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    Home » Healthy Chicken Recipes » Chipotle Chicken Marinade

    Chipotle Chicken Marinade

    Published: Jun 24, 2021 · Modified: Jun 5, 2022 by Tammy Overhoff

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

    This chipotle chicken marinade is sweet, smokey, perfectly spicy, and brings grilled chicken to a whole new level!

    chipotle chicken marinade. grilled chicken on salad.

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    Homemade chicken marinades are my jam, especially during the hot summer months. This Italian Chicken Marinade, Greek Marinade, Balsamic Marinade, and Asian Sweet and Tangy Marinade will give you the most flavorful grilled chicken that goes with everything. 

    If you want a marinade with a spicy kick, then this Chipotle marinade recipe is a must this summer.

    Reasons you’ll love this recipe

    • Easy to prepare – Throw all of the ingredients into a food processor or high-speed blender, and in less than 1 minute, the marinade is ready!
    • Fantastic flavor – This chipotle marinade is next level with its spicy, smokey, and touch of sweetness. Oh, and I can’t forget the freshness from the lime and cilantro.
    • Gluten-free – When purchasing store-bought marinade, it’s challenging to find one that’s gluten-free. All the ingredients in this chipotle marinade are naturally gluten-free. 
    • Make-ahead – You can make this marinade ahead of time and either store it in the fridge until ready to use or marinate the chicken up to 2 days in advance. You can also freeze the chicken in marinade. I’ll give more tips below.

    Ingredients

    ingredients to make chipotle grilled chicken.
    • Chicken breasts – I use high-quality boneless skinless chicken breasts, but chicken thighs or your favorite cut of chicken will work. The cooking time might need adjusting depending on the size of the chicken breasts. The internal temperature should read 165 degrees to be safe to eat.
    • Chipotle peppers in adobo sauce – This is the star of the show. You can find them in the grocery aisle next to the salsa and other Mexican condiments.
    • Olive oil – provides more flavor and helps bring out the flavors of the garlic, cilantro, and spices. 
    • Honey – balances the spicy and smokey flavor of the chipotle peppers.
    • Garlic and cumin – adds flavor to the marinade.
    • Lime and cilantro – this duo adds a burst of fresh flavor.

    Cooking Tips

    Adjust the heat. The seeds in the chipotle peppers control the heat of this marinade. If you want it to be extra spicy, leave the seeds in; for a less spicy marinade, remove the seeds before adding them to the blender. I find the chipotle peppers with the seeds removed to be spicy enough.

    Get the most out of your limes. You want to get every last drop of juice out of your limes. Bring the limes to room temperature and then roll them on the counter before squeezing the juice out. I recommend getting a citrus dqueezer to catch the pits.

    Leave out the cilantro – If you’re not a cilantro fan, then just leave it out. I think it adds great flavor, but the marinade is still delicious without it.

    Adjust the liquid – this is a thick marinade, so you’ll need to add a couple of tablespoons of water to thin it out a bit. If you need to thin it out more, then add more water until you get the consistency you want. But don’t be afraid of a thick marinade because it will still transform your chicken breasts to the next level of tasty.

    Taste for seasoning – If you want it sweeter, add a little more honey or for extra citrus add in some more lime. Also, check it for salt and other seasonings. This chipotle chicken marinade is very versatile, so if you want to play around with it, you certainly can.

    Swamp in other meats – this chipotle marinade is delicious with both beef and chicken. You can even keep a little on the side (before adding the chicken) and mix it in with turkey or beef burgers. 

    chipotle chicken cooked and sliced on a salad.

    Supplies

    • High-speed blender, immersion blender or food processor – This marinade works best when it’s blended and smooth. I have a Vitamix blender, but you can easily you an immersion blender (this one works great) or a simple food processor.
    • Hand juicer – to get every drop of juice from those limes.
    • Gallon size Ziplock Bags or glass meal prep containers – Either will do to marinate the chicken in.
    • 16-ounce mason jars – this is to store any unused leftover marinade. 

    How to Make Chipotle Chicken Marinade

    step by step collage on making chipotle chicken marinade.
    • Add chipotle peppers,  olive oil, honey, garlic, cumin, salt, pepper, lime juice, and cilantro into a blender (or food processor) and blend.  **the cilantro is not shown in the picture but I did add it**
    • Remember, if you want a less spicy marinade, then remove the seeds before adding the peppers into the blender.
    • After you blend the ingredients, the marinade will be thick, so add 2-3 tablespoons of water until it’s a consistency where you can pour it into a bag or container. It’s not supposed to be thin, so just enough to help it along out of the blender or food processor.
    • Take the chicken and, using a meat mallet, pound them to ½ inch thickness. This helps the chicken to cook faster and more even. 
    • Then place the chicken into a Ziploc bag or glass meal prep containers and pour the chipotle marinade over the top. Let the chicken marinate for at least an hour, 2-3 if possible, and overnight is preferred. This marinade will cover about 4 chicken breasts, possibly five, depending on the size. If you have any leftover marinade, store the rest in a small Ziploc bag or mason jar in the refrigerator or freezer.
    • Place the chicken on a hot clean, preheated grill set to medium-high heat. Cook the chicken for 5-7 minutes on each side or until the internal temperature reaches 165º.
    • Remove the chicken from the grill and let it rest for 2-3 minutes.
    two pieces of grilled chipotle marinade chicken breasts.

    How to Store 

    You can marinate the chicken in the chipotle marinade twenty-four hours ahead of time. Just put the chicken in a ziplock bag or glass container and stick it in the refrigerator.

