Chipotle Copycat Pollo Asado Recipe

Last Updated on July 7, 2022 by Karen

This easy Chipotle Copycat Pollo Asado is flavorful, tender, juicy, and tastes just as good as than the original. Perfect in tacos, burritos, salad bowls, and more!

Pollo Asado is a new limited time protein option at Chipotle Mexican Grill and is one that I’d order again and again. We’re big fans of Chipotle and so it only made sense that I recreate the recipe at home. This copycat version is tender, moist, and flavorful – definitely restaurant quality!

I love how simple this pollo asado dish is, which makes it an easy meal to prepare at home. The best part about making this recipe is that it is great for meal prep – you can make a big batch of cooked chicken for salads, burritos, and tacos, or you can freeze it (uncooked in the marinade) for thawing and cooking later on. See more below on meal prep ideas and instructions.

What is pollo asado?

Pollo asado is a popular Mexican dish with chicken marinated in pollo asado seasoning, grilled, and served with salsa, lime, and tortillas. The version served by Chipotle Mexican Grill in the U.S. is made with chicken thighs marinated in a bright, bold flavored marinade, finished with fresh squeezed lime juice and cilantro.

Here are the ingredients you will need for this recipe for pollo asado:

Chicken: I use boneless skinless chicken thighs for the best flavor. You can also use bone-in chicken thighs, or drumsticks, or chicken breasts for a lighter option.

Garlic: Use fresh garlic cloves for the best flavor, but you can use jarred garlic in a pinch

Guajillo peppers: Dried guajillo peppers have a smoky, fruity, slighly sweet flavor. Remove the seeds and veins for less heat. If you can’t find it, you can substitute it with chili powder.

Dried seasoning: oregano, cumin, coriander.

Lime: For the marinade and for a pop of bright citrusy flavor to finish. Fresh limes are best, but you can use bottled lime juice if you don’t have any fresh limes.

Cilantro: This adds a lot of fresh flavor to the chicken. If you don’t like cilantro, you can leave it out.

How to make pollo asado:

1. Soak the dried guajillo peppers in hot water. Add the peppers and the rest of the ingredients for the marinade to a blender or food processor.

2. Blend the ingredients until smooth. Give it a taste and adjust the seasoning as desired.

3. Coat the chicken thighs in the marinade. Cover and marinate for at least 1 hour and up to 24 hours for best results.

4. Grill, bake, or sear chicken until cooked through.

Tips for making pollo asado:

• To ensure your chicken turns out moist and flavorful, make sure to leave it in the marinade long enough so the chicken can absorb all the flavors before cooking.
• Let chicken come to room temperature before cooking.
• You get more authentic pollo asado flavor when it’s cooked over the grill (or plancha). If you don’t have a grill, you can cook it on the stovetop in a cast iron skillet or cast iron grill pan. You can also cook the chicken in an oven or air fryer.

Is pollo asado spicy?

The pollo asado seasoning is bold and flavorful, without being too spicy. If you prefer more heat, you can add 1/2 teaspoon of red pepper flakes or 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper to the marinade mixture.

Can you make the marinade ahead of time?

Yes, you can make the marinade several days in advance and keep it in the fridge in an airtight container.

How can you make this dish lighter?

If you’re looking for a lighter version, you can substitute the chicken thighs with chicken breast.

How do I store and reheat this dish?

You can store this dish for up to 5 days in an airtight container in the fridge or in the freeze for up to 3 months. Reheat in the microwave or in a skillet over medium-high heat until the chicken is warmed through.

Can this dish be made ahead for meal prep?

Absolutely! To save time for weeknight meals, I like to make a double (even triple) batch whenever I make this recipe, to enjoy immediately and for freezer meals later. You can also freeze the raw chicken with the marinade in a gallon size plastic bag for up to three months. Just thaw the day before you plan to cook it, and then it’ll be ready for you to grill for dinner.

What to serve with this pollo asado dish?

There are so many dishes you can incorporate this Pollo Asado into. We recommend serving it with some cilantro lime rice and corn salsa. Here are some other ways we like to enjoy it:

• Pollo asado burritos or burrito bowl: simply load up your favorite burrito ingredients such as rice, beans, salsa, and cheese in a flour tortilla or a bed of lettuce.
• Pollo asado tacos: serve with corn or flour tortillas, topped with pico de gallo.
• Pollo asado quesadilla: makes for a quick lunch or dinner

Print Pin

Chipotle Copycat Pollo Asado Recipe

This easy Chipotle Copycat Pollo Asado is flavorful, tender, juicy, and tastes just as good as than the original. Perfect in tacos, burritos, salad bowls, and more!

Course Main Course

Cuisine Mexican

Keyword chicken

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes

Marinate time 1 hour

Total Time 1 hour 35 minutes

Servings 4

Ingredients

• 2 Guajillo peppers seeds and veins removed
• 3 cloves garlic
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1/2 tsp ground coriander
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 1/4 cup lime juice
• 1/4 cup orange juice
• 1 tbsp vegetable oil
• 1.5 to 2 lbs boneless skinless chicken thighs
• Fresh limes for serving
• Fresh chopped cilantro for serving

Instructions

• Place peppers in a bowl and cover with hot water to soften. Soak for 15 minutes, drain the soaking liquid, and place the peppers in a blender.
• Add garlic, oregano, cumin, coriander, salt, pepper, lime juice, orange juice, and vegetable oil. Puree until smooth.
• Pour the marinade mixture into a large mixing bowl with the chicken, and mix well, making sure the chicken pieces are fully coated with the mixture. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour and up to 24 hours to marinate.
• Let the chicken come to room temperature before grilling. Place chicken on a preheated grill and cook for 15-20 minutes or until chicken is cooked to an internal temperature of 165F.
• Remove cooked chicken from the grill and let rest for 5 minutes. Chop into pieces and garnish with fresh lime juice and chopped cilantro before serving.

Notes

*Chicken is cooked through when the thickest part reaches an internal temperature of at least 165F.