Is there anything better than taco night? This recipe for easy chipotle chicken tacos is simple, quick, and full of smoky flavor. While we do make our own chipotle powder for use in many recipes, the store-bought version is just as good.
We like going out for tacos in the summertime, but it’s just as easy to make them at home. They’re such a versatile food with endless flavor possibilities.
You can even have a “taco party” equipped with a topping station so everyone can customize their own tacos. This recipe is perfect for family gatherings as well. Paired with a fresh margarita or mocktail, you really can’t go wrong!
Why you’ll love this recipe
- You can easily customize it with your favorite toppings (sour cream, guacamole, hot sauce, lettuce, etc.)
- It’s a filling meal, especially when served alongside rice or salad.
- The smoky flavor is perfect for any time of the year, whether it’s a summer backyard BBQ or a cozy winter night indoors.
- The marinade is made in advance (up to 24 hours) while the chicken soaks up all the flavors in the fridge.
- This chipotle chicken taco recipe makes a great base. You can also experiment with other flavors, fresh peppers, taco seasoning, or even switch up the sauce.
Ingredients needed for these chipotle tacos
The ingredients for these tacos are relatively easy to find (if you don’t already have them on hand). The only item that might be tricky are the chipotles in adobo sauce. Though, we have good luck finding them at the local supermarket next to other canned Goya items. You can also buy them online.
Ingredients for the marinade
- 1.5 lbs of boneless chicken thighs
- 1 tsp chipotle powder or smoked paprika (smoked, not regular!)
- 1 tsp chili powder
- 1/2 tsp cumin
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp brown sugar
- 1/4 tsp cinnamon
- 2 Tbsp lime juice (juice of 1/2 lime)
- 3 Tbsp olive oil, divided (1 Tbsp for the marinade and 2 Tbsp for the pan)
Ingredients for the chipotle sauce
- ½ cup sour cream
- ¼ cup diced chipotles in adobo sauce *more to taste
Other ingredients
- 8 street taco sized flour tortillas
- Toppings of choice (we recommend pickled banana peppers or jalapeños).
How to make chipotle tacos
Prep-work:
Trim and discard any excess fat from the chicken thighs. This will reduce the amount of grease and smoke as well as aid in heat distribution.
Prepare the marinade:
- Combine spices, olive oil, and lime juice until fully incorporated.
- Transfer chicken to plastic storage bag or a bowl. Pour marinade over chicken ensuring to fully coat each piece.
- Refrigerate chicken for at least 30 minutes or up to 24 hours to marinate.
- Allow chicken to return to room temperature about 30 minutes once pulled from the refrigerator.
Instructions:
- Pre-heat oven to 350°F.
- In a large, heavy-bottom skillet over medium high heat, swirl olive oil to coat bottom of the pan.
- Carefully place each thigh in pan leaving room between each piece.
- Cook undisturbed for 6 minutes, flip and cook for another 6 minutes.
- Check for doneness and add an additional 2 minutes per side if necessary. The chicken will have clear juices and a meat thermometer will read at least 170°F.
- Remove chicken from pan and loosely cover to allow meat to rest for 10 minutes.
- While the meat is resting, prepare your sauce and warm up your tortillas. In a small bowl combine your sour cream and the diced chipotles in adobo and return to the refrigerator. Next, place foil-wrapped tortillas into your pre-heated oven for approximately 10 minutes.
- While the tortillas warm, dice the cooked chicken into bite-sized pieces.
- Assemble your tacos with the toppings of your choice and enjoy!
Recipe FAQs
What are the best toppings for a chicken chipotle taco in addition to the chipotle cream sauce?
Here are some recommendations but you can pretty much top it with anything you prefer.
- A squeeze of lime
- Sprinkle of salt
- Fresh chopped cilantro
- Sautéed onions and peppers
- Avocado
- Sliced purple cabbage
- Pickled peppers
- Black beans
- Hot sauce
- Fresh salsa or pico de gallo
Can you make the chicken with only the chipotle powder?
