Adobo Chicken Tacos With Chipotle
Switch up your next taco Tuesday with flavorful adobo chicken tacos. The chicken is marinated in a homemade adobo seasoning blend and then seared to golden brown perfection. Serve with warm tortillas and your favorite toppings.
If you love Mexican food, you’re going to love these chipotle chicken tacos for your next taco night. They’re flavorful, fresh, and smoky. And if you like things extra spicy, you can always add more adobo chipotle sauce or cayenne pepper for a kick.
This chicken taco recipe is an easy weeknight meal that will be a hit with the whole family. It would also be delicious served as a taco salad bowl.
Ingredients
- Boneless skinless chicken thighs – the extra fat keeps them moist and locks in the flavor of the marinade.
- Olive oil – helps the seasonings stick to the chicken.
- Homemade adobo seasoning – a mix of smoked paprika, kosher salt, chili powder, onion powder, dried oregano, ground cumin, garlic powder, and black pepper.
- Chipotle peppers in adobo sauce – we’ll be using both the chipotle chiles and the sauce to add a smoky flavor and a spicy kick.
- Fresh lime juice – to tenderize the chicken.
- Warm tortillas – I love using corn tortillas warmed up in a skillet to make them more pliable, but feel free to use flour tortillas if you prefer.
- Toppings for serving – serve with your favorite toppings such as pico de Gallo or salsa, sour cream, dairy-free plain yogurt or cashew cream, cilantro, lime wedges, quick pickled red onion, avocado slices, etc.
How to Make Adobo Chicken Tacos
Step 1. Pat the chicken thighs dry with a paper towel, then add them to a large bowl along with the olive oil, homemade adobo seasoning, minced chipotle pepper, adobo sauce, and lime juice. Mix thoroughly to combine and set aside for 30 minutes to marinate.
Step 2. Heat a large skillet with a tablespoon of oil over medium heat. Once hot, add in the marinated chicken thighs and cook for 6-8 minutes on each side or until the internal temperature reaches 165ºF. Remove from the skillet and transfer to a cutting board. Slice it into bite-size pieces or shred it with two forks.
Step 3. Assemble your tacos with a smear of dairy-free plain yogurt or sour cream on a warm tortilla, followed by the adobo chicken, pico de Gallo, and cilantro (optional) or toppings of choice. Serve with lime wedges.
Make It Your Way: Substitutions & Variations
Please remember that recipes are just a starting point.
How can you make these chicken adobo tacos using what you already have? Here are some ideas…
- No boneless skinless chicken thighs? – use boneless skinless chicken breasts instead. If large, cut in half lengthwise OR cut in half widthwise and tenderize with a meat tenderizer before marinating. You won’t need to cook them as long as the chicken thighs.
- Make it plant-based – sub extra firm tofu.
- Add-ins – black beans, yellow onion, etc.
How to Store
Store leftover chicken in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. Assemble tacos just before serving.
Top Tip
I recommend using garlic powder over fresh garlic cloves, otherwise, you run the risk of burning the garlic while the chicken cooks on both sides.
More Taco Recipes
- Taco Salad Bowls
- Roasted Cauliflower and Chickpea Tacos With Jicama Carrot Slaw
- Crispy Cod Tacos
- Quick and Easy Taco Soup
Adobo Chicken Tacos With Chipotle
Ingredients
- 1 ¼ pound boneless skinless chicken thighs or chicken breasts, see notes below
- 2 teaspoons olive oil plus more for cooking the chicken
Adobo Seasoning
- 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon diamond crystal kosher salt reduce to ½ teaspoon if using any other kind
- ½ teaspoon chili powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon ground cumin
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 tablespoon adobo sauce from a can of chipotle peppers in adobo sauce use more for a spicy kick
- 1 chipotle pepper, from the can diced
- 2 tablespoons lime juice
For Serving
- warm corn or flour tortillas
- dairy free plain yogurt or sour cream
- pico de gallo or salsa
- cilantro optional
- avocado slices optional
Instructions
- Pat the chicken thighs dry with a paper towel, then add them to a large bowl along with the olive oil, adobo seasoning, adobo sauce, minced chipotle pepper, and lime juice. Mix thoroughly to combine and set aside for 30 minutes to marinate.
- Heat a large skillet with a tablespoon of oil over medium heat. Once hot, add in the marinated chicken thighs and cook for 6-8 minutes on each side or until the internal temperature reaches 165ºF. Remove from the skillet and transfer to a cutting board. Slice it into bite-size pieces or shred it with two forks.
- Assemble your tacos with a smear of dairy-free plain yogurt or sour cream on a warm tortilla, followed by the adobo chicken, pico de Gallo, and cilantro (optional) or toppings of choice. Serve with lime wedges.