Keto Chipotle Grilled Chicken

Keto chipotle grilled chicken is a delicious food to add to your summertime grilling rotation. Juicy and slightly spicy, this chicken is super yummy!

WHAT IS KETO CHIPOTLE GRILLED CHICKEN?

Chipotle grilled chicken is simply chicken that has been marinated with or cooked in a chipotle sauce.

For this recipe, we’ll be doing both. This imparts a delicious smokey, spicy flavor onto the chicken.

Using a grill really brings this recipe to life, as there is something utterly delicious about any kind of grilled food.

WHAT IS A CHIPOTLE PEPPER?

Chipotle peppers are basically ripened jalapeño chiles that have been smoked and dried.

They can be ground and used in many Mexican and Tex Mex cooking and are typically sold in a rich, smokey flavored adobo sauce.

CHIPOTLE GRILLED CHICKEN INGREDIENTS

You’ll want to make sure to have the following ingredients on hand before trying to make this recipe.  

• 6 boneless, skinless chicken thighs
• 1/2 cup avocado oil
• 7 oz chipotle chilis in adobo sauce
• 1 1/2 tbsp garlic, minced
• 1 tbsp lime juice
• 1/2 tbsp chili powder
• 1/2 tbsp cumin
• 2 1/2 tsp pink Himalayan salt

After you have these ingredients on hand, you’re set and ready to grill!

HOW TO MAKE KETO CHIPOTLE GRILLED CHICKEN

Begin by combining all ingredients except the chicken in a food processor. Puree the mixture to create a chipotle sauce/marinade.

Place the chicken thighs into an airtight storage container and cover completely with the pureed chipotle sauce. Using a spoon or other utensil, gently stir the chicken to coat completely with the sauce.

Marinate for at least two hours in the refrigerator.

Next, preheat your grill to 425˚F. Place the chicken thighs onto the grill and cook for 5 minutes on each side to start. As you turn the chicken, coat each side with leftover chipotle sauce.

Cook the chicken to your desired level of doneness. Remove from the grill and let rest for at least two minutes. Eat and enjoy!

IS CHIPOTLE CHICKEN SPICY?

Due to the chipotle peppers used in this recipe, there is a small amount of “heat” that goes along with it. However, the spice is not great or overwhelming like with other spicy dishes.

More than likely you’ll find the “spice” in this dish to be more of a spicy, smokey flavor which is much easier to handle than purely spicy foods.

DO I HAVE TO USE CHICKEN THIGHS?

The answer here is no. If you’d like to use chicken breasts instead of chicken thighs, you can certainly do so.

In fact, there are no extra steps or directions needed to use breasts instead of thighs. You can simply prepare them in the same way you would the thighs.

However, by switching from thighs to breasts, you are turning this recipe from keto to low-carb. Chicken thighs are full of delicious fats which makes them a perfect keto meat.

Chicken breasts, on the other hand, are very lean and contain very small amounts of fat. So, just keep in mind the difference in fat content between the two cuts of chicken if you are looking to make a change.

STORING KETO CHIPOTLE GRILLED CHICKEN

Storing your leftover keto chipotle grilled chicken is super easy to do! You simply need to store it in an airtight storage container of your choice in the refrigerator.

As always, we recommend using glass storage containers, as they are great for storing and for reheating (more info on that below). They can be used to not only store, but cook, and therefore is a very versatile container to have.

You can easily store this chicken for several days in the refrigerator. At the four day mark, it is best to discard any chicken that you may still have leftover.

REHEATING CHIPOTLE GRILLED CHICKEN

Reheating your chipotle grilled chicken leftovers is very easy. Like with any meat, the method of reheating is very important.

Here are two ways to reheat your leftovers.

IN THE OVEN

The best way to reheat your grilled chicken leftovers is in the oven. Using an oven, you are able to reheat the meat more slowly, helping it to not become chewy or overcook.

To do this, preheat your oven to 350˚F. Place whatever leftover chicken you’d like to reheat into an oven-safe container and into the oven.

Heat for 10 minutes, then remove and check to see if the desired temperature has been reached.

If not, continue to heat in 3-minute increments until it is as warm as you’d like it. Eat and enjoy!

IN THE MICROWAVE

The fastest and most convenient option is to reheat your leftovers in the microwave. As we’ve discussed before, heating meats in the microwave can leave them tough and chewy.

To combat this, microwave the chicken for smaller increments (around 15 seconds each) and check the temperature each time. When the leftovers reach your desired temperature, remove them from the microwave and enjoy!

WHAT TO EAT WITH CHIPOTLE GRILLED CHICKEN

There are plenty of delicious side dishes and desserts to eat with your chipotle chicken.

The chicken definitely has plenty of flavor so something to compliment that is a definite must.

Here are some ideas to get you started.

• Low-Carb Spicy Roasted Broccoli
• Keto Cauliflower White Rice
• Keto Strawberry Pretzel Salad
• Keto Cheesy Cauliflower Mash

For more ideas, you can check out our recipe index or check out our main course recipes or our sweets recipes.

Don’t forget about our Keto Chipotle Sauce as a dipping sauce for your chipotle chicken!

TOOLS TO MAKE KETO CHIPOTLE GRILLED CHICKEN

Click on the links to see the items used in making this recipe. You can also find these products linked in the recipe below.

• Food Processor – For this recipe, a food processor can make your work so much easier. Throw all of the marinade/sauce ingredients in and flip the switch. Voila! Furthermore, a food processor is an integral component of any kitchen. It can turn any number of kitchen tasks into easy work. If you don’t have one in your kitchen yet, the time is now!

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