Pollo en Chipotle (Creamy Chipotle Chicken) features tender yet golden-crusted chicken breast covered in a luscious smoky chipotle cream sauce. It’s an exciting, flavorful, and easy meal to try for dinner tonight that’s ready in only 35 minutes!
If you’re tired of the same old boring chicken for dinner, then this dish is for you! The smoky flavors from chipotle peppers in adobo sauce are on display in this easy recipe for Pollo en Chipotle. Each bite of the juicy chicken and creamy sauce is bold without being too spicy and is perfect for any night of the week!
The recipe begins with golden-crusted chicken breast and is finished with a creamy and smoky chipotle sauce. Bring the two together and BAM! You end up with a creamy and vibrant dish made with simple ingredients that isn’t too spicy and feels a little fancy!
The creamy chicken is best served over a bed of Cilantro Lime Rice, quinoa, or even pasta. I love cilantro on top but you could use parsley or even cotija cheese. Finish it off with a fresh salad and Chili Garlic Roasted Broccoli on the side for a complete and filling meal!
What is pollo en chipotle?
Pollo en chipotle, or creamy chipotle chicken, is a crowd-pleasing dinner recipe made from seasoned pan-fried chicken smothered in a chipotle cream sauce. It’s a popular choice for busy cooks who crave bold flavors without having to spend hours in the kitchen.
The chipotle chicken sauce is made from minced chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, milk, and heavy cream.
The list of ingredients in this recipe is short, simple, budget-friendly, and doesn’t lack in flavor.
Ingredients you’ll need
- Chicken breasts – The chicken is seasoned and dredged in flour before being pan-fried in butter and drowned in chipotle sauce. Every bite is super juicy and loaded with flavor.
- Seasonings – Black pepper and garlic powder will season the chicken breast before its dredged in all purpose flour. The flour seals in the flavor and helps the outside of the chicken crisp up in the skillet.
- Chipotle cream sauce – This creamy and smoky sauce is made from chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, heavy cream, and milk. The dairy tones down the heat from the peppers so each bite isn’t too spicy.
- Garlic and onion – For additional flavor and texture in the sauce.
- Cilantro – For garnish!
How to make pollo en chipotle
- Season the chicken: Sprinkle the chicken seasoning on all sides of each cutlet. Dredge each cutlet in flour.
- Sear the chicken: Add oil and butter to a pan and sear the chicken on both sides. Once each piece is golden brown, transfer it to a plate.
- Make the chipotle sauce: Cook the onions and garlic in more butter in the same pan. Reduce the heat and pour in the cream, milk, and chipotle peppers in adobo sauce. Whisk everything together as it simmers.
- Combine everything together: Place the chicken cutlets back into the pan and cook until the sauce is thick and the chicken is cooked through. Garnish with cilantro and serve!
Tips and tricks
- When adding the cream sauce to the pan, make sure it never comes to full boil, only a gentle simmer. Boiling the sauce may cause the cream to curdle.
- Any cut of boneless, skinless chicken will work in this recipe. Use chicken thighs, tenders, strips, or any other kind you have in the house.
- Use less chipotle peppers for a not-so-spicy sauce. For a spicier sauce, add more chipotle.Â
- If you can’t tell if the chicken is cooked through, use a meat thermometer to measure the internal temperature. Properly cooked chicken breast should measure at 165ºF.
- Don’t feel like chicken? Make this recipe with shrimp instead!
Serving Suggestions
This easy dinner idea can be served with vibrant side dishes or something simple to get it on the table faster. Here’s how I like to enjoy it:Â
- with cilantro lime cauliflower rice
- with crispy roasted Mexican potatoes
- over pasta
- with a simple side salad
- over quinoa or rice
Storing and reheating
To store, keep the leftovers in a sealed container for 3 to 4 days in the fridge.
To reheat, I recommend placing the chicken and chipotle sauce in a pan on low heat to prevent the sauce from separating. Cook until the chicken is warmed through. Or microwave in 45-second intervals until warmed through.
More easy weeknight dinners
Ingredients
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 2 large boneless skinless chicken breasts, sliced in half lengthwise
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour for dredging
- 2 tablespoon olive oil, divided
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter divided
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/2 small onion, sliced
- 3 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, minced
- 1 cup heavy/whipping cream
- 3/4 cup milk
- chopped cilantro for garnish
Instructions
- In a small bowl or ramekin, combine salt, black pepper, and garlic powder. Sprinkle seasoning on both sides of all 4 chicken cutlets.
