Eat: Chipotles in adobo sauce pack a flavorful punch in this easy chicken dish.
Chipotles in adobo sauce are one of my go-to ingredients when I make a marinade or barbecue sauce. You can find chipotles in adobo in the international or Mexican section of your supermarket. I usually buy a few cans at a time, and I dove into my stash for this recipe.
Chipotles in adobo are a flavor bomb, packed with a soupy mix of whole smoked and dried jalapeños that are rehydrated and canned in a tangy, sweet tomato sauce. A little dollop adds smoky flavor and heat to robust marinades, sauces and stews. In this recipe, the chiles add essential flavor to the chicken marinade, which does double duty as a basting sauce.
When using the chipotles, remember that the whole chiles have a good amount of heat, while the tomato sauce is milder and slightly sweet. So, spoon a balance of whole chiles with sauce in the food processor when making this recipe. Alternatively, separately process the entire can of chiles to get a smoother puree with a balance of heat and sweet.
Either way, you won’t use the entire can, so don’t throw out the leftovers! They can easily be stored for future use. Transfer to a glass container and refrigerate for up to one month, or freeze for up to six months. This way you’ll have your own stash for dipping into.
In this recipe, I cut the chicken into large chunks to expose more edges to the marinade and drive in flavor. I also like to accompany the salad with hummus, which is optional.
Chipotle Chicken and Couscous Salad
Serves 4to 5
INGREDIENTS Marinade:
¼ cup chipotles in adobo sauce
2 garlic cloves, chopped 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1 tablespoon brown sugar 1teaspoon ground cumin 1 teaspoon salt 2pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs, cut in 2- to 3-inch chunks
Couscous Salad: 1½ cups whole-wheat couscous
1¼ cups warm water 2tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons olive oil 1teaspoon ground cumin 1 teaspoon salt, or more to taste
1 small red bell pepper, seeded and finely diced 1 small jalapeño, seeded, finely diced
½ small red onion, finely chopped, about ¼ cup 1 garlic clove, minced
½ cup mint leaves, chopped, plus extra for garnish
¼ cup cilantro leaves, chopped, plus extra for garnish
½ teaspoon Tabasco, or to taste
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Lemon wedges for serving
DIRECTIONS
Process all of the marinade ingredients (except the chicken, of course) in a food processor until smooth. Reserve 2 to 3 tablespoons for basting. Place the chicken in a medium bowl. Add the remaining marinade and turn the chicken to thoroughly coat. Cover and refrigerate at least one hour or up to 24 hours. Meanwhile, place the couscous in a large bowl. Add the water, lemon juice, olive oil, cumin and salt and stir once to blend. Cover the bowl and let stand until all of the liquid is absorbed, about 10 minutes. Fluff the couscous with a fork. Add the remaining ingredients and gently mix to combine. Taste for salt and seasoning. Heat the oven broiler (or prepare the grill). Remove the chicken from the marinade and discard the marinade. Broil or grill over direct medium heat until the chicken is charred and beginning to crisp in spots and thoroughly cooked through, basting with some of the reserved marinade, 10to 14 minutes, depending on the thickness of the meat. (The internal temperature should register 165 degrees with a meat thermometer when fully cooked.)
Spread the couscous on a serving platter and arrange the chicken on top. Garnish with fresh mint and/or cilantro. Serve with lemon wedges.