Meal Prep Sundays: Chipotle Chicken

Protein is the backbone of meal prep, so we love recipes that put a unique culinary spin on this classic meal staple. If Mexican fare is a favorite, you need to get your grub on with Meal Prep Sundays: Chipotle Chicken!

Ingredients:

Makes 8-10 servings.

5 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breast (8-10 breasts) 1 (7 oz.) can chipotle peppers in adobo sauce ¼ cup ancho chili powder 1 red onion, coarsely chopped 6 cloves garlic 2 tsp. cumin 2 tsp. dried oregano Salt and freshly ground black pepper ¼ cup canola oil

Preparation:

1. Strain adobo sauce into a small bowl, discarding peppers or reserving for another use. Press down on the peppers to extract as much liquid as possible (you should have at least ¼ cup). For an especially spicy dish, add chipotle pepper seeds to taste. Add strained liquid to food processor. 2. Add red onion, garlic, cumin, ancho chili powder, oregano, salt, and pepper to the food processor. Pulse several times until a coarse paste develops. 3. With the motor running, pour ¼ cup canola oil through the feeding tube and continue to process until smooth. You should have two cups of marinade. If not, add water until you have two cups of marinade. Reserve one cup for immediate use and freeze the remaining for future use. 4. Meanwhile, place half the chicken in a large freezer-safe plastic bag. Spoon in half the marinade, close the bag, and mash around to distribute. Add in remaining chicken, remaining ½ cup marinade, and repeat the mashing until all chicken is evenly coated. Place the plastic bag in a dish and refrigerate at least 8 hours or overnight. 5. Preheat oven to 400°F. Coat a baking dish with oil or nonstick spray and arrange chicken in a single layer. Cover with parchment paper, tucking the paper around the chicken so it is completely covered. Bake for 30 to 40 minutes, until the chicken reaches 165°F when tested with an internal thermometer. 6. Remove to a cutting board and chop into small pieces. Season to taste with salt. Serve on tortillas or in bowls with additional toppings as desired.

Macros Per Serving (1 Breast):

Calories 505 Protein 82g Carbs 8g Fat 14g

Meal Prep Tip:

This Chipotle Chicken recipe will yield about 2 cups of marinade. 1 cup of marinade will flavor 5 pounds of chicken. Use one cup right away and freeze the other for later. Recipe and Image Courtesy of Meggan Hill and CulinaryHill.com.

If this week's recipe gave you a taste for Mexican-inspired chicken, check out our recipes for Chicken Fajitas and Green Chili Chicken Enchiladas. For even more chicken choices, check out Peanut Butter Chicken, and Paleo Almond Chicken Pieces. Keep your meal management system on point with all of our Meal Prep Sundays recipes!