Copycat Chipotle Honey Chicken Recipe

If you're someone who enjoys Chipotle on the regular, then you know that the popular fast-casual chain consistently switches up its inventive meat offerings, if only for a limited time. Once upon a time, it was smoked brisket, and as a more recent offering, honey chicken has found its way onto the menu, alongside other Chipotle menu item staples like steak, regular chicken, and barbacoa. In case you just can't get enough of Chipotle's honey chicken in your store-bought burrito or bowl, recipe developer Julianne De Witt's copycat recipe is sure to liven up your home-cooked meal routine.

Much like the version you'd find at Chipotle, this copycat honey chicken delivers on flavors and then some. "This copycat Chipotle honey chicken recipe has the perfect combination of flavors — sweet, spicy, and tart," De Witt describes. "The sweetness of honey beautifully balances the smoky heat of chipotle peppers, while a splash of apple cider vinegar adds just the right amount of tangy brightness to bring everything together." Despite packing in so much nuanced flavor, it's really not too difficult to whip up a batch of honey chicken right at home, especially if you've got a little patience to allow the meat to marinate. From there, you can enjoy this honey chicken exactly as you would at Chipotle — minus the long line and upcharge for guacamole.

Chicken breasts are the cut of choice here, and to pack them with plenty of flavor, you'll need honey, chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, apple cider vinegar, cumin, garlic powder, onion powder, Mexican oregano, kosher salt, and black pepper. You'll also need avocado oil to grill the chicken and, optionally, some scallions to garnish the finished product. 

Add the honey, chipotle peppers, vinegar, and cumin, garlic powder, onion powder, oregano, salt, and pepper to a blender.

Blend on high until smooth.

Pour ⅓ of the marinade over the chicken and refrigerate the rest.

Toss the chicken in the marinade.

Cover the chicken and refrigerate for 2 to 4 hours.

Heat the avocado oil in a grill pan over medium-high heat.

Add the chicken to the pan and cook for 5 to 6 minutes.

Flip the chicken and cook for another 6 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 160 F.

Remove the chicken from the pan and place it on a cutting board to rest for 5 minutes.

Add the reserved marinade to a small saucepan over medium heat.

Heat the sauce until lightly bubbling, adding water if necessary to thin the sauce.

Cut the chicken into bite-sized pieces.

Toss the chicken in the sauce.

Garnish the chicken with the scallions and serve.

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Though this is a pretty straightforward recipe, there are still some tips and best practices to keep in mind when making copycat Chipotle honey chicken. For starters, don't think of the marinating time as optional, though it adds a little wait time to the process. "Marinate for a minimum of 2 hours for maximum flavor," De Witt recommends. Although the chicken ends up tossed with extra sauce after being cooked, the marinating time helps pack that flavor in even deeper and also helps to tenderize the chicken, so it's well worth the time.

Next, when it comes time to cook the chicken, start it in a hot pan over medium-high heat. This will help prevent the chicken from sticking to the pan, but do lower the heat as needed so that the honey doesn't burn. "For perfect grill marks, turn the chicken just once," De Witt advises. As for how to tell when your chicken is done cooking altogether, a meat thermometer is your most accurate bet. Also, make sure to pull the chicken off the heat once it hits 160 F, as it will continue to cook a bit as it rests and reach that optimal point of 165 F. "Allowing it to rest will also help to distribute the juices back into the chicken," De Witt adds.

There's really no shortage of inspiration when it comes to serving copycat Chipotle honey chicken. Naturally, it's a good idea to serve this chicken in Chipotle fashion, be that in a bowl, in a burrito, or on tacos. However, with such a versatile main, you can expand your horizons and think outside of the Chipotle box when it comes time to serve. "Serve it over salad, in a hearty rice bowl with corn and pico de gallo, or in tortillas with crisp veggies and guacamole," De Witt recommends.

If you were to go a salad route, De Witt specifically suggests adding romaine, black beans, tomatoes, avocado, and ranch dressing to the mix for the perfect fresh and savory components to complement that slightly sweet nature of the chicken. You could also add the chicken to a wrap along with crisp veggies and guacamole, or simply toss it over rice and sprinkle on some corn and pico de gallo. Or, take a Chipotle-inspired cue and incorporate the honey chicken into a quesadilla. Finally, the sticky-sweet nature of the chicken would make a nice contrast on top of crunchy nachos, though you may want to consider dicing the chicken even smaller (or shredding it) should you go the nacho route.

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