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Ultimate crispy shredded chicken tossed in a smokey, spicy Adobo sauce. This Smoky Adobo Chicken recipe takes only 5 min to prep + 35 min to cook. It works great in so many Mexican-based dishes.
Use this shredded Adobo chicken for tacos, enchiladas, burritos, quesadillas, sliders, or over Mexican rice.
Here is what you will need to make this smoky, spicy shredded Abobo chicken.
Chicken Breast – You can also use chicken thighs, but boneless skinless chicken breast works best.
Chipotle Peppers in Adobo Sauce – This is the star of the recipe. You can half this to turn down the heat some.
Crushed Fire Roasted Tomatoes – I’m a HUGE fan of fire-roasted tomatoes. They provide a sweet yet smoky flavor that really compliments the flavors in this dish.
Diced Green Chilis – These add that perfect amount of peppery flavor with a little zing to them.
Oregano + Cumin + Onion – These spices pair so well together to help elevate the flavors up.
Sugar – This helps to balance out the flavors and cut down on the heat. You can adjust this to your taste and spicy heat level.
Cilantro – It brings a refreshing citrusy touch to the smoky spicy Adobo flavors of this dish.
Get a large pot and throw all the ingredients for the Adobo sauce. Mix to fully combine.
Add in the chicken and bring it all to a boil. Once it reaches a boil, lower the temp to medium-low and simmer covered for 20-25 min or until it easily shreds with a fork.
Once it’s cooked, take out the chicken and reserve the sauce left in the pot. In a large mixing bowl, shred the Adobo chicken with a fork and set it aside.
Take that reserved sauce from the pot and puree it in a food processor. Salt and pepper to taste.
In a large skillet over high heat, add 1 tbsp of oil and fry half the shredded chicken. Fry until golden brown and crispy on the edges (about 2-3 min) then flip over and fry the other side for another min. Set aside and repeat with the remaining shredded chicken.
Add in the sauce and chopped cilantro and toss the chicken to fully coat.
TO STORE: This makes lots and it keeps well. It keeps for up to 3-4 days in the refrigerator. Freeze – Store leftover chicken in a freezer-safe air-tight container or vacuum-sealed bag for up to 3 months. Reheat – Thaw in the fridge and warm the chicken in the microwave for 2-3 min or over low heat on the stove until heated throughout.
This shredded chicken works great in Spicy Chicken Adobo Tacos or Chicken Adobo Quesadillas.
Ingredients
- 1½ lb boneless skinless chicken breast
Adobo Sauce
- 7 oz Chipotle Peppers in Adobo Sauce (half if you want it less spicy)
- 14 oz Muir Glen crushed fire roasted tomatoes
- 4 oz diced green chiles
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1 tsp cumin powder
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 2 tsp sugar (3 tsp if you want it less spicy)
- ¾ tsp kosher salt
- ½ tsp black pepper
- 1 tbsp fresh cilantro chopped
Instructions
- Place chicken and adobo sauce ingredients in a large saucepan and bring to a boil. Once it reaches a boil, reduce heat to medium-low and simmer covered for 20-30 minutes, turning chicken occasionally, until chicken is fully cooked and can be easily shredded with a fork.
- Remove chicken and shred and set aside. Keep the remaining sauce from the pan.
- Add lime juice and 1 tbsp olive oil to the sauce. Using a blender or food processor, puree the sauce leftover from the pan. Add salt and pepper to taste. You should have about 2 cups of sauce.
- Heat 1 tbsp oil in a large skillet over high heat. Add 1/2 the shredded chicken and fry until dark golden brown on one side (about 2-3 min), flip and cook the other side for 1 min, then remove. Use another 1 tbsp oil to fry the next batch of shredded chicken.
- Toss browned chicken in the sauce and sprinkle the top with cilantro.
