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Chipotle has long been one of my on-the-go lunch staples. It’s fast, tasty, and provides enough options to keep me from getting bored. The $6 price tag and the calorie count, however, persuaded me to look into creating my favorite Chipotle recipe—the chicken burrito—at home.
I found copycat recipes (which I adapted slightly) for the chicken (below), guacamole, rice, refried beans, and hot salsa at chiptolefan.com.
My dining companion declared that our meal tasted “90 percent like Chipotle.” I was pleased that I could not only create a smaller version of the original, but also that the recipe yielded six burritos at the cost of about $2 each.
Chipotle Chicken Marinade
1 teaspoon chili powder (The original recipe calls for a 2-ounce package of dried ancho chiles.)
1 teaspoon black pepper
2 teaspoons cumin powder
2 tablespoons fresh oregano, chopped
6 cloves garlic
1/2 red onion, quartered
1/4 cup vegetable oil
4 chicken breasts
Combine all the ingredients, except for the chicken, in the food processor and purée. (I diced the onion and used a blender.) Spread the herb mixture over the chicken, and let it marinate in the refrigerator for a minimum of one hour, and up to 24 hours. (I waited one hour.) Grill the chicken at 400°, or cook in a skillet using a small amount of oil on high heat. The recipe says it takes four minutes per side—mine took about twice that time.