Creamy Chipotle Chicken

Inspired by Guelaguetza - Los Angeles, CA

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I use chipotle peppers in many dishes. I love the smokiness it brings right alongside it’s bitter spice. I’m constantly looking for new ways to incorporate chipotles and this sauce has all those things I love, plus a velvety and light creaminess that hits just right. Goes great with chicken and many other things. Try not to lick your plate with this one.

Parts of this recipe were adapted from Bricia Lopez’s recipe for “Pollo Enchipotlado (Chicken in Creamy Chipotle Sauce)” in her cookbook Oaxca which incorporates many of the flavors that can be found at her family’s famous restaurant in Los Angeles, California - Guelaguetza.

INGREDIENTS

CHICKEN (Comfortably serves 4):

  • 1 small whole chicken (or 2 lbs of chicken)

  • Salt and pepper

  • 4 TBS Dijon mustard

  • 2 TBS olive oil

  • 2 TBS unsalted butter

CREAMY CHIPOTLE SAUCE:

  • 3 whole chipote peppers in adobo sauce (or more if you want things more spicy)

  • 2 TBS of adobo sauce from the pepper can

  • 6 large roma tomatoes

  • 1 half while onion

  • 4 garlic cloves

  • 2 bay leaves

  • Mexican crema

MEXICAN CREMA:

  • 1 cup heavy cream

  • 1 TBS sour cream

  • 1 TBS fresh lime juice

  • Salt to taste

GO FOR IT

CREAMY CHIPOTLE CHICKEN:

  1. If using a whole chicken, cut into 8 pieces (2 breasts, 2 thighs, 2 drumsticks, 2 wings)

  2. Season chicken with salt, pepper, and dijon mustard

  3. While giving chicken time to rest, chop tomatoes (you will need 5 cups)

  4. Chop onion roughly

  5. Peel garlic

  6. In a pot, cover tomatoes in water, then bring to a boil and cook for 10 minutes

  7. Meanwhile, cook onions on a baking sheet in a 450° degree oven for 10 minutes, then add garlic for an additional 5 minutes

  8. In a food processor or blender, puree the tomatoes, onions, garlic, chipotes, and adobo sauce

  9. Run puree through a mesh strainer (it will make your dish all the more creamy and velvety)

  10. In a dutch oven or large skillet, heat oil and butter on high

  11. Brown chicken meat on all sides (about 5 minutes)

  12. Add in strained chipotle sauce and bay leaves, then bring heat down to a simmer and cook covered for about 10 minutes or until chicken is fully cooked (sauce should also thicken)

  13. Add 1-3 TBS Mexican crema until your sauce reaches the creaminess level that you desire (be care not to add too much and take away from the smokiness and chipotle flavor)

  14. Serve hot and drizzle on top with more Mexican crema - ENJOY!

MEXICAN CREMA:

  • Whisk together cream, sour cream, lime juice, and salt to taste (will keep in refrigerator for 2 weeks)

NOTES:

If your sauce does not thicken to a level that you like, then you can try a cooking trick that will help. Take a bowl and put in half cornstarch and half cold water and whisky together well (in this case you would want about 2 TBS of cornstarch and 2 TBS of cold water - the standard is about ½ TBS each per cup of whatever needs thickening). Pour starchy mixture into your chipotle sauce and stir for a bit and your sauce should thicken up nicely.

Adding crema to the sauce was also my own addition. Bricia Lopez only suggests it as a garnish at the end. However, I wanted my CREAMY chipotle sauce to be more CREAMY than what I got, so I added CREAMA. You can make your own choice here. I believe in you.

You also don’t have to make your own crema. You can find Mexican crema at most grocery stores. Unlucky for me, my store was out when I went thanks to the wonders of quarantined life. Lucky for me, crema recipes are pretty easy to find on the internet. Just like my website!