Simple Chipotle Chicken

Lime juice, chili powder, and plenty of other spices give this chicken a nicely colorful crust and a spicy-bright chipotle flavor. It’s a versatile, fast protein option that keeps well for a few days in the fridge and perks up all kinds of ordinary meals with an extra flavor boost.

The marinating time here is very flexible, but you’ll probably want to keep an eye on the cook time because even the best marinade can’t make a chicken breast immune to going dry in the oven. If it’s grilling season where you are, this would be a very easy recipe to adapt to grilling the chicken breasts instead of cooking them in a pan.

It’s great for topping a pile of greens but equally good with a Southwestern-flavored soup or just some plantain chips and guacamole if that’s your fancy. You could also adapt the same marinade to any other chicken parts (just adjust the cook time accordingly) or even steak or another meat – play around with it and see how you like it best.

Simple Chipotle Chicken

SERVES: 2 PREP: 30 min. COOK: 16 min.

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Ingredients

• 2 chicken breasts, boneless & skinless;
• 3 tbsp. olive oil;
• 2 tbsp. fresh lime juice;
• 1 tsp. chipotle chili powder;
• 1 tsp. chili powder;
• 1/2 tsp. ground cumin;
• 1/2 tsp. paprika;
• 1/2 tsp. onion powder;
• 1/2 tsp. garlic powder;
• Cooking fat;
• Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper;

Preparation

1. In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, lime juice, chipotle powder, chili powder, ground cumin, paprika, onion powder, garlic powder, sea salt, and black pepper.
2. Rub the chipotle marinade all over the chicken breasts.
3. Let the chicken marinate 20 to 30 minutes, or up to 12 hours.
4. Preheat the oven to 400 F.
5. Melt some cooking fat in a oven resistant skillet over medium-high heat.
6. Sear the chicken breast 3 to 4 minutes per side. Transfer to the oven and cook 8 to 10 minutes, or until the juices run clear and the chicken is no longer pink in the center.
7. Transfer to a cutting board and let rest for 3 to 5 minutes before serving.