Serving suggestion
There is a place and time for everything, and that goes for marinating as well. The place would be in the fridge. For extended marinating, make sure that you do not leave meat at room temperature for longer periods. You are always safe by choosing the fridge.
The longer you marinate, the deeper the flavours penetrate your meat and seafood. As a general rule of thumb, chicken benefits from about 2-4 hours of marinating time, while steaks can do everything from 30 minutes to 4 hours. Since shrimps are smaller and more delicate, too long marinating time can result in a mushy texture. 15-30 minutes should do the trick.
Below we go through the most frequently asked questions to help you make the chipotle marinade for chicken, beef, or shrimp.
Chipotle paste
|
1 tbsp |
---|---|
Tomato ketchup
|
2 tbsp |
Red wine vinegar
|
2 tbsp |
Brown sugar
|
2 tbsp |
Paprika powder
|
1 tbsp |
Dried thyme
|
1 tsp |
Chinese soya sauce
|
1 tbsp |
Salt
|
½ tsp |
Garlic cloves, finely chopped
|
2 |
Give your family BBQ a kick with a flavourful chipotle marinade that packs the perfect punch. Marinading your meat is a great way to ensure that no flavour is lost while the exterior remains charred and with a sweet, mildly caramelised sear. The thick sauce clings to the meat and seals in the important natural juices that help tenderise the meat just the way you want. The smoky and spicy nature of the marinade never becomes overpowering with brown sugar and red wine vinegar in the mix. Together, they bring sweetness and a light acidity that balance out the more potent flavours without sacrificing the richness of the chipotle marinade.
Chipotle chicken is a great way to try out your new favourite marinade. The marinade locks in all the juices and flavours, so you do not have to fear dry chicken breast anymore. Know that you are in safe hands when making chipotle marinade for chicken because the pairing is commonly used in Tex-Mex and Mexican cuisine.
Sometimes you just want deep, rich flavours and a bit of heat. You want something juicy and smoky to bite your teeth into. A chipotle steak marinade is all that and more, with its enticing charred sear and its luscious interior. In Mexican cuisine, chipotle peppers are often used in beef-based dishes like carne asada or fajitas, meaning that a solid, succulent steak only has its flavours enhanced when mixed with a smoky and sweet marinade.
Even seafood is taken to new heights when coated with our mouth-watering marinade. Shrimp has a naturally delicate and slightly sweet taste that a well-mixed sauce can help enhance. In doing so, you combine beautiful flavours from Mexican and Caribbean cuisine. Together, they are perfectly enjoyed in the warm sun at large BBQ parties where you want a little bit of everything for everyone – and chipotle shrimp marinade is indeed for everyone.
If you choose to barbecue your meat, you also want it to actually taste like was barbecued. That is why the impeccable savoury and smoky flavour combination is the treat for your meat. Not only do you get the natural smoky aroma from your BBQ, but the smoke-dried jalapeno peppers used in the sauce also inject another dimension of that nostalgic BBQ smell we all remember from summer cookouts. Together with the savoury flavour from the marinade, your meats will have a rich deepness to their flavour, while still tasting exactly as a family BBQ should.
If you are looking for more delicious flavour bursts to add to your BBQ, you can consider trying our recipe for BBQ marinade. Or add the extra flavour afterwards in the form of a tahini dressing or a chilli mayo.
Are you hosting a large social gathering, or merely looking to try out new variations on your taste buds? We have put together three different ways to modify the recipe for days when you want something a bit fresher, a bit sweeter, or a bit fruitier.
A lime chipotle marinade is a great place to start. Maybe the sun is working overtime, and you are looking for a flavourful breath of fresh air. By adding lime, you infuse the marinade with bright zesty and fruity nuances that adds an exciting and complex array of flavours to your meat. The juice of half a lime is a good starting point. You can easily taste and squeeze the juice from the other half in as well if you deem it so.
A honey chipotle marinade is also a great variation if you desire a slightly sweeter touch to your meat. It glazes and caramelises the meat, giving it a beautiful brown-golden look as well. One to two tablespoons of honey should be enough. You can always start low, taste, and then add more if needed.
A mango chipotle marinade brings a tropical twist. Ripe mangos work best, so grab your best-looking medium-sized mango, cut it in half, and purée it. Brown sugar also provides sweetness so make sure to taste your mango chipotle marinade as you go to avoid it getting too sweet. If you are having trouble balancing it out, a small amount of lime juice is also commonly used in this variation.