Bold, flavorful chipotle marinade that's perfect for chicken, beef or vegetables. Make a double batch and freeze with your meat for an easy meal prep In the future.

This chipotle chicken marinade is a quick and easy way to add a depth of flavor to any cut of poultry along with beef, pork, and vegetables. We love using marinades that are versatile so they can be used on any cut of meat really, and this chipotle marinade is no different.

If you are looking for make-ahead dishes, you can also freeze it for later which makes dinner fairly easy. No matter which way you choose, pair your main course meal with our Cilantro Lime Rice for a simple weeknight meal.

You can use this homemade marinade when you are grilling, baking in the oven, on the stove top, when making tacos or burritos, and even for Instant Pot and air fryer recipes. If you are tired of making boring salads, chipotle chicken is a fantastic addition.

chipotle marinade blended in food processor

Table of Contents

CHIPOTLE CHICKEN MARINADE INGREDIENTS

You may have all of these ingredients for this easy recipe in your refrigerator or pantry and not need to make a trip to the grocery store! If this is your first time making this delicious recipe you might want to read the possible variations before deciding on your ingredients. Exact ingredients are in the recipe card below.

Jump to Recipe

Peppers: canned chipotle peppers in adobo sauce
Spices: garlic, cumin, coriander, chili powder, oregano, salt
Etc.: chicken, shallot, adobo sauce (comes in the can of peppers)

ingredients labeled for chipotle chicken marinade

7 WAYS TO USE THIS CHIPOTLE MARINADE

We love to make this marinade then put in a ziploc bag with chicken breasts or chicken wings and marinate for 30 minutes or freeze for later. Here are 7 recipes that use this chipotle chicken marinade. Just make the marinade now, freeze it with the chicken and then defrost when you’re ready to cook. It take a lot of time out of your nightly cooking!

Air Fryer Chipotle Chicken Wings

Air fryer chipotle chicken wings are crispy every time and pair well with our cilantro sour cream dipping sauce.

chipotle chicken wings in air fryer basket

Chipotle Chicken Stuffed Pasta Shells

Stuffed pasta in the air fryer? Yes, please! You only need 3 simple ingredients to make this easy chipotle chicken stuffed pasta dinner or appetizer. This is great to make with leftover chipotle chicken from any of these recipes.

tongs holding up chipotle chicken stuffed pasta

Pan Seared Chicken Burrito Bowls

Burrito bowls are packed with flavor, hearty, are super easy to make, and tastes phenomenal. Don’t forget to pair it with our Cilantro Lime Butter.

Chicken and Pineapple Kabobs

If you love chipotle flavors, you have to try our juicy grilled chipotle chicken and pineapple skewers. Dice up the pre-marinated chicken and pop them on skewers for a great spring and summer meal.

Chipotle Chicken Taco Soup

Instant Pot tortilla soup feeds a crowd and is ready in about 30 minutes. I don’t even defrost my marinated chicken before making this. You can’t have an easier weeknight meal. It’s also great to freeze for later and the perfect comfort food.

Sheet Pan Fajitas

One-pan chicken fajitas will make you want to ditch the restaurant every single time! These are easy and there’s virtually no cleanup. Just pull your marinated chicken out of the freezer the night before, grab some bell peppers, onions and tortillas and you’ve got a meal!

Essential

TOOLS AND SUPPLIES

Prepare your work surface and gather these kitchen tools and supplies before you begin this delicious, easy-to-make recipe so you don’t waste extra time trying to find things you need.

food processor or blender
resealable plastic bag (ziplock)

INSTRUCTIONS

Follow the full instructions and kitchen tips and quick tips for the best way to make this recipe. Don’t forget to check the prep time and cook time in the recipe card below before you begin.

MAKE MARINADE: Add all of the ingredients (minus the chicken) into a food processor or blender. Pulse until it’s smooth.

chipotle chicken wings marinade ingredients in food processor

ADD CHICKEN: Place the chicken breasts or chicken thighs into a bowl or plastic bags and divide the marinade evenly.

KITCHEN TIP

We recommend putting 2 pieces of chicken in each bag and freezing to prep for meals in the future. This is especially useful for our Chipotle Chicken Burrito Bowl, Sheet Pan Fajitas, Instant Pot Chicken Tortilla Soup and Chipotle Chicken Kabobs recipes that require 2 chicken breasts.

hands mixing marinade over chicken in ziplock

COAT CHICKEN: Use your hands to coat the chicken on the inside of the bag.

MARINATE: Place the marinaded chicken in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes but no longer than 24 hours.

KITCHEN TIP

You can freeze the chicken in the marinade for later. Simply place the bag flat when freezing to save space.

chipotle chicken marinating in a ziploc bag

STORAGE TIPS

Storing your food properly is important to prevent spoiling or food poisoning.

Refrigerate: Store marinating raw chicken in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours. Once the chicken has been cooked, store in an airtight container or ziploc bag and refrigerate for up to 3 days if you can’t eat it the next day.

Freeze: Store in an airtight, freezer safe, container. If you’re storing in a zip top plastic bag, try to get as much air out as possible. Freeze for up to 3 months.

Defrosting: Defrost a ziplock bag of marinated chicken in the refrigerator overnight.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Click the questions to see the answer.

What is chipotle chicken made from?

Chipotle chicken is a blend of smoky flavors and chipotle chile peppers and spices often used in Mexican dishes. Chipotle peppers can be found in the canned food section of the grocery store.

Can chicken marinate in 2 hours?

Yes. When you use a marinade for chicken the primary reason is to tenderize and lock in the flavors and juices. Depending on the marinade, usually, 24 hours is the longest you should let it sit due to increasing saltiness and texture issues start happening after that.

What can you use chipotle marinade on?

Chipotle chicken is the most common use but this also makes a great marinade for vegetables before grilling, steak, pork or even a white fish.

chipotle, marinade

Chipotle Chicken Marinade

CHIPOTLE CHICKEN MARINADE INGREDIENTS