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Mexican Adobo Chicken (Adobo de Pollo) Recipe

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4.3 from 11 reviews

This Mexican Adobo Chicken recipe features tender boneless skinless chicken breasts cooked in a rich, smoky sauce made from a blend of toasted ancho, guajillo, and pasilla chilies, tomatoes, and fragrant spices. The dish is seared on the stovetop and then baked to perfection, resulting in juicy, flavorful chicken with a mildly spicy and tangy adobo sauce perfect for a hearty meal.

  • Author: Chef
  • Prep Time: 15 minutes
  • Cook Time: 40 minutes
  • Total Time: 55 minutes
  • Yield: 6 servings
  • Category: Main Course
  • Method: Baking
  • Cuisine: Mexican

Ingredients

Chiles

  • 2 ancho chiles (seeded)
  • 4 guajillo chiles (seeded)
  • 2 pasilla chiles (seeded)

Chicken and Sauce

  • 4 teaspoons vegetable oil (divided)
  • 1 small white onion (sliced)
  • 4 garlic cloves (peeled)
  • 2 cups fat-free chicken stock
  • 4 Roma tomatoes (cored and chopped)
  • 2 teaspoons kosher salt
  • ½ teaspoon black pepper
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • ½ teaspoon ground cloves
  • ¼ cinnamon stick (one quarter of a 1.5-inch cinnamon stick)
  • 2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts (6 chicken breasts)
  • 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar

Instructions

  1. Preheat and prepare chilies: Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. Clean the ancho, guajillo, and pasilla chilies by removing their seeds and veins to reduce bitterness and heat.
  2. Sauté onion and garlic: Heat 2 teaspoons of vegetable oil in a large non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the sliced onion and peeled garlic cloves and sauté until the onion softens. Transfer the cooked mixture to a blender.
  3. Toast the chilies: Pour ½ cup of chicken stock into the skillet and add the cleaned chilies. Cook over medium-high heat for about 5 minutes, turning the chilies midway to toast both sides, until they soften and become fragrant without burning. Remove the chilies and add them to the blender with the onion and garlic.
  4. Cook tomatoes and spices: Add the chopped tomatoes, kosher salt, black pepper, ground cumin, ground cloves, and cinnamon stick quarter to the skillet. Cook over medium-high heat until tomatoes soften, approximately a few minutes.
  5. Blend the sauce: Add the tomato and spice mixture to the blender along with the apple cider vinegar and remaining chicken stock. Blend until smooth to create the adobo sauce.
  6. Sear the chicken: Add the remaining 2 teaspoons of vegetable oil to the skillet and heat over medium heat. Sear the chicken breasts for 1 minute on each side until lightly browned. Remove from heat.
  7. Bake the chicken: Place the seared chicken breasts in a baking dish and cover them thoroughly with the blended adobo sauce, flipping the chicken to coat both sides. Bake in the preheated oven for 30 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees F.
  8. Serve: Serve the chicken whole, accompanied by the adobo sauce, or shred it to use in tacos, burritos, or other dishes.

Notes

  • Removing seeds and veins from chilies reduces bitterness and controls heat level.
  • Do not let chilies burn during toasting as it will cause bitterness in the sauce.
  • Use a kitchen thermometer to ensure chicken reaches 165°F for safe consumption.
  • Shredded leftover chicken works great in Mexican dishes like tacos or enchiladas.
  • Can adjust the level of spiciness by selecting milder or hotter chilies or reducing quantity.

Find it online: https://cheftinaskitchen.com/mexican-adobo-chicken-adobo-de-pollo-recipe/