This recipe for Qdoba Chicken Recipe is full of flavor and smoky heat from chipotle chiles and bright tang from fresh lime juice, which combine to create tender chicken thighs. Your favorite Mexican-inspired restaurant dish can be easily recreated in your own kitchen with a few basic ingredients and simple preparation instructions. The flavors are bold and zesty.
You can quickly and easily prepare this recipe, so dinner will be on the table in no time. The best part is that even the pickiest eaters will enjoy it because it’s so flavorful.
Dinner just got easier with this copycat Qdoba chicken on board along
with Instant Pot Chicken Fajitas and Beef Enchilada Casserole
What Kind of Chicken is Best?
When preparing a chicken dish like this one, chicken thighs are a guaranteed hit. Everyone is in awe of the chicken’s tenderness. If boneless, skinless chicken breasts or tenderloins are what you have on hand or prefer, you can easily substitute them.
The amount of fat in each cut of chicken is the main distinction. The reason chicken thighs are more flavorful and tender than chicken breasts is because they have more fat in them. Whichever cut you go with, you can be sure that you are giving your family a high-protein meal.
What Are Qdoba Bowls Made Of?
Making Qdoba chicken at home is a great way to use it in a variety of recipes, like tacos, burritos, nachos, and quesadillas. Preparing Qdoba bowls and adding extra toppings is a family favorite.
Consider these topping options for Qdoba bowls:
- Diced onion; chopped black olives; guacamole; sour cream; cheese; shredded lettuce; and black beans; Roasted corn.
Is Qdoba Chicken Too Spicy For Kids?
Nope! Even finicky eaters will beg for this kid-friendly recipe time and time again.
Never fear if you have kids at home who are sensitive to spice—you can still tailor this recipe to their preferences. Although there are chili peppers in the Qdoba chicken marinade, you are in total control of how much juice you wish to add. To get rid of all the extra juice, you can also give the chilis a quick wash under the water.
The flavor profile that we all love is imparted to the chicken by the chipotle peppers in adobo sauce. This dish is the best because of the smoky flavors and the Qdoba chicken seasoning.
Ingredients
- 2.5 pounds’ boneless skinless chicken thighs
- 4 tablespoons olive oil divided
- 1/2 medium lime juiced
- 2 chilies from a can of Chipotle chilies rinsed and chopped
- 1 teaspoon chili sauce from a can of Chipotle chilies
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- 2 teaspoons cumin
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
Gluten-Free Guide:
We recognize that learning which foods don’t contain gluten and which ones might be overwhelming if you’re just starting to eat a gluten-free diet. The foods indicated by the symbol in all of our gluten-free recipes indicate items that should have their gluten content checked.
How To Make Qdoba Chicken
Place the chicken thighs on a piece of parchment paper then top them with another piece of parchment.
Pound the chicken thin with a kitchen mallet. Next, cut the chicken thighs into bite-sized pieces and place into the ziplock bag.
Construct the marinade
Add two tablespoons of olive oil, lime juice, chopped chiles, the juice from the can of chiles (omit if you want it less spicy), garlic, cumin, chili powder, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper to a mixing bowl. Over the chicken, pour. Once the bag is closed, thoroughly mix the chicken with your hands, making sure to coat every piece. Allow to sit for half an hour or more.
Prepare food
Heat a tablespoon or two of olive oil in a big skillet. Put in enough chicken so that a single layer covers the bottom of the pan. Cook, if necessary, in batches of chicken. Sauté without stirring for six minutes on medium heat. Toss the chicken around in the pan for a minute more after flipping it over with a flipper.
Put in service
Serve straight away or, as Qdoba does, in a chicken bowl or burrito.
How To Serve Qdoba Chicken
This recipe wouldn’t be complete without mentioning our favorite side dishes to serve with Qdoba chicken.
Pick any of these ideas to serve in a Qdoba chicken bowl or right alongside:
- Instant Pot Mexican Rice
- Gluten Free Spanish Rice
- Frozen Corn on the Cob
- Canned Corn Salad
- Quinoa Instant Pot
- Air Fryer Sweet Potato Chips
- Velveeta Cheese Sauce
Up next, we will be featuring this chicken in our Homemade Gluten-Free Tortillas paired with roasted corn and Spanish rice. It is time we take Taco Tuesday to a new level!
How to Utilize Leftovers
Straight into a taco, quesadilla, chicken bowl, or burrito from Qdoba. You can quickly prepare the tastiest dinner by adding any preferred topping. Additionally, you can serve the chicken cold over a salad or stuffed with lettuce, pico de gallo, and guacamole to make a chicken wrap. Whether you’re working from home or going to the office, that makes the ideal lunch.
How to Cook Chicken Bits: Some Advice
• Cook food until it reaches an internal temperature of 165°F every time. When temping, make sure the meat thermometer is inserted into the thickest part of the chicken.
• Vary the amount of chili juice you add to the marinade to customize the flavor profile of the chicken. The chicken will get spicier the more you add! To lessen the spiciness of the dish, you can rinse the chilis in a colander before serving.
• To ensure that the chicken pieces in the pan are spread out into a single layer, use a large skillet. If necessary, cook the chicken in batches.
• After adding the chicken to the hot skillet, do not remove it from the pan. The chicken should be simple to remove from the pan’s bottom.
FAQ’s
Are you able to plan ahead?
Of course! You have two options: prepare the marinade ahead of time and let the chicken marinate overnight, or prepare the entire recipe the day before and reheat it for dinner the following evening. Cook the chicken just before dinner and serve.
How much time does Qdoba chicken take to cook?
Cooking the chicken takes less than 15 minutes after it marinates. You can chop the chicken into smaller pieces to expedite the cooking process.
