicken thighs
    • chipotle in adobo sauce — pictured above, a key ingredient that cannot be skipped or substituted. You’ll only need the sauce.
    • chipotle powder — pictured above, this is also another ingredient that can’t be skipped to get that smoky chipotle flavour.
    • lime juice — freshly squeezed is best.
    • garlic powder
    • onion salt — don’t have onion salt? Use onion powder and add salt to it.
    • oregano
    • olive oil
    • butter — use unsalted butter as you’re already seasoning it with onion salt.

    How to Make Chipotle Lime Chicken Thighs

    Chipotle chicken marinating.
    • In a small or shallow bowl, combine the chicken thighs with the sauce from the chipotle in adobo sauce, chipotle powder, lime juice, garlic powder, onion salt, and oregano with tablespoon of olive oil.
    • Cover and set aside to marinate for 30 minutes or more.
    • On medium heat, heat up your skillet (preferably cast iron) and melt the butter and the rest of the olive oil before adding in the chicken thighs, smooth side down and then cook for 5 minutes. Flip and continue to cook for 6 to 7 minutes, or until cooked through. Do not overcrowd the pan, cook in two batches if necessary.

    Tips and Notes

    • Chicken thighs are done when they’ve reached an internal temperature of 165F/74C. Use an instant read thermometer to check.
    My Recommendation
    This is my go-to meat thermometer for making sure that the internal temperature of my meat is good to go. It’s also magnetic so I have it on my fridge door to save drawer space!
    Get it Now!
    The Meat Thermometer I Use!
    • Avoid moving the chicken when you first place it in. Allow the chicken to sear. The chicken will come off the skillet once it’s ready. If you move it too early, the chicken will stick to the skillet and tear.
    • Chicken thighs can be swapped out for chicken breasts but you’ll have to change the cook time to avoid overcooking it.
    • Allow the cast iron skillet to heat up before adding the chicken to the pan.
    • The smaller the bowl you use to marinade your chicken in, the less marinade you’ll need!
    • Want to serve it with some romaine lettuce? Here’s a post sharing how to cut up romaine lettuce for this!
    Close up of a plate of chipotle chicken thighs.

    Make Ahead Tips

    • Meal prep: store the cooked chicken in an airtight container for up to 4 days in the fridge. I usually like to pack this with some caramelized corn and cilantro lime rice!
    • Freezer: allow the chicken thighs to cool before transferring it into an airtight container before storing them in the freezer.
    • How to prep this for the freezer: place the marinade and chicken thighs in a large freezer friendly ziploc bag, to prep this meal ahead of time. Freeze for up to 3 months. When ready, thaw overnight in the fridge before cooking. 
    A glass meal prep container with chipotle chicken, caramelized corn, and cilantro lime rice.
    A white plate with chipotle chicken, caramelized corn, and cilantro lime rice.

    Chipotle Chicken Thighs

    This stove top Chipotle Chicken Thighs come together so quickly on a skillet that you’ll have your meal ready in no time. Packed with flavour with a kick of spice, you’ll be making this regularly!
    5 from 2 votes
    Print Recipe Rate this Recipe
    Prep Time: 30 minutes mins
    Cook Time: 12 minutes mins
    Total Time: 42 minutes mins
    Servings: 4 servings

    Ingredients

    • 8-10 boneless skinless chicken thighs
    • 3-4 tbsp chipotle in adobo sauce
    • 1 tbsp chipotle powder
    • 1 lime, juiced
    • 1 tsp garlic powder
    • 1 tsp onion salt
    • 1 tsp oregano
    • 2 tbsp olive oil
    • 1 tbsp butter, more if needed

    Instructions

    • In a small or shallow bowl, combine the chicken thighs with the sauce from the chipotle in adobo sauce, chipotle powder, lime juice, garlic powder, onion salt, and oregano with tablespoon of olive oil.
    • Cover and set aside to marinate for 30 minutes or more.
    • On medium heat, heat up your skillet (preferably cast iron) and melt the butter and the rest of the olive oil before adding in the chicken thighs, smooth side down and then cook for 5 minutes. Flip and continue to cook for 6 to 7 minutes, or until cooked through. Do not overcrowd the pan, cook in two batches if necessary.
    Tried this recipe?Did you make this recipe? I’m always so happy to hear about it! I’d love to see how it turned out. Tag me at @CarmysHungry on Instagram so I can see it! If you enjoyed the recipe, I’d really appreciate a comment with a 5 star rating! ♥

    Nutrition Per Serving

    Calories: 378kcal | Carbohydrates: 6g | Protein: 44g | Fat: 19g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 9g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 222mg | Sodium: 984mg | Potassium: 626mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 1314IU | Vitamin C: 5mg | Calcium: 42mg | Iron: 3mg
    Author: Carmy
    Course: Main Course
    Cuisine: American
    Nutrition Disclaimer

    More Chicken Recipes You’ll Love

    • Sheet Pan Sweet and Spicy Chicken Thighs with Brussels Sprouts
    • Oven Roasted Chicken Quarters
    • Sheet Pan Chicken Teriyaki with Veggies and Pineapple
    • Dutch Oven Roasted Chicken
    • Sheet Pan Chili Lime Chicken Fajitas

    Other places to connect with me
    @carmyshungry on Instagram
    Facebook
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    Email: [email protected]

    5 from 2 votes (2 ratings without comment)

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    Carmy is a healthy-ish living blogger based in Ontario. Here, you can find healthy-ish recipes including meal prep recipes, Instant Pot recipes, air fryer recipes, and lightened-up family favorites! Follow along for easy, straightforward recipes for any cooking level.

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