Chipotle-Honey Glazed Chicken

It’s no secret that I love chipotles in adobo.  Ever since I (finally) found them in the store a couple years ago, they’ve become a staple in my pantry.   They’re such a cheap and easy way to add heat and smokiness to just about any dish.  One can will typically go toward several meals, and they keep for a decent amount of time both in the fridge & the freezer.  As a result, I seem to bookmark pretty much any recipe I see that has them.

I saved this recipe a while back when I first saw it on Tara’s site Smells Like Home.  I’ve always thought honey is a great way to balance the flavor of smoky hot chipotles, and the other spices in this intrigued me.  This recipe definitely didn’t disappoint.  The flavor was spot on and the cardamom added such an interesting extra spice.

The method of cooking this recipe originally is on the grill, but I decided to pan-fry the chicken until it was just about done, and then brush on the glaze and put the chicken under the broiler. This allowed the chicken to finish cooking through and the glaze to get that nice caramelized look and flavor.  I made 3 chicken breast halves with the amount of glaze, which wound up being pretty perfect. This was so easy to whip up, with ingredients I always have on hand, so it will definitely be made again (and if you’re wondering, those bacon-manchego pinto beans in the background were a lovely complement to this chicken).

Chipotle-Honey Glazed Chicken

Serves 2-3
Adapted from Bobby Flay’s Grill It!
1 chipotle in adobo
1/4 cup honey
1 tsp. dijon mustard
1 Tbsp. ancho chili powder, divided
salt and pepper
1 Tbsp. canola oil, divided
1/2 tsp. ground coriander
1/2 tsp. ground cumin
1/2 tsp. Spanish paprika
2-3 chicken breast halves
salt and pepper
garnish – sesame seeds, cilantro, chives, scallions, etc.

Preheat the broiler (if you’re not grilling).

Place the chipotle in a mini food processor and puree. Then add the honey, mustard, 1.5 tsp. ancho chili powder, 1/4 tsp. salt and 1/2 Tbsp. canola oil and pulse to combine.  Set aside.

Stir together the remaining ancho chili powder, coriander, cumin, paprika, and remaining 1/2 Tbsp. oil. Add the chicken breasts to the mixture, coating all sides. Season with salt and pepper.

Heat a pan over medium heat (or use a grill), add the chicken, and cook about 3-4 minutes per side.  Place the chicken on a broiler pan and brush the top with the glaze. Broil for 1 minute. Flip, brush with more glaze and broil another minute or two until the glaze is caramelized and chicken is cooked through.  Top with more glaze (if you want) and garnish as desired.