Why cook your own version of Qdoba chicken?
Aside from the obvious benefit of being able to tailor the flavors to your taste, creating your own Qdoba-esque chicken at home can save costs and provide you complete control over the ingredients and cooking techniques.
Children Cooking
Cooking advice and ideas for this recipe aimed at children.
1. Since chicken thighs come in a variety of sizes and shapes, it’s crucial to pound them thin for this recipe. To ensure that every piece of chicken is juicy and tender, we want it to cook evenly. Pounding chicken fast and easily is possible with a kitchen mallet. Our use of parchment paper helps prevent the chicken from splattering onto the counter. If a mallet is not available, you can also put the chicken in a Ziploc bag and roll it with a rolling pin until it is thin.
2. The chicken gains a great deal of flavor from our Qdoba chicken marinade. Sauces can be substituted with marinades.
Instructions for Storing
Keep any leftover Qdoba chicken covered in the refrigerator for up to five days. To avoid the chicken drying out, make sure the lid is on tightly. You should throw out the chicken after the fifth day due to food safety concerns.
If you’re looking to meal prep, freezing leftover chicken from a double batch is a great option. After cooking, the second batch can be cooled and frozen for later use. During those hectic weeks when you can’t spend time in the kitchen, you’ll be grateful.
After the chicken is completely cooled, freeze it by placing it in a freezer-safe container or Ziploc bag. Expel all air from the Ziploc bag.
Reheating Guidelines
To reheat, place in a bowl that is safe for the microwave and add a splash of water or broth.
It is not advisable to microwave frozen leftovers since the chicken will become dry and the reheating will be uneven. We prefer to reheat chicken in the oven to prevent it from drying out, so we only use the microwave when we are pressed for time.
To maintain the chicken’s juicy and tender texture, reheat it in the oven to seal in the moisture. You can put the chicken in the oven right out of the refrigerator. But before reheating, frozen chicken needs to be refrigerated for at least six hours or overnight to thaw.
Set the oven’s temperature to 325 degrees before putting the chicken pieces on a baking sheet.
Qdoba Chicken Recipe
Our Qdoba chicken recipe is a delicious and flavorful chicken recipe featuring tender chicken thighs infused with the smoky heat of chipotle chilies and the bright tang of fresh lime juice
Pin Recipe Print Recipe
- 5 from 2 votes
- Prep Time20 mins
- Cook Time12 mins
- Total Time1 hr 2 mins
- Servings
- Equipment
- skillet
- tongs
- Flipper
- cutting board
- chefs knife
- mixing bowl
- stir spoon
- parchment paper
- kitchen mallet
- ziplock bag
Ingredients
- 2.5 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs
- 4 tablespoon olive oil divided
- 1/2 medium lime juiced
- 2 chilies from a can of Chipotle chilies rinsed and chopped
- 1 teaspoon chili sauce from a can of Chipotle chilies
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- 2 teaspoons cumin
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
Instructions
Prep the chicken thighs. Place the chicken thighs on a piece of parchment paper then top them with another piece of parchment. Pound the chicken thin with a kitchen mallet. Next, cut the chicken thighs into bite-sized pieces and place into the ziplock bag. 2.5 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs
Make the marinade. In a mixing bowl combine 2 tablespoons of olive oil, lime juice, chopped chilies, the juice from the can of chilies (skip for less spice), garlic, chili powder, cumin, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper. Pour onto the chicken. Seal the bag then mix well using your hands, making sure each piece of chicken is coated. Let sit for at least 30 minutes.
4 tablespoon olive oil,1/2 medium lime,2 chilies from a can of Chipotle chilies,1 teaspoon chili sauce from a can of Chipotle chilies,4 cloves garlic,1 tablespoon chili powder,2 teaspoons cumin,1 teaspoon Italian seasoning,1 teaspoon salt,1/2 teaspoon pepper
Cook. In a large skillet heat 1-2 tablespoons of olive oil. Place enough chicken into the pan to cover the bottom in a single layer. Make the chicken in batches if needed. Cook for 6 minutes over medium heat undisturbed. Use a flipper to flip the chicken and stir it around the pan for an additional minute.
4 tablespoon olive oil
Serve. Serve as is or in a chicken bowl or burrito as they do at Qdoba.
Notes
Always cook until the internal temperature reaches 165°F. Always insert the meat thermometer into the thickest part of the chicken when temping.
Customize the flavor profile of chicken by adjusting the amount of chili juice that you pour into the chicken marinade. The more you add, the spicier the chicken will be! If you are hesitant to serve a spicy meal, you can rinse the chilis in a colander to reduce the level of spice.
Use a large skillet so the chicken pieces can spread into a single layer in the pan. Cook chicken in batches if needed. Once chicken is added to the hot skillet, let it cook undisturbed. Chicken should lift easier from the bottom of the pan when it is ready to flip.
Let the oil heat in the pan over medium heat before adding the chicken as this helps create the desired char on the chicken. For a stronger flavor, let the chicken marinate in the fridge overnight.
CKC Features both Gluten-Free Guidance and Kids Cooking Instructions: If you’re new to eating gluten-free we understand it’s overwhelming trying to figure out which foods may contain gluten and which ones don’t. All of our gluten-free recipes marked with this symbol represent foods that need to be checked for gluten or cross-contamination.
The symbol in the recipe below denotes the steps in which kid cooks may need a helper (depending on age). If there is no symbol, that step (or recipe) doesn’t require a helper.
Nutrition
Calories: 323 kcal | Carbohydrates: 3g | Protein: 37g | Fat: 17g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 10g | Trans Fat: 0.03g | Cholesterol: 180mg | Sodium: 580mg | Potassium: 521mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 459IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 39mg | Iron: 3mg