- Add flour to a shallow bowl. Dip and dredge the chicken in the flour so both sides are coated.
- Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add olive oil and 1 tablespoon of butter.
- When butter has melted, add the chicken cutlets and cook for 4-5 minutes per side, or until golden brown. Transfer the cutlets to a plate and set aside.
- Add the remaining 1 tablespoon of butter, garlic, and onions to the pan. Saute for 3 minutes, until onions have softened.
- Reduce the heat to medium and add the minced chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, heavy cream, and milk. Whisk together to combine and bring to a gentle simmer.
- Add the browned chicken cutlets back to the pan and cook for 5 more minutes, until the sauce has thickened and the chicken is cooked through.
- Garnish with chopped cilantro and serve.
Isabel’s Tips:
- I suggest reheating this recipe at a low heat so the sauce doesn’t separate.
- When adding the cream sauce to the pan, make sure it never comes to full boil, only a gentle simmer. Boiling the sauce may cause the cream to curdle.
Nutrition Information
This recipe is so good, I’ve used it a few times. My husband and I love eating it on top of rice and occasionally adding corn. Being on a low sodium diet, I can eat this (leaving out the salt) and it still tastes great.
Thank you Catherine!
Absolutely delicious. I toned down the heat by adding more cream and it came out perfect. Such an easy to follow recipe. I’m adding it to my rotation.
This is an amazing recipe!! So yummy and spicy..but you can totally adjust the “heat” . My kids love it.
I can’t seem to get past all the ads and pop ups to actually see the recipe. So annoying
Excellent, I used yogurt in mine, and few Carolina Reapers for a kick. Was easy and delicious to make. Thanks Isabel
Is there anything I can substitute for the heavy whipping cream ?!,
Hi Alma! You can combine 1/4 cup of melted butter and 3/4 cup of milk to substitute 1 cup of heavy cream!
This recipe tastes good vegetarian too. Bell helpers, onions and mushrooms instead of chicken
Peppers*
I’ve made this it’s really good. We had a Mexican restaurant that used to make this dish it’s one of our favorites, but they closed down so I looked up the recipe came upon this one tried it omg it was so good that I make all the time.
Hi Letasha! That stinks that it closed down, but I’m glad you enjoyed this recipe and found it to be similar to one of your favorites.
Hi Isabel, I made Pollo en Chipotle (Creamy Chipotle Chicken) tonight for dinner. Both me and my husband loved it. This is going into my meal repeat rotation. it is absolutely delicious! Thank you for sharing your recipes. I look forward to trying many more.
Hi Louise! Thank you so much for sharing! We’re glad you enjoyed this recipe.
I made this earlier this week and it has been phenomenal. I’m lucky I have a Mexican supermercado near me, and they have wonderful whole chicken breasts which I simply seared until brown and then baked for 15-20 min at 425 so they were ready to go in the fridge when I needed them. I made the sauce and then immersed the breasts in the spice to warm through slowly. Incredible flavor. Beautifully tender chicken.
Hi Josh! We are glad you enjoyed this recipe!
This has become a family favorite, along with many others on the site. I’ve always wanted to expand my range of Mexican dishes but didn’t know where to begin. The recipes here are not difficult to make and they’ve opened my eyes to so many new possibilities. My wife and I have had such fun experimenting with these dishes and serving them to our family and friends. Many thanks Isabel!
Just made this tonight with the recommended Mexican potatoes and also made your mojito recipe to drink! Wow! DELICIOUS! Everything came out perfect! Definitely going to be in our regular rotation now! We also have made several of your soup recipes lately and every one is a hit. 🙂
A local restaurant has this dish. They add spinach and cheese. It’s fabulous.
So good! Made it with chicken thighs and still worked wonderfully!
This recipe could not be simpler- the perfect weeknight dinner. The sauce is legitimately drinkable AND it’s only a handful of ingredients, all of which are staples in my house. Will definitely be on a regular rotation from here on out!
Isabel this was AMAZING ! I’ll be making it again and again. The family absolutely loved it and we had it over penne pasta . Next time we’ll have it over rice . I sure am glad I found your food blog because your recipes are so delicious. So many I want to try . Thank you so very much for your easy to follow recipes because you’re making me look good as a cook . Take a bow Isabel , you deserve it . Outstanding!
how do you make adobo sauce for the pollo en chipotle recipe?
Hi! You can find canned chipotle peppers in adobo sauce at most grocery stores. You can also find it on Isabel’s shop page here: https://www.isabeleats.com/shop/mexican-ingredients/
Thanks for your recipes Isabel . I am enjoying them .