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creamy chipotle chicken recipe
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Diet: General
Description
Creamy chipotle chicken balancing smoky chipotle heat with a bright, vibrant avocado-lime swirl. This high-protein, easy dinner recipe uses tender chicken thighs for a simple weeknight meal.
Ingredients
- 1.5 lbs boneless skinless chicken thighs
- 1 tsp sea salt, divided
- 0.5 tsp black pepper, divided
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 medium onion, finely chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 2–3 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, minced, plus 1 tbsp adobo sauce
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 0.5 tsp ground cumin
- 0.5 tsp dried oregano
- 1 cup vegetable broth
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 large ripe avocado, peeled and pitted
- 2 tbsp fresh lime juice
- 0.5 cup fresh cilantro leaves, packed
- 2–3 tbsp cold water or vegetable broth
Instructions
- Prep and Sear the Chicken: Pat the chicken pieces thoroughly dry and season evenly with 0.5 tsp salt and 0.25 tsp black pepper. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Sear the chicken in batches for 3-4 minutes per side until deeply golden brown, removing it to a separate plate and reserving any juices.
- Sauté Aromatics and Toast Spices: Reduce the heat to medium. Add the chopped onion to the same skillet, sautéing for 5-7 minutes until soft. Add the minced garlic and cook for an additional 1 minute. Stir in the minced chipotle peppers, adobo sauce, tomato paste, ground cumin, and dried oregano, cooking for 2 minutes to toast the spices.
- Build and Simmer the Sauce: Pour in the vegetable broth and use a wooden spoon to scrape up the browned bits from the pan. Bring the mixture to a simmer, then reduce the heat to low and stir in the heavy cream. Return the seared chicken and any accumulated juices to the skillet, cover, and let simmer for 15-20 minutes, or until the chicken is tender.
- Prepare the Zesty Avocado-Lime Swirl: While the chicken simmers, combine the peeled avocado, fresh lime juice, cilantro, and 2 tablespoons of cold water in a blender. Blend until completely smooth, adding more water or broth a tablespoon at a time if necessary, to achieve a thick, drizzly consistency.
- Finish and Serve: Remove the chicken from the heat and taste the sauce, seasoning with the remaining 0.5 tsp salt and 0.25 tsp black pepper, or to preference. To serve, ladle generous portions of the creamy chipotle chicken and sauce into bowls, drizzling the avocado-lime swirl generously over the top.
Notes
To achieve a great crust on the chicken, sear in a cast iron skillet. If the sauce seems too thin after simmering, uncover and allow it to reduce for 5 more minutes. If it’s too thick, stir in a splash more broth. For a dairy-free substitute, use full-fat canned coconut milk in place of heavy cream, but avoid lower-fat milk options as they may curdle.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Southwestern
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving (approx. 250 g)
- Calories: 480 calories
- Sugar: 4 g
- Sodium: 510 mg
- Fat: 34 g
- Saturated Fat: 12 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 18 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 12 g
- Fiber: 5 g
- Protein: 33 g
- Cholesterol: 110 mg