Chipolte at HOME...

My LOVE for Chipolte cannot even be put into words...the best *fast food* ever...I was so excited to come accross a Chipolte Fan page that listed some of their recipes.  I was skeptical whether they would actually taste like my beloved Chipolte...but I've happy to report that they are pretty darn close!!  Especially the Guacamole...I laughed when I read the recipe..because it just seemed like their should be more in it...but it is PERFECT...less is definitly more!!:)   

I didn't actually use the Chicken Marniade Recipe...because it required you to soak ancho chillies over night and I didn't look these up until the morning I was going to make it.  I also couldn't find  chipotle pepper in adobo sauce.  So instead I followed the ingreidents excluding these two things and replaced them with Tabasco Chipolte sauce (about 1/2 a bottle)  I also pounded out my chicken before marinating  and then we cooked them in olive oil on the stove....SOOOOO good!!:) 

Chipotle Grill Inspired Tomatillo-Green Chili Salsa

2 medium tomatoes, quartered

6 medium tomatillos (use 12 if they are very tiny)

1 small red onion, quartered (for a milder taste use a vidalia onion)

2 garlic cloves, pressed or minced

2 jalapeno peppers (seeded, roasted (or broiled)

2 limes, juice of

1/4-1/2 cup fresh cilantro

2 tablespoons ground cumin (I only used 1tbsp...and I think that was even a little much)

1 pinch red pepper flakes (add more if more heat is desired)

1/2 teaspoon ground coriander

1 teaspoon Tabasco chipotle pepper sauce (more for a hotter salsa)

sea salt (to personal taste)

fresh ground pepper (to personal taste)

Chipolte Guacamole 

Individual sized recipe:2 Hass Avocados  (I used a mixer to mush them really good)
1/2 of a Jalapeno pepper, seeded, and minced
1/4 of a red onion, finely chopped
2 heaping Tablespoons of Cilantro, finely chopped
1/4 of a lime, juiced
1/4 teaspoon salt

Combine all of the ingredients into a bowl, and mash together until smooth. Add additional lime juice or salt to taste. For extra spicy guacamole, you can leave in the jalapeno seeds!

Chipotle Corn Salsa Recipe

6 Ears Sweet Yellow Corn  (I used 3 cans of white sweet Corn and cooked slightly on the stove)2 Poblano Chilies (I *grilled* these on the stove)1/2 Red Onion
2 Red Jalapenos
1/3 Cup Chopped Cilantro
1 Tablespoon Lime Juice  (I used more to my taste)Salt and Pepper to Taste

Roast the corn and Poblano chilies on a grill or BBQ and let cool. Cut the corn off the cob. Dice the Poblano chilies, onion, and red jalapenos. Combine all the ingredients and season to taste.

Chipotle's Cilantro Lime Rice (Tweaked Version)
1 tbsp oil (canola/vegetable)
2 tsp fresh cilantro, chopped fine
1 fresh key lime (or ½ regular lime)
½ tsp salt (kosher or sea salt)
1 cup long grain white rice (or basmati, if you can bear the funky smell)  (I tried the Basmati rice twice and MUCH prefer just regular rice...tastes much more like Chipolte's in my opinion)
2 cups water

Sautee the rice in oil until almost translucent (as if you are making a risotto).

Add water, bring to a boil.

As soon as the water begins to boil, turn the heat down low.

Simmer, covered for 15-20 minutes, or until all water is absorbed.

Turn off heat. DON'T PEEK. LEAVE IT COVERED for 30 minutes (this is the "steaming" part.... Chipotle steams rice every hour). This is what makes the rice fluffy. You won’t be happy with yourself if you don’t do this. Be patient. Good things come to those who wait.

Remove lid, let some of the steam out. It may be helpful to transfer rice into a mixing bowl for the next step.

Mix salt and juice of key lime together until salt is dissolved.

Pour it over rice, fluff with a fork.

Sprinkle in cilantro, and toss well to evenly coat with cilantro and lime mixture

All Purpose Chipotlesque Marinade (EDITED)

1 (2 ounce) package dried ancho chiles
1 (7 ounce) can chipotle pepper in adobo sauce (discard chipotle pepper, skim out seeds)
1 teaspoon black pepper
2 teaspoons cumin powder
2 tablespoons fresh oregano, chopped
6 cloves garlic
2 teaspoons salt
1 red onion, quartered
1/4 cup oil (canola/vegetable/olive)
1 whole boneless, skinless naturally raised chicken (about 3 lbs, thighs work well too)

Soak dry chilies overnight in water, until soft. Remove seeds.

Add chilies and rest of the ingredients in blender or food processor. Puree until smooth.

Stab chicken with fork to let the marinade soak in. If you're marinating overnight, you won't need to stab it too much. If you're marinating for an hour, stab it all over!

Spread marinade over chicken, refrigerate for one hour or up to overnight.

After marinating, grill on medium high on an indoor grill where the chicken can be pressed flat.

If using a skillet, heat oil to medium high. Place a foil-wrapped brick on top of chicken to press it flat.

If using an outdoor grill, use charcoal to make it ultra delicious. Place foil wrapped bricks to press chicken flat.

You can also make this on a Panini grill on medium high heat. Place something heavy on top to weigh it down.

*Using naturally raised chicken makes the biggest difference and can be found at Whole Foods or Trader Joe's or any other store that specializes in natural foods. If you can't get boneless whole chicken, de-bone a whole chicken yourself (yuck), or get boneless thigh meat, or just leave the bones in! Chipotle places emphasis on good wholesome meat that has been fed a vegetarian diet, free of hormones and antibiotics. You just will not have the same taste using typical grocery store chicken that was raised with antibiotics and hormones in their factory farms. [Please don’t sue me…. I’m just reiterating what Chipotle values. You should watch Food Inc. If you don’t believe me, prepare it with your regular chicken breast. Then prepare this with naturally raised chicken or Amish chicken (vegetarian fed, no antibiotics or hormones). If you can’t taste the difference, you may be deficient in taste receptors).]

*This works for steak too. Chipotle uses 50% naturally raised beef (they're working on getting it up to 100%) so make sure you used naturally raised, free range, grass fed beef as well!

*If you're lazy, throw all the ingredients into a crockpot (bones included), cook on low for 10-12 hours or high for 4-6. You will have meat that falls off the bone because it's so tender and the consistency is similar to a stew! You can add 2 cups water or a low sodium stock to keep it from drying out.