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Chicken in Guajillo Chile Adobo

Name: Chicken in Guajillo Chile Adobo
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 60 min
Total time: 80 min
Cuisine: Mexican
Ingredients: 6 Dried guajillo chile; 2 Tomato; 4 cloves Garlic; 0.5 White onion; 1 cdita Ground cumin; 2 cdas White vinegar; 2 cdas Vegetable oil; 2 cditas Salt; 1000 g Chicken pieces; 0.5 cdita Ground black pepper

80 min (20 prep + 60 cook) Easy 4 servings Centro de México

Edmond Bojalil

Recetas Mexas

Published: Mar 29, 2026 · Updated: May 13, 2026

Chicken marinated and braised in a guajillo chile adobo with garlic and spices.

About this recipe

Chicken in guajillo adobo is one of the most colourful and flavourful stews in everyday Mexican cooking. The guajillo chile - long, with a glossy skin and intense red colour - lends a sauce of sweet flavour with notes of fruit and tannin, a moderate heat and a spectacular vermilion colour. The chicken is marinated in this adobo and then slowly braised until the meat is tender and infused with all the flavours of the chile, garlic and spices.

History & Origin

The guajillo chile (Capsicum annuum) is the most widely consumed dried chile in Mexico - over 35% of the dried chiles traded in the country are guajillo. Its name comes from the Nahuatl 'huaxin' (guaje tree), though it is also associated with 'guaje' for the shape of the pod. Colonial cookbooks of the eighteenth century, including Juan de la Mata's Diccionario de Cocina of 1831, already featured guajillo-based adobos for poultry. Guajillo is the characteristic chile of northern and central Mexican cooking for adobos, enchiladas and cooked salsas, prized for its balance of sweetness, acidity and moderate heat that pairs well with almost any protein.

Estimated cost

$5.90

Total cost

$1.48

Per serving

* Approximate prices based on US supermarkets

Nutritional information per serving

305

Calories

35g

Protein

11g

Carbohydrates

12g

Fat

Fiber

430mg

Sodium

* Approximate values. May vary depending on ingredients used.

Method

1
Toast the guajillo chiles on a dry griddle for 20 seconds per side. Remove the stem, seeds and veins. Soak in hot water for 15 minutes.
💡 Guajillo is toasted less than other chiles; just until slightly softened.
2
Roast the tomato and garlic on the griddle until charred. Drain the chiles and blend everything together with the onion, cumin, vinegar and salt until you have a smooth adobo.
3
Marinate the chicken pieces in the adobo for at least 1 hour in the fridge. Cover with cling film.
4
Heat the oil in a casserole over high heat. Sear the marinated chicken on both sides until golden, 4–5 minutes.
5
Pour the remaining adobo over the chicken. Add 200 ml of water. Reduce the heat, cover and cook for 45–50 minutes until the chicken is cooked through and the sauce is thick.
6
Remove the lid for the last 10 minutes to reduce the sauce. Check the salt. Serve with red rice and tortillas.