Spicy copycat grilled chicken is charred, tender and is great on burrito bowls, burritos, or salads. This home-made version tastes 1000x better for a fraction of the price! 
I made this delicious Qdoba style chicken in preparation for my Qdoba chicken burrito bowls yesterday and we LOVED it. It’s very similar to chipotle’s grilled chicken but a bit spicier. To make the chicken super flavorful, I suggest allowing it to marinate in the fridge for up to 24 hours but if you’re in a rush, cooking it right away will also work. To get the nice charred outside, heat the pan for at least 2-3 minutes. This will char the outside quickly and seal the chicken from the outside in order to keep the juice from leaking out which results in tender chicken.
I like to have a batch of chicken marinating in the fridge or freezer and cook as needed. It’s great on rice alone, in sandwiches, salads, burrito bowls, or in a tortilla as a burrito! The full burrito bowl recipe please hop over to this post.
Qdoba Copycat Chicken Breasts
Ingredients
- 2 lbs boneless skinless chicken breasts pounded thin
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 tablespoons adobo sauce from a small can of Chipotle peppers
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon oregano or Italian seasoning
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Combine chicken garlic, olive oil, adobo sauce and seasoning in a large bowl (or ziplock bag), cover with plastic wrap. Refrigerate for 30 minutes or up to 2 days.
- Preheat about 1 tablespoon oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. Add the chicken to the pan and cook, turning occasionally, until completely cooked through, about 6-7 minutes per side.
- Remove the chicken ontop large cutting board and allow to rest for at least 5-10 minutes then Slice or chop. Serve in a burrito, in a salad, or on its own!
Notes
Juice from one fresh orange and one fresh lime
1/4 cup olive oil
1 tsp. cumin
1 tsp. oregano
2 tsp. chili powder
1 tablespoon tomato paste
2 clove garlic minced
