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Skillet Chicken in Tomato-Chipotle Sauce with Avocado Crema

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Skillet Chicken in Tomato-Chipotle Sauce with Avocado Crema, a quick Mexican-inspired chicken dish with a smoky-spicy tomato-chipotle sauce topped with an avocado-sour cream sauce.

Skillet Chicken with Chipotle and Tomatoes
Skillet Chicken in Chipotle Sauce

I served this over cilantro-lime rice using trader joe’s frozen brown rice instead of white, but it would also be great over cilantro-lime cauliflower for a lower carb option. I used the leftovers the next day and made a big taco style salad over chopped greens with avocado, tomatoes and shredded Pepper Jack cheese! You may also enjoy these Instant Pot Chicken Chipotle Bowls!

Skillet Chicken with Chipotle and Tomatoes

This Mexican inspired chicken recipe is so easy and perfect for any weeknight dinner. You can adjust the spice level to your taste. The avocado sauce is delicious, I love it here or drizzled over tacos, enchiladas, etc.

Avocado Crema Ingredients

  • Avocado, for healthy fats
  • Sour Cream, for creaminess
  • Jalapeño, for spice
  • Lime Juice, for brightness
  • Cilantro, for freshness

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Skillet Chicken in Tomato Chipotle Sauce With Avocado Crema

4.96 from 25 votes
2
Cals:199
Protein:26
Carbs:7
Fat:7
A quick Mexican-inspired chicken dish, made in the skillet with a smoky-spicy tomato-chipotle sauce topped with an avocado-sour cream sauce.
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: Mexican
A quick Mexican-inspired chicken dish, made in the skillet with a smoky-spicy tomato-chipotle sauce topped with an avocado-sour cream sauce.
Prep: 5 minutes
Cook: 20 minutes
Total: 25 minutes
Yield: 4 Servings
Serving Size: 4 oz chicken w sauce, 2 tbsp crema

Ingredients

Avocado Sauce:

  • 1/4 cup low fat sour cream
  • 1 ounce avocado
  • 2 tablespoons fresh cilantro leaves
  • ½ small jalapeno pepper, seeds and membrane removed
  • 1 small garlic clove
  • 1 tablespoon lime juice
  • 1/8 tsp kosher salt
  • Freshly ground pepper, to taste
  • tablespoon water, as needed

Instructions

  • Place the chicken breast halves between 2 pieces of plastic wrap or parchment and lightly pound to even thickness.  Season both sides with ¼ teaspoon salt and pepper.
  • Heat large non-stick skillet over medium high heat.  Spray with olive oil spray, add chicken breasts and brown each side, 2 minutes each.  Remove chicken from pan and set aside on a plate.
  • Reduce heat to medium, add oil and onions and sauté, scraping brown bits with a wooden spoon, about 3 minutes or until onions are tender.  Add garlic and sauté 30 seconds more.  Add tomato sauce, chicken broth, ½ teaspoon salt, cumin, chipotle pepper and adobo sauce, stir and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat to medium low, return chicken to pan, cover and cook 8 to 10 minutes more or until chicken is cooked through. Add lime juice.
  • Meanwhile, to make the avocado sauce combine all sauce ingredients in a small blender and process until smooth and uniform in color.
  • To serve: Top each chicken breast half with tomato sauce mixture, avocado sauce and garnish with cilantro.

Last Step:

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Nutrition

Serving: 4 oz chicken w sauce, 2 tbsp crema, Calories: 199 kcal, Carbohydrates: 7 g, Protein: 26 g, Fat: 7 g, Saturated Fat: 2 g, Cholesterol: 90 mg, Sodium: 495 mg, Fiber: 2 g, Sugar: 3 g

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166 comments on “Skillet Chicken in Tomato-Chipotle Sauce with Avocado Crema”

  1. I have made this multiple times. Very easy to make and it’s delicious. My husband and 2 kids love it!!!

    1. The jalapeno is probably more spicy than the chipotle – she said in the post you can adjust the spice to your own taste.