Though chipotle powder certainly has a rich, smoky and sweet profile, those flavors are really brought to the forefront when complemented by other spices, salt, and acid (such as lime juice).
Can you use breast meat instead of thigh meat?
You can use 1.5 lbs of breast meat as an alternative to thighs. Just be sure to tenderize the meat before cooking. This will create a flat and even distribution of the meat which will aid in even cooking. The tenderizing will also create a juicer piece of meat in the end.
Is this the Chipotle restaurant chipotle chicken taco recipe?
Nope. But we think ours is just as good!
Expert Tips
- This process can get very smoky. Running your stove top fan or kitchen fan will help.
- Purchase a splatter screen. If you don’t own one already, these will help contain the heat while keeping the oil from splattering out of the pan. Bonus, this will also keep the textures of your food nice and crisp.
- You can use a lid for cooking the chicken, just keep in mind the steam that generates will soften the overall texture of the meat.
- For clean-up, release the stuck bits at the bottom of the pan by adding hot soapy water to pan, allowing it to rest for 30 minutes before you wash.
Easy Chipotle Chicken Tacos With Chipotle Sauce
Equipment
- 12-inch Heavy Bottom non-stick pan
- 1 Gallon sized zip tight bag or bowl with a lid large enough to marinate the chicken
- Meat scissors or sharp knife
- Splatter screen pan lid optional
Ingredients
- 1.5 lbs chicken thighs
- 1 tsp chipotle Powder
- 1 tsp chili Powder
- 1/2 tsp cumin
- 1/2 tsp salt kosher or coarse preferred
- 1/2 tsp brown sugar
- 1/4 tsp cinnamon
- 2 Tbsp lime juice or the juice of half a lime
- 3 Tbsp olive oil divided 1 for the marinade and 2 for the pan
- 8 street taco sized flour tortillas
Ingredients for the chipotle Sauce
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 1/4 cup diced chipotles in adobo sauce + more to taste
Instructions
Prepare the marinade
- Trim any excess fat from the chicken. This will help reduce grease and smoke during the cooking process.
- Whisk together spices, olive oil, and lime juice in bowl until fully incorporated.
- Transfer chicken to zip-tight storage bag or a bowl with lid. Pour marinade over chicken, making sure to fully coat each piece.
- Refrigerate chicken covered for at least 30 minutes or up to 24 hours.
- Allow chicken to return to room temperature for 30 minutes once pulled from the refrigerator and ready to cook.
Instructions
- Pre-heat oven or toaster oven to 350°F (to warm the tortillas).
- In a large heavy-bottom skillet over medium high heat, swirl olive oil to coat bottom of the pan.
- Carefully place each thigh in pan leaving room between each piece.
- Cook undisturbed for 6 minutes, flip and cook for another 6 minutes.
- Check for doneness and add an additional 2 minutes per side if necessary. The chicken will have clear juices and a meat thermometer will read at least 165°F.
- Remove chicken from pan and loosely cover to allow meat to rest for 10 minutes.
- While the meat is resting, prepare your sauce and warm up your tortillas. In a small bowl combine the sour cream and the diced chipotles and return to the refrigerator. Next, place foil wrapped tortillas into your pre-heated oven for approximately 10 minutes.
- Dice the cooked chicken into bite sized pieces.
- Assemble your tacos with the toppings of your choice and enjoy!
Notes
- This process can get very smoky. Running your stove top fan or kitchen fan will help, as well as cutting excess fat from chicken.
- A splatter screen will help circulate heat while keeping oil from splattering out of your pan. It also helps keep your food textures nice and crisp. You can also use a lid, but the steam will soften the texture of the meat.
- For clean-up, to release the stuck bits at the bottom of the pan add hot soapy water to pan and let rest for 30 minutes before you wash.