Description
Mexican Chicken Adobo is a flavorful and tender chicken dish simmered in a vibrant homemade adobo sauce made from dried guajillo and ancho chiles, garlic, and a blend of warm spices. This classic Mexican main course is perfect served with rice, warm tortillas, or roasted vegetables, and offers a balanced combination of smoky, tangy, and mildly sweet flavors.
Ingredients
Scale
Chicken
- 2 pounds bone-in chicken thighs and drumsticks
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 1 cup chicken broth
Adobo Sauce
- 4 dried guajillo chiles, stems and seeds removed
- 2 dried ancho chiles, stems and seeds removed
- 1 cup hot water
- 4 cloves garlic
- 1/2 medium onion, roughly chopped
- 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 2 bay leaves
Instructions
- Soften Chiles: Place the guajillo and ancho chiles in a bowl and cover with hot water. Let them soak for 15 minutes until softened.
- Prepare Adobo Sauce: Transfer the softened chiles to a blender. Add garlic, onion, apple cider vinegar, brown sugar, oregano, cumin, cinnamon, and 1/2 cup of the chile soaking liquid. Blend until completely smooth.
- Season Chicken: Season the chicken thighs and drumsticks with salt and black pepper evenly on all sides.
- Brown Chicken: Heat the vegetable oil in a large Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high heat. Add the chicken pieces and brown them for 3 to 4 minutes per side until golden brown.
- Combine and Simmer: Pour the blended adobo sauce over the browned chicken. Add the bay leaves and chicken broth, stirring gently to coat the chicken with the sauce.
- Cook Chicken: Bring the mixture to a simmer, then reduce the heat to low. Cover the pot and cook for 35 to 40 minutes, or until the chicken is tender and the sauce has thickened.
- Finish and Serve: Remove the bay leaves before serving. Spoon the extra sauce over the chicken. Serve hot alongside rice, warm tortillas, or roasted vegetables for a complete meal.
Notes
- Serve with rice, warm tortillas, or roasted vegetables for a classic pairing.
- For extra heat, add 1 to 2 dried arbol chiles to the sauce during blending.
- Bone-in thighs and drumsticks are preferred for tender, juicy chicken, but you can substitute boneless if desired—adjust cooking time accordingly.
- Leftovers keep well refrigerated for up to 3 days and taste great reheated.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Mexican
