Description
Mexican Chicken Adobo is a flavorful and aromatic dish featuring tender chicken thighs simmered in a rich, smoky adobo sauce made from dried guajillo and ancho chilies, garlic, spices, and apple cider vinegar. This dish is perfect for a comforting, authentic Mexican meal served with rice or tortillas.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients
- 4 chicken thighs (bone-in, skin-on)
- 2 dried guajillo chilies, stemmed and seeded
- 2 dried ancho chilies, stemmed and seeded
- 4 garlic cloves
- 1/2 onion, roughly chopped
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon ground oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 2 cups chicken broth
- Salt and pepper to taste
Optional Garnish
- Chopped cilantro
- Lime wedges
Instructions
- Toast Chilies: Toast the dried guajillo and ancho chilies in a dry skillet over medium heat for 1-2 minutes until fragrant, being careful not to burn them.
- Soak Chilies: Soak the toasted chilies in hot water for about 10 minutes, then drain thoroughly.
- Make Adobo Sauce: In a blender, combine the soaked chilies, garlic, onion, ground cumin, oregano, cinnamon, apple cider vinegar, and 1/2 cup of chicken broth. Blend until smooth to create the adobo sauce.
- Season Chicken: Season the chicken thighs generously with salt and pepper on all sides.
- Sear Chicken: Heat vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Sear the chicken thighs skin-side down until golden brown, about 4-5 minutes per side. Remove the chicken and set aside.
- Prepare Sauce Base: Pour the blended adobo sauce into the skillet, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom. Add the remaining 1 1/2 cups chicken broth and stir to combine.
- Simmer Chicken: Return the chicken thighs to the skillet with the sauce. Lower the heat to simmer, cover the skillet, and cook for 30-40 minutes until the chicken is tender and fully cooked through.
- Garnish and Serve: Garnish with chopped cilantro and lime wedges if desired. Serve hot with rice or tortillas.
Notes
- Be careful not to burn the dried chilies while toasting as it can add bitterness to the sauce.
- You can adjust the number of chilies to control the spiciness of the dish.
- Using bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs adds extra flavor and moisture to the final dish.
- Serve with warm tortillas or steamed rice for a complete meal.
- Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