  2. Is this a total of 2 pounds of chicken?  (2) 1 pound chicken breasts?  Seems like a lot for 4 servings so want to be sure I read that right!

  3. Avatar photo
    Rhonda Risinger

    I LOVE the feature that lets you see the recipe for the number of people you are cooking for. Awesome! Thank you.

    Haven’t tried this recipe yet but it looks amazing. Will try soon.

  4. This is genuinely one of the best things I’ve ever eaten. I’m still thinking about it days later. Everything I’ve made from your site has been fantastic – thank you! 

  5. This was so so good! We enjoyed it with some sauteed onions and peppers with a few sprays of cooking oil on really high heat, along with some cilantro-lime brown rice.

    Next time, I think I will try this as a crockpot recipe, and put the chicken and all the sauce ingredients into a slow cooker on low for six hours. I think the shredded chicken in this sauce might be even better! Thanks for a great recipe.

  6. I made this recipe and the flavours in it are absolutely delicious.  A great balance between freshness, spices,  a bit of a kick for heat, and  is saucy.

    The only concern I have is I find that the estimated prep times for most of skinny taste recipes are misleading.  Prep time for this recipe was much longer than 5 min.  Took me about 15 and I had a helper.  Perhaps they are estimated from the time that all the ingredients are pre-prepared?

    Having said that skinny taste recipes are much quicker than other books that I’ve been following so hats off to skinny taste for creating and providing quick and healthy recipes.  Cheers to that!

  7. Avatar photo
    Marylou Eastin

    Hi Gina!
    Do you have nutrition information on the Avocado Crema on it’s own? I usually have some left over after making this chicken and use the left over to top the Chicken Taco Chili and now that I’ve seen the Chicken Taco Chili stuffed peppers it would go nicely on those too! I want to be able to add it to my food logging. Thanks

  8. Avatar photo
    Cynthia L Pelletier

    We had this for dinner tonight. It was Sooo delicious! I’m looking forward to having this again. I paired it with the cilantro lime rice and broccolini. Our meal was delightful! Thank you for so many wonderful recipes.

  9. For those wondering, I just made this in my slow cooker for 8 hours on low and it turned out AMAZING!!! I sauteed the onions and garlic first, mixed in the remaining ingredients and laid the raw chicken on top. I shredded it after cooking for easy serving with kiddos. Another great recipe Gina!

  10. Avatar photo
    doreen latham

    I don’t know why I haven’t made this sooner. So delicious and it comes together so easily! The avocado crema was perfect!

  11. This was delicious!!!! I considered skipping the avocado crema because I’m not a big sour cream fan, but I’m so glad I didn’t!! It’s such a great touch.

  12. Just made this for dinner and will be making it again. I sliced up a red pepper and sliced the other half of the jalapeno used for the avocado cream sauce and cooked them with the onion. Drizzled a little honey on the chicken and let the sauce thicken a bit. Served it with cilantro lime rice and pinto beans. Looking forward to using the avocado cream on my breakfast tacos in the morning!

  13. This was yet another great ST recipe. It was even easier because we prepped it yesterday, something came up so we couldn’t cook it, and so everything was pretty much ready to go a la fast food tonight. Would definitely make this again.

  14. I loved the sauce so much I made it with shrimp. I highly recommend!! Shrimp tacos topped with cabbage and avocado crema on fresh corn tortillas!! Corn on cob on side….que rico… I will make again for Cinco de Mayo! 

  15. This was delicious! Definitely going to make again. My husband had rice with his and I had cauliflower rice.

  16. Hi Gina! Love the recipes. I always end up with leftover chipotle since this recipe only uses 1 Tbsp. Do you have a recommendation on what to make with the extra or how I can store it better? (I usually put the tin in the fridge and then eventually it gets tossed).

  17. So good. It wasn’t terribly spicy as many adobo recipes are. But it was a bit much for my littles. I added a little more chicken broth and cooked it down. Served on quinoa. 

  18. Gina, 
    This is great. Would you happen to have a mole’ recipe? Maybe for the future. Thanks for all of your innovative dishes. 