    You can grill a bunch of this chicken ahead of time and use it on salads all week. Or freeze the grilled chicken into strips to throw on salads or use in wraps.

    You can freeze chicken in marinade ahead of time. Take it out about 2 days before you’re going to cook it on the grill and let it thaw in the refrigerator. Make sure you completely thaw the chicken before cooking it on the grill.

    cooked chicken in a meal prep container
    chipotle chicken marinade

    Chipotle Chicken Marinade

    This chipotle chicken marinade is sweet, smokey, perfectly spicy, and brings grilled chicken to a whole new level! Meal prep and freeze!
    5 from 1 vote
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: dinner, dinner recipe, Lunch, lunch recipe
    Cuisine: Mexican
    Keyword: chipotle chicken marinade, chipotle marinade, chipotle marinade for chicken
    Prep Time: 10 minutes
    Cook Time: 15 minutes
    Total Time: 25 minutes
    Servings: 4
    Calories: 233kcal
    Author: Tammy Overhoff

    Equipment

    • High-speed blender, immersion blender, or food processor
    • Citrus squeezer
    • Glass containers or Ziploc bags
    • Grill or grill pan

    Ingredients

    • 7 ounce can chipotle peppers in adobo sauce seeds removed
    • 1 tablespoon olive oil
    • 2 tablespoons honey
    • 4 cloves garlic
    • 2 limes juiced
    • 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
    • 1/4 salt
    • 1/4 pepper
    • 1/4 cup cilantro stems removed
    • 2 tablespoons water
    • 4 4 ounce boneless skinless chicken breasts pound into even pieces (1/2 inch thickness)

    Instructions

    • Add chipotle peppers,  olive oil, honey, garlic, cumin, salt, pepper, lime juice, and cilantro into a blender (or food processor) and blend. 
    • After you blend the ingredients, the marinade will be thick, so add 2-3 tablespoons of water until it’s a consistency where you can pour it into a bag or container. It’s not supposed to be thin, so just enough water to help it along out of the blender or food processor.
    • Take the chicken and, using a meat mallet, pound them to ½ inch thickness. This helps the chicken to cook faster and more even. Then place the chicken into a Ziploc bag or glass meal prep containers and pour the chipotle marinade over the top. Let the chicken marinate for at least an hour, 2-3 if possible, and overnight is preferred. This marinade will cover about 4 chicken breasts, possibly five, depending on the size. If you have any leftover marinade, store the rest in a small Ziploc bag or mason jar in the refrigerator or freezer.
    • Cook on a hot clean grill over medium high heat for 5-7 minutes on each side or until the internal temperature reaches 165º.
    • Place the chicken on a hot clean, preheated grill set to medium-high heat. Cook the chicken for 5-7 minutes on each side or until the internal temperature reaches 165º.
    • Remove the chicken from the grill and let it rest for 2-3 minutes.

    Notes

    How to Store 
    You can marinate the chicken in the chipotle marinade twenty-four hours ahead of time. Just put the chicken in a ziplock bag or glass container and stick it in the refrigerator.
    You can grill a bunch of this chicken ahead of time and use it on salads all week. Or freeze the grilled chicken into strips to throw on salads or use in wraps.
    You can freeze the chicken in the marinade ahead of time. Take it out about 2 days before you’re going to cook it on the grill and let it thaw in the refrigerator. Make sure you completely thaw the chicken before cooking it on the grill.

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1chicken breast in marinade | Calories: 233kcal | Carbohydrates: 18g | Protein: 25g | Fat: 6g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 80mg | Sodium: 813mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 14g

    Other Chicken Marinades

    • Buffalo Chicken Marinade
    • Garlic Ranch Marinade
    • Honey Mustard Marinade

    Did you make this recipe?

    Have you tried this Chipotle Chicken Marinade recipe yet? If so, I’d love for you to rate this recipe and leave a comment below. We all learn from each other’s experiences. Also, it would be awesome if you could share a picture on Instagram and tag it #organizeyourselfskinny. I can’t wait to see it.

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    Healthy Chicken Recipes, Healthy Dairy Free Recipes, Healthy Gluten-free Recipes, Healthy Grilling Recipes, Healthy Sauces & Marinades, Recipes

    About Tammy Overhoff

    Hi, I’m Tammy Overhoff, a busy mom, wife, and entrepreneur. I am the owner, author, and recipe developer here at Organize Yourself Skinny. Since 2011 Organize Yourself Skinny has become a trusted resource for clean eating recipes to meal prep, reviews, and lifestyle hacks to help you fit healthy habits and routines into your busy schedule. I’m the author of the Organize Yourself Skinny eBook & 30-day Workbook Bundle.

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Robin says

      March 21, 2021 at 3:46 pm

      5 stars
      This is an excellent marinade. I’ve shared it with family and friends. It’s a keeper! Thank you.

      Reply
      • Tammy Kresge says

        March 23, 2021 at 5:42 am

        You’re welcome! Thanks so much for trying it and sharing your review. I love this grilled chicken on salad. I need to add this to the meal plan soon.

        Reply

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    Hi, I’m Tammy Overhoff, a busy mom, wife, and entrepreneur. I am the owner, author, and recipe developer here at Organize Yourself Skinny. Since 2011 Organize Yourself Skinny has become a trusted resource for clean eating meal prep recipes, reviews, and lifestyle hacks to help you fit healthy habits and routines into your busy schedule. I’m the author of the Organize Yourself Skinny eBook & 30-day Workbook Bundle.

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