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.

Smoky Chicken Adobo

Shredded crispy chicken tossed in a smokey, spicy Adobo sauce that's loaded with flavor. It is only 5 minutes to prep, and it works great in various Mexican-based dishes.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time: 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 35 minutes minutes

Total Time: 40 minutes minutes

Course: Main Course, Recipes

Cuisine: Mexican

Keyword: 35 min, 35 min or less, adobo chicken, chicken tacos, easy, left overs, mexican style chicken, multi dish, multiple uses, quick, shredded chicken, smoky, spicy, taco tuesday

Servings: 4 servings

Calories: 300kcal

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.

Notes

Use this shredded Adobo chicken for tacos, enchiladas, burritos, quesadillas, sliders, or over Mexican rice. The possibilities are endless!

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.

Nutrition

Calories: 300kcal

Tried this recipe? Take a pic!Tag Us @TheSaltyNerve + #thesaltygram!

Looking for something quick + easy plus bursting with flavor? Then you’ve GOT to try these Chicken Adobo Quesadillas that will wake up your tastebuds.

Smoky, spicy shredded chicken covered in melty quesadilla cheese sandwiched between a crispy golden buttery tortilla.

With only 5 min prep and 10 min cook time with leftover Smoky Chicken Adobo meat, it’s quick + easy to make. It’s perfect for lunch or dinner.

Okay, you tried the Spicy Chicken Adobo Tacos and loved them.

BUT, if you have a lot of leftover chicken and don’t know what else to do with it – HERE is the solution.

Chicken Adobo Quesadillas are perfect for using that leftover shredded chicken and turning it into a fantastic lunch or even a quick dinner the next day.

Here is what you need to make these crispy, smoky, and slightly spicy quesadillas.

Spicy Chicken Adobo Shredded Chicken – It works great with leftover shredded chicken straight from the fridge or even thawed from the freezer.
Quesadilla Melting Cheese – You can substitute with Monterey Jack or Cheddar.
Cotija Cheese – Freshly grate a block of cotija cheese. BONUS: It works in SO many Mexican-based dishes, so always keep it on hand.
Soft Flour Tortillas – I like to use flour tortillas for the texture it provides, but corn tortillas work perfectly fine as a Gluten-Free Option.
Butter – Use good quality butter to fry the tortilla, but you can use olive oil as a healthier substitute.
Cilantro – It’s not Taco Tuesday worthy without cilantro, but you can skip it if you don’t care for the taste.
TOP WITH: Chipotle Aioli Sauce – It’s quick and easy and ready in under 5 min.

Start by heating a cast-iron griddle or skillet over medium-low heat. Melt 1 tbsp of butter in the skillet and coat both sides of the tortilla in the butter.

Fry for about 30 sec -1 min, then flip to fry the other side. When it starts to bubble up, that’s when you add the cheese and other toppings.

Add the crumbled quesadilla cheese and top with the shredded adobo chicken, and if you want to add other toppings, now is your chance.

Top it off with some more grated cotija cheese, chopped fresh cilantro, and of course, MORE quesadilla cheese.
It’s got to be cheesy, right?

Go ahead, fold one side of the tortilla over and allow it to warm through and melt the cheese.

Once it gets golden brown, sprinkle 1/2 tbsp of cotija cheese over the tortilla and carefully turn that side onto the pan to cook. Once it’s golden and crispy, turn it over and repeat on the other side.

Make sure not to burn the cheese.

Trust me; it took multiple tries to get this not to burn and yet be so CRISPY.

Mouthwatering crispy golden quesadilla that’s oozing with cheese + a slightly smoky, fiery kick.

Go Ahead, have some FUN with this recipe!

Add in your favorite toppings. Grilled bell peppers and onions, fresh jalapenos, or even some fire-roasted tomatoes work great with the smoky flavors of the spicy adobo chicken.

You can substitute the Quesadilla Melting Cheese for cheddar or Monterey Jack. Just make sure to use freshly grated block cheese for the ULTIMATE melty cheese pull.

Don’t forget to add a dollop of chipotle aioli sauce on top and garnish with chopped fresh cilantro.

Grab a bag of your favorite tortilla chips and dig into this zesty, smoky corn salsa.

Try some of this Street Corn Salsa with that quesadilla.

Chicken Adobo Quesadillas

Smoky, spicy shredded chicken sandwiched between melty quesadilla cheese covered in a crispy buttery tortilla. With only 5 min prep and 10 min cook time with leftover Spicy Chicken Adobo meat, it's quick and easy to make and perfect for lunch or dinner.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time: 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes minutes

Total Time: 20 minutes minutes

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Mexican

Keyword: 15 min, 15 min or less, adobo chicken, chipotle aioli sauce, cotija cheese, easy, leftovers, mexican style chicken, one pan dish, quesadilla, quesadilla cheese, quick, quick dinner, quick lunch, spicy chicken, spicy food, spicy mexican chicken, taco tuesday

Servings: 2

Author: carinakyriacos

Ingredients

• 1 cup smoky Adobo Chicken shredded leftover chicken from the Smoky Chicken Adobo recipe
• 1 cup quesadilla cheese Mexican melting cheese, crumbled
• 2 tbsp cotija cheese divided and crumbled
• 2 tbsp butter divided
• 2 large soft tortillas
• 1 tsp fresh cilantro chopped
• 1 tbsp chipotle aioli sauce

Instructions

• Warm the leftover spicy adobo shredded chicken in the microwave for 2-3 min or until warm. You can also warm on the stove over low heat, stirring occasionally until warm.
• Melt 1 tbsp of butter over medium-low heat in a large cast-iron or skillet pan.
• Fry one side of the tortilla until golden and soft, then flip and cook the other side. At the same time, add ¼ cup of the quesadilla cheese, ½ cup of shredded chicken, and sprinkle ½ tbsp cotija cheese and a pinch of the cilantro on top with another ¼ cup of quesadilla cheese to one half of the tortilla.
• Flip over the bare side to sandwich the cheese and meat on the other side. Cook for 3-4 min and gently flip to the other side and cook for another 3-4 min.
• Sprinkle about ½ tbsp of the remaining cotija cheese on the top side of your quesadilla and flip to cook for 1 min. Sprinkle another ½ tbsp of cotija and flip to cook for 1 min. Remove to a plate and keep warm while preparing the second quesadilla
• Repeat cooking steps 2-5 with the other tortilla and remaining ingredients.
• Cut the quesadillas in half or quarters to serve. Top with Chipotle Aioli Sauce and sprinkle with fresh chopped cilantro on top.

Tried this recipe? Take a pic!Tag Us @TheSaltyNerve + #thesaltygram!

Looking for more Quick + Easy dishes?