      1. Great thank you! I would not even have known where to start looking lol grocery store employees don’t know where anything is anymore lol

  19. This is an amazing recipe. LOW CARB!! Yes!!  I could eat this everyday. That avocado crema is on another level. I have it on the menu to make breakfast burritos this weekend with the avocado crema. Gina you rock!!!

  20. One of my absolute favorites. It’s so easy to make and the leftover avocado crema works great on tacos or fajitas the next night (I always make extra!). I usually serve mine with white rice and black beans.

  21. Another outstanding recipe provided by Gina. I made this for my 26 year old son and girlfriend and they enjoyed the flavors so much. Thank you again Gina.

  22. Another WINNER! So delicious and flavorful! I had it without the avocado cream just because I was trying to cut down even more, and it was still super delicious. Next time I’m having the avocado cream – my husband said it was great. I have a problem with portion control so sometimes its better for me to not have any, because if I love it (and I know I would love the avocado cream) then I can’t stop myself from increasing the portion size. Five stars all the way! Thanks for all your delicious recipes! Life-changer for sure!

  23. Made for dinner tonight with the lime, cilantro cauliflower rice and it was very tasty. The avocado crema was a great compliment to the chicken. 

  24. Avatar photo
    Brenda Vaughn

    Delicious!! This is one of the best chicken dishes I have made. It is a little bit of work, but totally worth it. I would double the sauce next time so there is more to put on the rice I made to go with it. The only change I made was to sub nonfat Greek yogurt in for the sour cream. That made this less than 1 point per serving for WW other than the added rice.

  25. I made this for meal prep and so excited to eat it for the week!!! I poached the chicken and shredded it and made it into a “bowl” with rice. So thankful for all of your recipes!!!!!

  26. Avatar photo
    Mary Ellen Nodonly

    Just made this tonight. Hubby and I both loved it. I will definitely be making it again. Thanks, I love your recipes!

  27. This was DELICIOUS. I used the left over sauce and avocado cream and made huevos rancheros the next day.

  28. This recipe is amazing… I have made it so many times since I found it… the whole family loves it.  It is easily doubled and comes out excellent every time.  I usually add a thinly sliced bell pepper to the onion for some extra texture to the sauce – I also usually use a whole onion instead of half since we like onion a lot.  We really like spicy things, so I’ll sometimes add a pinch or two of red pepper flakes.  Sometimes, we also thinly slice the chicken and slow cook it a little extra in the sauce and serve it shredded with corn tortillas in little tacos with the rice and avocado cream and top it with crumbled queso blanco and cilantro.  Sorry to go on and on, but we just think this recipe is great and is very customizable!  Thank you so much for bringing it into our lives!

  29. This was delicious! I made the chicken in my instant pot and then shredded it (only because one of my kids prefers his chicken that way) and it was amazing over cauliflower rice. The avocado sauce is spot on!

  30. This dinner is AMAZING ????I used chicken tenders seasoned with Sazon seasoning. Definitely will be making again, can’t wait for leftovers for lunch ????????

  31. This chicken is fantastic.    Everyone truly loved it.  Only sorry I didn’t make the rice.   Next time for sure.    Keep up the good work.  You are the reason my husband Is sticking to his diet.  Tasty food that’s good for you is a forever thing.  Boring food leads to going off the diet 

    Thanks a lot

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  34. Gina!! Will you please post the avocado cream sauce separate as a dressing!! And include the points. I make it all the time and use it as a dip, dressing for a Buddha bowl, along with taco night!!! Thanks. 

  35. Made this for dinner tonight with cilantro lime rice. It was AMAZING! So simple and came together so quick. My husband said it tasted just like the version he gets at our local TexMex place. This dish will definitely make the usual dinner rotation in our house.

    Side note- it was too spicy for the 2 and 4 year old, I just browned a chicken breast for them and shredded it in rice. 

    Another Skinny Taste win! 

