Orange–Chipotle Chicken with Achiote

Name: Orange–Chipotle Chicken with Achiote
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 1 h 15 min
Total time: 1 h 30 min
Yield: 6 servings
Cuisine: Mexican
Ingredients: 3 lb boneless skinless chicken thighs; 2 tsp kosher salt; 1 tsp ground cumin; 1 tsp smoked paprika; 1 tsp achiote paste; ½ tsp black pepper; ½ tsp Mexican oregano; 1 orange orange, zested; ¾–1 cup fresh orange juice (2–3 oranges); 2 chipotle peppers in adobo, minced; 1 Tbsp adobo sauce; 4 cloves garlic, smashed; ½ cup chicken stock; 1 Tbsp neutral oil

Boneless skinless chicken thighs braised in orange juice, chipotle, and achiote, then shredded and broiled for caramelized edges. Taco-ready.

MexicanServes 61h 30mentree

Servings6

Ingredients

Chicken & Spice Rub

3 lb boneless skinless chicken thighs

2 tsp kosher salt

1 tsp ground cumin

1 tsp smoked paprika

1 tsp achiote paste

½ tsp black pepper

½ tsp Mexican oregano

Braising Liquid

1 orange orange, zested

¾–1 cup fresh orange juice (2–3 oranges)

2 chipotle peppers in adobo, minced

1 Tbsp adobo sauce

4 cloves garlic, smashed

½ cup chicken stock

1 Tbsp neutral oil

Method

1 — Season & Sear

1
Preheat oven to 300°F with a covered Dutch oven or braiser inside.
2
Mix achiote paste into the dry spices (salt, cumin, smoked paprika, pepper, oregano). Pat chicken dry and rub spice mixture evenly over all surfaces.
3
Heat Dutch oven over medium-high, add oil. Sear thighs 3-4 minutes on one side only until deep golden. Remove chicken.

2 — Build & Braise

1
Lower heat to medium. Add garlic, cook 30 seconds. Add orange juice, zest, minced chipotle, adobo sauce, and stock. Scrape pot clean. Liquid should come no more than halfway up the meat — adjust stock if your vessel is wide.
2
Return chicken seared-side up in a single layer. Cover tightly.
3
Braise at 300°F for 55-65 minutes (thighs) until fork-tender and easily pulled. Breasts: check at 30-35 minutes.
4
Transfer chicken to a sheet pan and shred into large chunks — not fine. Meanwhile, bring braising liquid to a boil on the stovetop and reduce until slightly syrupy, about 5-8 minutes.

3 — Shred & Reduce

1
Toss shredded chicken in the reduced sauce to coat.
2
Spread sauced chicken on sheet pan in a single layer. Broil on high, 4-5 inches from element, 4-6 minutes until edges char lightly and surface caramelizes. Watch carefully — orange juice sugars burn fast.

4 — Broil Finish

Nutritionper serving · approx. 170g cooked (1/6 of recipe)

290kcal

35gProtein

9gCarbs

11gFat

620mgSodium

Nutrition estimate based on USDA FoodData Central data for boneless skinless chicken thigh (cooked), with braising liquid ingredients distributed across 6 servings. Carbs come primarily from orange juice (~6g) and chipotle/adobo (~2g). Fat reflects thigh meat only — no skin rendered. Sodium reflects kosher salt plus adobo sauce contribution; actual sodium will vary with your chipotle brand. MacroFactor will likely recalculate from ingredients — the protein and fat figures here should be close, but review its carb estimate against the orange juice volume you actually used.