I love chipotle peppers in adobo sauce.  They add such intense flavor to a dish.  Once you locate them in the store (specialty Mexican foods) and buy a can, you will find yourself coming up with reasons to use them.  Typically you don’t need the entire can in one dish.  I put the extras in a small tupperware container and freeze them.  Next time you need them, remove them from the freezer about an hour before you need them and you can break off what you need.  This dish tastes great with my Chipotle Corn and Black Bean Salad and some sliced avacado on the side for a cooling agent.

Chipotle Chili Marinade for Chicken or Pork (enough to marinate 4 chicken breasts)

Ingredients:

4 chicken breasts, pork chops, pork tenderloin (sometimes I cut breasts in half so the marinade covers more surface)

3 Tbsp olive oil

1-2 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce

3 Tbsp orange juice (can sub lime juice)

1/2 tsp cumin

1 tsp honey

2-3 Tbsp cilantro

salt and pepper

Directions:

In food processor or blender puree olive oil, peppers (start with one and add second if you want more spice), orange juice, cumin, and honey until smooth.  Add cilantro and blend just slightly.  Add salt and pepper to taste.  Poke chicken breasts with fork and put in zip lock bag.  Add marinade and marinate at least an hour or overnight.

* option: add minced garlic or garlic powder for another level of flavor.