Description
Chicken Diablo is a flavorful and easy sweet and spicy skillet dinner perfect for families. Juicy boneless, skinless chicken breasts are cooked in a smoky chipotle tomato sauce with hints of honey, mustard, and garlic, creating a balanced dish with a nice kick. Ready in just 30 minutes, it pairs beautifully with a fresh garnish of cilantro and lime wedges for added brightness.
Ingredients
Scale
Chicken
- 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 1.5 lbs)
- Salt and black pepper, to taste
- 2 tablespoons olive oil (or avocado oil)
Diablo Sauce
- 1/3 cup tomato sauce (or passata)
- 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
- 2 tablespoons honey or pure maple syrup
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar (or white wine vinegar)
- 2-3 teaspoons chipotle chili in adobo, minced (or smoked paprika for less heat)
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika (optional)
- 1/2 teaspoon sea salt, more to taste
- 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
Garnish
- Fresh cilantro or parsley, chopped, for garnish
- Lime wedges, for serving
Instructions
- Season Chicken: Pat chicken breasts dry with paper towels and season both sides generously with salt and black pepper to ensure even flavor.
- Prepare Diablo Sauce: In a medium bowl, whisk together tomato sauce, Dijon mustard, honey or maple syrup, apple cider vinegar, minced chipotle chili in adobo (or smoked paprika), minced garlic, optional smoked paprika, sea salt, black pepper, and onion powder. Taste the sauce and adjust sweetness or heat to your preference.
- Sear Chicken: Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken breasts in a single layer, cooking for 3 to 4 minutes on each side until they develop a golden-brown crust. Cook in batches if your skillet isn’t large enough to avoid overcrowding and ensure even searing.
- Simmer With Sauce: Reduce heat to medium. Pour the prepared diablo sauce over the seared chicken, coating each breast evenly and scraping the browned bits off the bottom of the skillet to incorporate into the sauce.
- Cook Covered: Cover the skillet and let the chicken simmer for 8 to 10 minutes, flipping the chicken halfway through. This helps the sauce thicken and cooks the chicken through to an internal temperature of 165°F. If the sauce thickens too much, add a splash of water or chicken broth to loosen it.
- Rest and Garnish: Remove the skillet from the heat and let the chicken rest for 2 minutes to retain juices. Garnish with freshly chopped cilantro or parsley and serve with lime wedges to squeeze over chicken for a citrusy finish.
Notes
- Use a meat thermometer to ensure chicken is cooked to a safe internal temperature of 165°F.
- Adjust the amount of chipotle chili to control the heat level, substitute with smoked paprika for a milder flavor.
- Serve with rice, quinoa, or crusty bread to soak up the delicious sauce.
- Leftover chicken can be refrigerated for up to 3 days and reheated gently.
- For a gluten-free version, confirm that all ingredients like mustard and tomato sauce are gluten-free.
