CHICKEN
Chipotle Chicken with Cilantro-Lime Rice
Smoky chipotle-marinated chicken thighs, seared on the Weber griddle and served over bright cilantro-lime rice. A make-ahead marinade brings plenty of flavor to four measured portions.
AI-generated serving illustration.
Estimated per serving, including chicken, rice, both oils, and the full marinade.
What you need
For the whole recipe · 4 servings
Chicken and griddle oil
- 1½ lb (680 g total; about 6 small thighs)
boneless, skinless chicken thighs, weighed raw after trimming visible fat - 2 tsp (9 g)
canola oil, for the griddle
Chipotle marinade
- 7 oz (200 g)
chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, whole or diced, with their sauce; about one small can - 5 cloves (15 g)
garlic, peeled - 1 tbsp (6 g)
ground cumin - 1 tsp (3 g)
adobo seasoning; start with this smaller amount because the canned sauce also contains salt - 1 tbsp (7 g)
onion powder - 1 tbsp (3 g)
dried oregano - ¼ cup (60 g; about 2 limes)
fresh lime juice, for the marinade - ½ tsp (1 g)
smoked paprika - ½ cup (120 g)
water, for the marinade
Cilantro-lime rice
- 1 cup dry (185 g)
long-grain white rice, measured before cooking - 2 cups (480 g), or as directed on your rice package
water, for the rice - 2 tbsp (30 g; about 1 lime)
fresh lime juice, for the cooked rice - ¼ cup (4 g)
loosely packed chopped fresh cilantro - 1 tbsp (13.5 g)
olive oil, for the cooked rice - Up to ¼ tsp (1.5 g), optional
salt, for the cooked rice
Weigh the chicken raw and the rice dry, before cooking. The chicken weight, not the number of thighs, determines the portions. Gram weights are the basis of the nutrition estimate.
At the Weber griddle
Allow about 40–45 minutes, plus at least 1 hour in the refrigerator for marinating. Cook the rice on the stove while the chicken cooks. Small griddles may need extra batches.
- Blend the marinade.Blend the chipotle peppers and their sauce with the garlic, cumin, adobo seasoning, onion powder, oregano, ¼ cup lime juice, smoked paprika, and ½ cup water until smooth. This full-can version is spicy; see the milder option below.
- Marinate in the refrigerator.Place the trimmed chicken thighs in a covered food-safe container or sealed bag and coat with the marinade. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour, or overnight within the chicken’s safe refrigerated storage time. Do not marinate on the counter. Keep raw chicken and its utensils away from ready-to-eat food.
- Start the rice.Cook the measured dry rice in a covered saucepan using its package directions. For standard long-grain white rice, use about 2 cups water for 1 cup dry rice and simmer gently for about 20 minutes, until the water is absorbed and the grains are tender. Let it stand off the heat, covered, for 5 minutes, then fluff. Water amounts and times vary by rice variety.
- Preheat and drain.Preheat a clean, seasoned Weber griddle according to your model’s instructions, with a medium-high cooking area and a lower-heat area. Lift the thighs from the marinade and let excess drip back into the container; leave a thin coating on the meat. Discard the marinade that touched raw chicken. Spread the measured 2 teaspoons of canola oil thinly over the cooking area.
- Sear, then check the center.Lay the thighs flat in one uncrowded layer. Cook for roughly 5–7 minutes on the first side, then turn and cook for another 5–7 minutes. Move them to the lower-heat area if the spices darken too quickly, and continue cooking as needed. Check the thickest part of each thigh with a thermometer, keeping the probe off the griddle: every piece must reach at least 165°F. Thighs may be cooked to about 175°F for a more tender texture. Time and surface color alone do not confirm doneness.
- Rest and finish the rice.Move the cooked chicken to a clean board and rest for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, fold the cilantro, remaining 2 tablespoons lime juice, and 1 tablespoon olive oil into the hot rice. Taste the rice and add only as much of the optional ¼ teaspoon salt as needed.
- Chop and serve four bowls.Use a clean knife to chop the rested thighs into bite-size pieces. Divide all the rice and chicken equally among four bowls. Each bowl gets one quarter of the finished recipe. Serve promptly; extra toppings are not included in the estimate.
Your portion. One quarter of the chicken and rice: chicken from 6 oz (170 g) raw weight, rice from about 46 g dry weight, and its share of oil and seasoning. Divide the cooked batch evenly rather than counting thighs.
This adaptation specifies a 1½ lb chicken batch, reduces adobo seasoning from 1 tablespoon to 1 teaspoon, omits the original 2 teaspoons of added chicken salt, and adds measured oil for the flat-top griddle. For less heat, use 2 chipotle peppers plus 2 tablespoons of their sauce instead of the full can; nutrition will change. Chicken breast is an optional leaner substitute: use the same raw weight, even out its thickness, and cook to 165°F; the thigh-based nutrition estimate does not apply. The method has not been kitchen-tested. Refrigerate leftovers in shallow containers within 2 hours, or 1 hour above 90°F, and reheat to 165°F.
Check ingredient labels for allergens, especially the chipotle peppers and adobo seasoning; brands and blends vary.
About the nutrition estimates
Calculated using 680 g raw thighs at 160 calories and 19 g protein per 112 g, the Tyson fresh-thigh label; 200 g chipotles at 15 calories and 1 g protein per 30 g, the La Costeña diced-chipotle label; and approximate generic values for dry rice, spices, oil, lime, and cilantro. The full marinade is counted even though some is discarded, so this is a conservative estimate rather than a measurement of marinade absorption. All listed ingredients, including oil, toppings, and sides, are included. Calories are rounded to the nearest 5 and protein to the nearest gram. Different brands, cuts, substitutions, and cooking losses change the totals.
| Ingredient | Calories | Protein |
|---|---|---|
| Raw chicken thighs | 243 | 28.8 g |
| Griddle oil | 20 | 0.0 g |
| Chipotles and adobo sauce | 25 | 1.7 g |
| Garlic | 6 | 0.2 g |
| Cumin | 6 | 0.3 g |
| Adobo seasoning | 1 | 0.0 g |
| Onion powder | 6 | 0.2 g |
| Oregano | 2 | 0.1 g |
| Marinade lime juice | 4 | 0.1 g |
| Smoked paprika | 1 | 0.0 g |
| Marinade water | 0 | 0.0 g |
| Dry white rice | 169 | 3.3 g |
| Rice water | 0 | 0.0 g |
| Rice lime juice | 2 | 0.0 g |
| Cilantro | 0 | 0.0 g |
| Rice olive oil | 30 | 0.0 g |
| Optional salt | 0 | 0.0 g |
| Whole plate, rounded | 515 | 35 g |
Individual rows are rounded and may not add exactly to the total.
Chicken thigh nutrition: Tyson manufacturer label · Chipotle nutrition: La Costeña manufacturer label · USDA FoodData Central
Cooking temperatures follow FoodSafety.gov. Use a food thermometer; cooking times vary by griddle and food thickness.