Pollo Enchipotlado (Chipotle Braised Chicken Thighs)
Bone in chicken thighs browned and braised in smoky chipotle tomato sauce until falling tender, served with lime rice.
Made with Chipotle tinga sauce and Cilantro lime rice. Make a batch of the base first, then this takes minutes. Skip to the method
- Time55 min
- LevelEasy
- Costabout £2.11 a head
Cost is worked out from Aldi and Tesco shelf prices in October 2026. Your shop and brands will differ.
Ingredients
Tick what you need to buy. It goes on your shopping list.
Method
- 1
Pat the chicken thighs dry and season with salt. Heat the oil in a large lidded sauté pan over a medium high heat. Brown the thighs skin side down for 6 minutes until deep golden, then turn and colour for 2 minutes. Lift out and set aside.
8 min - 2
Pour off all but 1 tbsp of fat. Fry the onion and garlic for 5 minutes until soft.
5 min - 3
Add your ready made chipotle tinga sauce (see the base recipe) and the water. Stir well, bring to a simmer and return the chicken to the pan, skin side up.
- 4
Cover and simmer gently for 30 minutes, until the chicken is tender and cooked through with no pink and the juices run clear.
30 min - 5
Remove the lid for the last 5 minutes if the sauce needs to thicken.
- 6
Reheat your ready made cilantro lime rice (see the base recipe) until steaming hot all the way through. Serve the chicken and sauce over the rice with coriander and lime.
Tips
- Brown the skin well. It adds flavour to the sauce and makes the chicken taste richer.
- Keep the skin above the sauce while it braises so it does not go soggy.
- Check the thickest thigh with a knife. The juices should run clear with no pink.
Storing and freezing
Cool quickly and keep in the fridge for up to 3 days, or freeze for up to 3 months. Reheat until steaming hot all the way through, and reheat rice only once.
Questions
Can I use chicken breast?
Yes, but cut breasts into large chunks and simmer for only 12 to 15 minutes. Breast dries out faster than thigh.
Can I cook it in the oven?
Yes. After browning, cover the dish and cook at 180C (160C fan) for 40 minutes until the chicken is tender and cooked through.
Is this free from the main allergens?
Yes, it is gluten free, dairy free, egg free and nut free if the tinga sauce and rice base were made that way. Check the label on your tinned chipotles.
More made with chipotle tinga sauce
Empanadas de Tinga con Papa y Queso (Baked Chipotle Potato and Cheese Empanadas)
VNFSopes de Tinga (Thick Masa Cakes with Chipotle Chicken)
GFEFNFChilaquiles de Tinga con Pollo (Chicken Tinga Chilaquiles)
GFEFNFFideo Tostado al Chipotle (Toasted Vermicelli in Chipotle Sauce)
VNFDouble check before you cook. Recipes can contain mistakes. Any diet labels come from the ingredients as written in this recipe and are a guide, not a guarantee. Always check every ingredient and the packet label for allergens and cross contamination, and ask your doctor or dietitian what is right for you, especially with coeliac disease, diabetes or a serious allergy. This is not medical advice.