Chipotle Ranch Grilled Chicken

Chipotle Ranch Grilled Chicken recipe – a simple and flavorful chicken marinade! Only 3 ingredients! Chicken, chipotles in adobo sauce, and ranch dressing. A little spicy, a little smoky, and a whole lotta delicious! This chicken goes great in burrito bowls, tacos, fajitas, and on top of salads.

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Chipotle Marinade for Chicken

This Chipotle Ranch Chicken Marinade is a new favorite at our house. Chicken marinated in chipotle peppers in adobo sauce and ranch dressing. The chicken is tender and juicy and packed full of great flavor! We LOVE the smoky heat that the chipotle peppers in adobo sauce add to the dish. Perfection! I like to double the recipe and use the chicken for easy meal prep during the week!

How to Make Chipotle Ranch Chicken Marinade

This chicken is super easy to make with only a few simple ingredients. In a large bowl,  combine chipotle chili peppers in adobo sauce and ranch dressing. Whisk until smooth. Season with salt and black pepper. Place the chicken in a ziplock bag and pour the marinade over the chicken. Seal the bag and place it in the refrigerator for a few hours up to overnight.

Remove the chicken from the marinade. Discard the marinade. Cook the marinated chicken on the grill until it reaches an internal temperature of 165ºF.

Helpful Tips & Frequently Asked Questions

• You can use this marinade on any cut of chicken you prefer – chicken tenderloins, boneless skinless chicken breasts, skinless chicken thighs, or chicken legs.
  • Can use boneless or bone-in chicken. Adjust the cooking time to ensure an internal temperature of 165ºF.
  • Use an instant-read meat thermometer to check for an internal temperature of 165ºF in the thickest part of the chicken.
• We like to let the chicken marinate overnight to achieve maximum flavor. If you don’t have that much time, let the chicken marinate as long as possible.
• My #1 tip when grilling chicken is to pound the chicken breast to an even thickness. We put the chicken in a ziplock bag and use a flat meat mallet or rolling pin to pound out the hump carefully. This ensures that the chicken cooks evenly and you don’t have juicy chicken and half-dry chicken.
• I use a jar of pureed chipotles in adobo sauce. I find it at Walmart.
  • If you can’t find the pureed peppers, you can use a can of peppers and blend them in a food processor until smooth.
• Variations/Additions:
  • onion
  • cilantro
  • cumin
  • taco seasoning
  • garlic powder
• No grill? No problem! You can cook the chicken inside. Heat olive oil in a skillet or grill pan over medium-high heat. Pan-sear the chicken breasts on the stovetop for 3 to 4 minutes per side. Place the chicken on a rimmed baking sheet. Bake at 400ºF in the oven for 10 minutes until it reaches an internal temperature of 165ºF.
• Here is our recipe for Homemade Ranch Dressing: https://www.plainchicken.com/copycat-outback-ranch-dressing/
  • Our favorite store-bought ranch dressing is Hidden Valley Ranch.
  • Here is our recipe for Homemade Ranch Seasoning: https://www.plainchicken.com/homemade-ranch-dressing-mix/
• Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge.

What to Serve with Ranch Grilled Chicken

This is such a versatile recipe! We love this Mexican chicken in burrito bowls, in a sandwich wrap, on top of salads, and in tacos. I love to use this recipe to make fajitas with bell peppers and onions. Serve the chicken with some warm tortillas, sour cream, cheese, and pico de Gallo. 

This chicken is equally delicious on its own with some black beans and rice. Whip up some salsa, guacamole, and queso for a fiesta better than any restaurant. Give this a try the next time to you fire up the grill!

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