Description
Mexican Chicken Adobo is a flavorful and aromatic dish featuring tender, bone-in chicken thighs simmered in a rich sauce made from toasted guajillo and ancho chilies, garlic, and warm spices. This traditional Mexican recipe brings a perfect balance of smoky, tangy, and slightly sweet flavors that pair beautifully with rice or warm tortillas.
Ingredients
Scale
Chicken
- 4 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1 1/2 cups chicken broth, divided
Adobo Sauce
- 3 dried guajillo chilies, stemmed and seeded
- 2 dried ancho chilies, stemmed and seeded
- 3 cloves garlic
- 1/2 medium onion, chopped
- 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
- 1/2 teaspoon cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
Instructions
- Toast the Chilies: Heat a dry skillet over medium heat and toast the guajillo and ancho chilies for 1–2 minutes until fragrant, being careful not to burn them. Remove from heat and soak them in hot water for 10 minutes to soften.
- Prepare the Adobo Sauce: Drain the softened chilies and place them in a blender along with garlic, chopped onion, apple cider vinegar, cumin, oregano, black pepper, salt, ground cloves, cinnamon, and 1/2 cup of chicken broth. Blend until smooth to create the adobo sauce.
- Sear the Chicken: In a large skillet or Dutch oven, heat vegetable oil over medium heat. Place the chicken thighs skin-side down and sear for 4–5 minutes until browned. Flip and brown the other side for another 4–5 minutes. Remove excess fat from the pan.
- Simmer the Chicken in Sauce: Pour the blended adobo sauce over the chicken in the skillet, then add the remaining 1 cup of chicken broth. Bring to a simmer, cover the skillet, and cook on low heat for 30–35 minutes until the chicken is tender and fully cooked through.
- Serve: Once cooked, serve the Mexican Chicken Adobo hot with rice or warm tortillas to soak up the flavorful sauce.
Notes
- You can strain the adobo sauce before cooking if you prefer a smoother texture.
- For extra flavor, marinate the chicken in the adobo sauce for a few hours before cooking.
