StewsEasyFree

Chicken in Chipotle Cream Sauce

Name: Chicken in Chipotle Cream Sauce
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 40 min
Cuisine: Mexican
Ingredients: 200 ml Mexican crema; 1 White onion; 800 g Chicken breasts; 200 ml Beef or chicken stock; 3 Chipotle chilli in adobo; 2 tbsp Vegetable oil; 200 ml Mexican crema; 3 cloves Garlic

40 min (10 prep + 30 cook) Easy 4 servings Nacional

Edmond Bojalil

Recetas Mexas

Published: 27 Mar 2026 · Updated: 29 Mar 2026

Chicken breasts in a creamy smoky chipotle sauce, a quick and flavoursome Mexican home stew.

About this recipe

Chicken in chipotle cream is one of the most popular stews in Mexican home cooking: tender chicken breasts bathed in a creamy chipotle sauce that combines the smoky flavour of the chilli with the smoothness of Mexican crema. It is a hearty dish, quick to prepare and with a very distinctive flavour that practically everyone enjoys. Served over white rice or with pasta, it is ideal for any weeknight dinner.

History & Origin

Chipotle in adobo, the centrepiece of this recipe, is one of the most iconic preparations in modern Mexican cooking. The smoked and dried jalapeño chilli (chipotle) is prepared in an adobo sauce with tomato, vinegar, garlic and spices, creating a versatile condiment that has become synonymous with Mexican cuisine worldwide. The combination of chipotle with crema is genuinely Mexican: the soured cream softens the heat without extinguishing it and creates a thick, silky emulsion perfect for coating protein. This stew became popular in the 1980s–1990s in contemporary Mexican restaurants in Mexico City and today is an undisputed classic of family kitchens across the country.

Estimated cost

£8.50

Total cost

£2.13

Per serving

* Approximate prices based on UK supermarkets

Nutritional information per serving

420

Calories

42g

Protein

Carbohydrates

22g

Fat

Fibre

590mg

Sodium

* Approximate values. May vary depending on ingredients used.

Method

1
Cut the chicken breasts into thick strips or leave them whole. Season with salt and pepper. In a wide frying pan with oil, sear over high heat for 3–4 minutes per side until golden. Remove and set aside.
2
In the same pan, soften the chopped onion and garlic for 3 minutes over medium heat. Add the chipotles in adobo (2–3 for moderate heat, more if you want more intensity) and fry for a further 2 minutes.
💡 Chipotles in adobo are already cooked - they only need heating to release their flavour.
3
Add the chicken stock and bring to the boil. Blend half the mixture to obtain a semi-liquid sauce. Return to the heat, stir in the Mexican crema over low heat (do not boil or it may split).
💡 The crema is added over very low heat to prevent it from splitting. Stir constantly as you add it.
4
Add the seared chicken to the sauce. Cook over low heat for 15 minutes until the chicken is cooked through. Adjust salt and serve with white rice.