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Mexican Chicken Adobo

Mexican Chicken Adobo (Adobo de Pollo)

Tender chicken thighs and legs braised in a rich adobo sauce made with dried guajillo, ancho, and pasilla chiles. This authentic one-pot Mexican recipe delivers deep, smoky flavor with mild to medium spice.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour 20 minutes
Servings: 6 portions
Course: Dinner, Main Course
Cuisine: Latin American, Mexican
Calories: 306
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 4 bone-in chicken legs
  • 4 bone-in chicken thighs skinless or skin-on
  • Salt and ground black pepper to taste
  • 3 tablespoons olive oil divided
  • 1 small brown or yellow onion sliced
  • 4 Roma tomatoes quartered
  • 4 garlic cloves chopped
  • 3 dried guajillo chiles stems and seeds removed
  • 1 dried ancho chile or dried chipotle chile stems and seeds removed
  • 2 dried pasilla or New Mexico chiles stems and seeds removed
  • 2.5 cups chicken broth
  • 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
  • 2 teaspoons sea salt or Kosher salt
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 0.5 teaspoon dried coriander
  • 0.25 teaspoon ground cloves
  • 2 bay leaves
  • Chopped cilantro for garnish

Equipment

  • Dutch oven or large pot with lid
  • High-speed blender
  • Paper towels
  • Measuring spoons

Method
 

  1. Pat the chicken dry with paper towels and season generously with salt and pepper. Set aside while you prepare the sauce.
  2. Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a Dutch oven or large pot over medium-high heat. Add the sliced onions and quartered tomatoes and saute, stirring occasionally, for about 4 minutes or until the onions start to become translucent.
  3. Stir in the chopped garlic and cook for about 1 minute until fragrant, stirring constantly to prevent burning.
  4. Add the dried chiles and chicken broth to the pot and bring to a boil. Lower the heat to low and use a spoon to push the dried chiles down, ensuring they are completely submerged in the broth. Cover the pot and simmer for about 10 minutes to soften the chiles.
  5. Remove from heat, uncover the pot, and allow to cool at room temperature for about 5 minutes. Transfer the softened chiles and about half of their cooking liquid to a blender. Add the apple cider vinegar, 2 teaspoons salt, cumin, oregano, coriander, and ground cloves. Blend at high speed for 2-3 minutes or until completely smooth.
  6. Add the remaining cooking liquid to the blender and continue to blend until the sauce becomes silky smooth. Set aside.
  7. Place the same Dutch oven or pot on the stove over medium-high heat. Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil until shimmering.
  8. Once the oil is hot, add the chicken pieces and brown for about 2-3 minutes per side until golden. Work in 2 batches if necessary to avoid overcrowding the pot.
  9. Return all the browned chicken to the pot and pour in the adobo sauce. Add the bay leaves and stir to combine, ensuring the chicken is well coated with sauce. Bring to a boil.
  10. Lower the heat, partially cover the pot with the lid, and simmer for about 45 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the chicken is cooked through and reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees F. Add additional broth if the sauce becomes too thick.
  11. Remove the bay leaves, taste and adjust seasoning if needed. Garnish with chopped cilantro and serve with rice, beans, and warm tortillas.

Notes

For oven method: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. After browning chicken and adding sauce, bring to a boil, cover with lid, and transfer to oven. Bake 40-45 minutes until chicken reaches 165 degrees F internal temperature. The adobo sauce can be made 1-2 days ahead and refrigerated. Use bone-in dark meat for the juiciest results. If using chicken breasts, keep skin on and use whole breast halves to prevent drying.
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