Smoky Chipotle Lime Chicken Marinade
A perfectly balanced marinade featuring smoky chipotle peppers, fresh lime, and aromatic spices for chicken that's tender, flavorful, and has the ideal balance of heat and acidity.
Ingredients
- 2-3 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce plus 1 tablespoon of sauce
- 1/4 cup fresh lime juice approximately 2-3 limes
- 1 tablespoon lime zest from 1 lime
- 3/4 cup olive oil
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar packed
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano preferably Mexican
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Method
- Finely mince the chipotle peppers. For less heat, remove seeds first.
- Zest and juice the limes, ensuring no white pith is included in the zest.
- In a food processor or blender, combine chipotle peppers, adobo sauce, lime juice, lime zest and olive oil. Pulse 5-7 times to create a primary emulsion.
- Add minced garlic, brown sugar, cumin, oregano, salt, and pepper. Process for 30-45 seconds until fully emulsified.
- Use immediately or store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
- To use: Place 1.5-2 pounds of chicken in a non-reactive container, pour marinade over, and ensure complete coverage. Marinate boneless breasts for 2-4 hours, bone-in pieces for 4-6 hours.
Note
- This recipe makes enough marinade for approximately 2 pounds of chicken.
- For a less spicy version, reduce to 1 chipotle pepper while maintaining the adobo sauce.
- Reserve 2-3 tablespoons of marinade before adding chicken to use as a finishing sauce (heat thoroughly first).
- For optimal searing, pat marinated chicken dry before cooking.
- Cook marinated chicken to an internal temperature of 165°F (74°C).