Jalapeño Chicken Marinade
Chicken marinated in pickled jalapeños is easy and bursting with flavor! With just chicken, a can of pickled jalapeños, and a few spices, it’s irresistible.
Ingredients
- 8 ea chicken thighs, boneless, skinless
- 26 oz (can) pickled jalapeños
Seasonings
- 2 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tsp ground ancho chile
- 2 tsp ground onion
- 1 tsp ground garlic
- 1/4 tsp ground cumin
- 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
- 1 1/4 tsp kosher salt or to liking , or to liking
- Oil for cooking
Instructions
Marinate the Chicken
- Marinate the chicken in a large, non-reactive container with the entire can of pickled jalapeños and their liquid.
- If you prefer to avoid cross-contamination, remove the jalapeños first, set them aside for later use, and marinate the chicken in the brine only.
- Cover and refrigerate for 4–12 hours.
Season the Chicken
- Discard the pickling liquid. Set aside any jalapeños you plan to cook and discard the rest.
- Remove the chicken from the marinade, then pat dry with paper towels to remove any remaining moisture.
- In a large bowl, toss the chicken with paprika, ancho chile, ground onion, ground garlic, black pepper, cumin, and salt until evenly coated. Let it rest at room temperature for 15 minutes to ensure even cooking.
Cook the Chicken
- Heat a large non-stick pan over medium heat and add 1 tablespoon of oil. Cook the chicken until browned on both sides and the internal temperature reaches 165°F, working in batches if needed to avoid overcrowding. Let the cooked chicken rest for 5 minutes before serving.
Cook the Jalapeños
- In the same pan, pan-roast the jalapeños in small batches of 4–5 over medium heat until charred on both sides and cooked through. Cooking in batches helps minimize strong fumes.
- For jalapeños that were exposed to raw chicken, cook until they reach an internal temperature of 165°F. If possible, grill them outdoors to prevent fumes from spreading indoors.
Serve
- Serve the chicken and cooked jalapeños with creamy coleslaw, refried beans, or savory Mexican rice for a complete, flavorful meal.
- However, my personal preference is to dice the chicken and serve it in tacos, topped with a generous helping of coleslaw.