  36. Pingback: Skinnytaste Dinner Plan (Week 50) – Easy Low Cal Recipes

  37. LOVE LOVE LOVE!  This is going on my favorites list!  Thank you for sharing all your healthy recipes!  I recently started following your meal plans, knowing what’s for dinner has never been easier!  Meals have been delicious and I feel great getting healthy!

  38. What can I use instead of the chipotle?? I’ve looked for it everywhere but it’s impossible to find where in my country (Peru). Please help, I really wanna try this recipe, it looks amazing.

  39. This recipe!!! I make so many of yours and I never comment, but I have to this time. It will be in regular rotation. Incredible flavor from such humble ingredients. Thank you as always! I will be doing this with pork later this week.

  40. Omg this was awesome my father in law and the hubby had two helping which is good cause they are picky. I have to say I love your recipes, my hubby and I went on a diet about a year ago and I found your website site.  Made so many things from here and I lost so much weight I am now 105  and hubby lost 100lbs. This site is definitely my go to for great tasting food that’s good for you. Thank you for everything!!!

  41. Made this tonight and it was AMAZING! Definitely one of my top faves of yours so far. The spice level was perfect! Didn’t alter a thing! And the cream sauce…oh man. I could drink it!

  42. Made this tonight and ate it over mexican rice and I also made your black beans it was amazing! The spiciness of the chicken and the flavor of the crema was to die for!

  43. Avatar photo
    Stephanie Landrum

    Do you think throwing everything in the crock pot would work for the chicken?  Coming home and having this done would be great :).

  44. This recipe was excellent!!! It was super fast and easy. The avacado crema is so fresh tasting it really makes the dish. Thanks skinny taste for another great healthy recipe.

  45. Gave this recipe a whirl today, with my usual anxiety of, “is my boyfriend going to like this one….” My boyfriend is a picky eater and it is very hard to find recipes he will truly enjoy and this was one of them!! YAY!! I too really enjoyed all the different flavors that married so perfectly. So far all of the recipes from your site arequires picky eater friendly so thank you so so so much for sharing them with us all <3

  46. I just made this tonight for my family and it was awesome! My garlic cloves had gone off so I subbed in Garli Garni (just a different garlic spice) and it was still completely amazing! Also the avocado sauce made much more than I thought it would. It was very generous. 

    I will absolutely make this again!

  47. I made this for dinner last night, yummy. My husband loved it, ate two portions, which he rarely does. Even asked if I would make it again. The only thing I did differently was to rub a homemade taco seasoning on the chicken before I browned it. Gave it another layer of flavor. And, I haven’t mentioned the Avocado Crema, So delicious. This is already flagged as a “company for dinner” dish.

  48. I am eating this right now and it is ridiculously delicious!! I had to share a comment about it. So easy to do with exciting flavors that I haven’t made myself before. That avocado crema is my new favorite thing! I’ve been cooking your wonderful recipes  for a long time.  I appreciate your healthy and satisfying food so much.  Thank you Gina!

  49. All of your recipes are awesome, but this one is over the top! Love, love… loved it! Served it with brown rice for convenience this time, but next time I’m trying it with the cilantro-lime cauliflower. There are so many great ways to use leftovers, too. Oh, and the avocado sauce? I want to eat it with everything.

  50. I just entered in the recipe on WW both on the recipe builder and the quick add using the nutritional info and I got 4SP per serving, not 3. Not sure why but thought i’d let you know!

    1. Just checked again, It is 3 points. It ends up at 4 points if you use reduced fat sour cream instead of light. Perhaps that is what you did?

      1. Aha! Yes, I used fat free sour cream! But it still did give me 4SP using the nutrional info you provide.. Maybe the system is a little bit different in canada. Anyway! I’m trying the recipe now! I’m sure it’s going to be delicious either way! =)

  51. Avatar photo
    Shaina Jennings

    I made this tonight and it was so so good!! Thanks Gina for making so many point friendly recipes!  You are a lifesaver 🙂

  52. My wife loved it! But I didn’t have any chicken breasts in the house so I used a boneless thick cut pork chops instead (you know the other white meat). I seared of the pork chops for 4 minute each side on med-high heat and then after I combined them with the sauce, I had a 400 deg. oven and covered them and finished them in there for 10 minutes. They came out juicy and tender. The Chipotle Sauce was great, and the avocado-sour cream sauce. I could see using it in other places, possibly a dressing for a salad or a dip. So happy I found your site. My recipe box is filling up with a lot of favorites from Skinny Taste web site. Thank you!

  53. Loved!! Loved loved it!!  Everything went so well together. Passed it on to friends and will be making it again!

  54. Loved this recipe! I ended up blending the sauce with my immersion blender, then served over cilantro lime rice with black beans and a quick salsa and romaine on top. It was delicious!!!! Will definitely be making again and again!

  55. WOW I have no words to say. Honestly this is the best thing that I have tasted in years. It’s unlike anything I have ever experienced. I am the same person who has made your Skinny Taste Crock Pot Chicken Taco Chili eight months in a row and consumed for lunch and dinner every day LOL – yes you can say I am addicted but this is a whole new game changer! We both LOVE it. THANK YOU!!! Will be a staple at our house. I made some cauliflower rice (plain) and seasoned it with a little creole salt and it was AWESOME. You made dinners this week something to look forward to after a long day’s work!

  56. Thank you so much for this recipe. Made it for my husband and his family and it is definitely a keeper – everyone loved it!

  57. OMG!  I just made this tonight and it is DELICIOUS!  I’ve made many of your recipes and I think so far this is my favorite.  I was a bit nervous about so many ingredients but it was easy.  Thanks for being so awesome Gina!

  58. I would serve this to company! Excellent flavor and the avocado sauce  really took it to the next level. (I’ll be making that again for carnitas, tacos or whatever I can think of). I think next time I make this, I’ll use dark meat which I know will affect the points, but that’s our preference. I served with the cilantro lime rice too which was also very good. Thanks again, Gina!

  59. I made this last week and it was fabulous! The chicken was moist and incredibly flavorful. Will definitely make again!

  60. Avatar photo
    Christine Steffgen

    I’ve used the chipotle peppers in adobo sauce in your chicken enchiladas and my kids think it’s too spicy. What could I replace it with that would still give a hint of spice for my husband, but be mild enough for the kids?

    1. Would it work to just keep out the pepper itself and just use the sauce instead? Or cut the sauce with extra tomato sauce/paste?

  61. Avatar photo
    Barbara Sloan

    Just curious about the format change in your postings.  Maybe it is just on my end, but I no longer see the “Print Friendly” option at the end of the recipe.  Now, if I want to print a recipe, I get ads and comments also showing-up.  I have to ‘cut and paste’, if I want all of that out of there.  Is it just me; did I change something on my end?

  62. This looks amazing!  Sadly, I am allergic to avocados…what would be a good substitute for avocados in this sauce?  

    1. I too am sadly allergic to avocados. I’m planning to just leave the sauce out and serve it with regular old sour cream. Not ideal, but the rest of the dish looks so good it hopefully won’t matter.

  63. I am so excited about getting my own copy of your cookbook!! My best friend and I were on the phone and started talking about weight loss and how difficult it is to manage it and she mentioned your website, she said her kids and husband  enjoy eating the new recipes and how they’re super tasty!!! I can’t wait to start cooking again! Thank you 

  64. Made this tonight. Delicious!  Family loved it.   Actually, they love all of your recipes and so do I.  

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  66. This was SO good. Definitely in my top five favourite skinny taste recipes! My extremely picky husband already requested it in the menu for next week. Only thing I did differently from the recipe was double the onion, just because we really like onions. Thanks as always, Gina! Can’t wait for your next cookbook 🙂 

  67. I made it tonight and didn’t have jalepenos or chipotle spice but it turned out really nicely.  I would make it again!

  68. This recipe is fantastic! Served with cilantro brown rice and an extra quarter of an avocado because I had points available. Will definitely add this to the rotation ??

    1. I put mine in a small food processer and measured it out that way, turned out awesome because you get both pieces of the pepper and the sauce.

    2. I plop them in the sauce and break them up with the spatula as I stir. 
      Sometimes my grocery store has little cans of chipotle puree. I put it in a little jar and keep it in the fridge for easy use in a recipe. 

  69. Made a double portion of this last night for my visiting family and it was an absolute hit! Loved it so much that I had leftovers for lunch today (reheats really well even with the avocado sauce!).  Used the entire can of chipotle peppers for an extra kick and served with the chipotle lime brown rice and black beans!

    Incredible recipe and so easy! Thank you!!

  70. Hi Gina, long time user of your site, first time commenter! I LOVE your recipes and use them all the time!! Do you have the stats for the crema sauce alone? I’m sure I’ll use it in many other recipes!! Thanks!

  71. This looks delicious!! Are you cutting the chicken breasts in half as in making thin cutlets or in half width wise? It’s hard to tell based on the picture.  Thanks!! 

    1. I would also like to know the answer to this. She’s asking how much of a typical sized avocado is 1 oz? A quarter? A half?

  72. Avatar photo
    Laura ~ Raise Your Garden

    Just the word “chipotle” makes me all giddy inside. And yes, that avocado sauce looks absolutely amazing. Denny’s (yes, the chain) makes an avocado sauce that’s pretty good. But yes, I’m sure yours is much better. And yes, I don’t like admitting I eat at chains on a food blog! Good thing I’m not a food blogger. 

  73. Avatar photo
    Tina Gonsalves

    Any tips on what to do with the rest of the avocado? I hate waste but it always seems I waste avocados! Thanks, Gina. Your recipes are a lifeline! Just started Weight Watchers last Sunday and have been relying on your recipes to get supper on the table that we all can eat and enjoy!

    1. Put some lemon juice in a container, plop the leftover avocado on top of the lemon juice, cover, & refrigerate. It will be still good for a day or two, and you can put it in a salad or on toast, or make Gina’s fabulous shrimp & avocado salad.

    2. If you cut an avocado in half, use one half and leave the pit in the other, you can put it in a ziplock bag and it will keep just fine for a day or two.  The key is to not dislodge the pit.  For some reason, it prevents it from browning!  

      As far as using it – avocado toast is where it’s at!  Toasted whole grain bread, mash avocado, S&P, maybe a drizzle of balsamic and a runny yolk fried egg.  YUM!

    3. How I store avocado is I put the excess thru the food processor with just under a tbsp. of lime juice, scoop it into a ziploc bag, squeeze all the air out and pop it in the freezer. Then I use it at a later date for like an avocado salad dressing or in recipes such as this one.

  74. I made this tonight and it was delicious! Boyfriend loved it even though he prefers dark meat.  It was very moist and flavorful.  Love the avocado crema!  Next time I will make extra crema to drizzle over salad or serve with tacos.  Your Latin inspired recipes are always outstanding.  Thanks Gina!

  75. I made this tonight and it was absolutely delicious! I had a hard time leaving some for my boyfriend. I’m so glad I found you!! 

  76. Definitely making this one!  My fiance and I love all of your recipes, especially the Mexican inspired ones!  We are actually staying at Zero George Street for a few days after our wedding in August so I was very excited to see your snapchat story.  It looks so cute 🙂

    1. Im no expert, but if it was me, I just would leave off the avocado sauce, or use a vegan substitute for the sour cream in the avocado sauce.

    2. I always sub in coconut milk for any recipe that calls for sour cream or yogurt! I just made it and the avocado cream was amazing!

  77. This looks delicious! My husband has this weird thing where he won’t eat chicken breasts that are still in the form of a chicken breast (very odd, I know)! Do you think I could do this in crock pot? I know he’d love the chipotle sauce with shredded chicken breasts. Thanks!

    1. I’m kind of the same way as your hubby! I’m going to cook my chicken in the crockpot and shred it. Then I will make the sauce on the stove and add the cooked shredded chicken to the sauce. I’ll put the chicken mixture over brown rice and top with the avocado sauce. I’m hoping it turns out well!

    2. I just made this dish for dinner tonight and I think it would definitely translate to shredded chicken in the crock pot!