This simple copycat Chipotle steak recipe will have you skipping the takeout line for good. Steak marinated in a bold and flavorful marinade and then seared and cooked to perfection.
Prefer chicken instead? Make my copycat Chipotle Chicken recipe!
CHIPOTLE STEAK RECIPE
Bring the juicy and flavorful flavors of the popular Chipotle restaurant to your own kitchen with this copycat Chipotle steak recipe. Steak marinated in a bold and smokey marinade and then cooked to perfect. This steak is great to use for tacos, burritos, bowls, quesadillas, salads and so much more!
WHAT YOU NEED-
- Steak– You want to use steak cuts from the round or sirloin areas. Use flank steak, skirt steak, top-round steak, or sirloin steak for the best results. For the best results you want to make sure your steak is no thicker than 1.5 inches!
- Chipotle Peppers– The main ingredient for the chipotle steak marinade is chipotle peppers in adobo sauce. Be sure that you get the peppers in the sauce, the sauce is the base of the marinade.
- Oil– Adding oil to the marinade helps tenderize the steak to give you juicy and tender steak. Use olive oil, vegetable oil, or even canola oil.
- Onions– The onions give the marinade added flavors, you want to use either sweet onion or cooking onion.
- Garlic– Freshly minced garlic cloves add so many delicious flavors to the steak marinade!
- Flavors– Although the main flavor comes from the chili peppers in sauce, you still want to add seasoning to the marinade. This recipe calls for salt, pepper, garlic powder, paprika, and cumin powder.
HOW TO MAKE CHIPOTLE STEAK
Marinating the steak is key to getting tender and juicy Chipotle steak!
- Rinse and pat the steak dry and add it to a bowl or bag.
- Add all the marinade ingredients into a blender or immersion blender. (Be sure to also add the sauce from the peppers.)
- Blend until combined and smooth. Pour the marinade mixture into the bowl or make sure the steak is fully coated.
- Marinate for at least 4 hours or up to overnight. (The longer the steak marinates the better the flavors.)
- Let the steak rest at room temperature for at least 25-30 minutes before cooking.
- Cook the steak with the preferred cooking method until desired doneness.
- Remove the steak and allow it to sit for 5 minutes. Then cube the steak and top with additional flakey salt and lemon juice.
- Use the steak as desired.
| You want to marinate in the fridge for up to 12-24 hours for maximum flavors. If you want to make this steak right away, you can marinate at room temp for about 30 minutes. |
COOKING METHODS
There are several different ways that you can cook the steak! No matter what the method, you will still get juicy, tender and flavorful steak every time.
Pan-Seared–
Cooking steak on the stove top in the skillet is easy and a great way to achieve perfectly cooked steak.
- Heat a large skillet or cast-iron skillet on high heat, add a drizzle of oil to the skillet and heat.
- Once the oil is hot, add the steak to the skillet. (You want to remove some of the marinade before adding it to the skillet, but not all of it.)
- Cook for about 4-5 minutes, per side, flipping only once. (Time will vary depending on your desired steak doneness.)
- Once done, remove the steak and let it sit for 5 minutes, before cutting and enjoying.
Air Fryer-
Using the air fryer to cook steak is a genius way to have perfectly cooked steak in no time!
- Spray the air fryer basket with baking spray and add the steak to the basket.
- Air fry at 400°F for 10 minutes, for medium steak. (Time will vary depending on the desired doneness.)
- Once done, remove the steak and let it sit for 5 minutes, before cutting and enjoying.
Grill–
You can NEVER go wrong with grilled steak that is tender, juicy and perfectly charred.
- Preheat the grill to high heat. Clean the grill grates.
- Add the grill to the preheated grill, close the lid and cook for about 4-5 minutes.
- Open the lid, flip the steak and cook for another 4-5 minutes, for medium rare steak. (Time will vary depending on the desired doneness.)
- Once done, remove the steak and let it sit for 5 minutes, before cutting and enjoying.
STEAK DONENESS LEVELS
Everyone has a preference on the way they like their steak! The cooking time varies by the level of doneness. (I highly recommend investing in a food thermometer.) Here is a simple guide:
- Medium Rare– This is the most common steak doneness for true steak lovers! The steak has a warm pink center and has an internal temperature of 130-135°F. For medium rare steak, you want to remove it from the heat once it reaches 125-130°F, and as it sits for 5-10 minutes, it will finish cooking.
- Medium– Medium steak has a slightly warm pink, but more cooked on the edges. The internal temperature for medium steak is 140-145°F. Remove the steak from the heat once it reaches 135-140°F, as it sits for 5-10 minutes, it will be finishing cooking.
- Medium Well– If you don’t like pink in your steak but still want a juicer steak you want medium well steak. The internal temperature of medium well steak will be 150-155°F. Remove the steak from the heat when it reaches 145-150°F. As it rests for 5–10 minutes, it will continue to cook to reach medium well doneness.
- Well Done– For fully cooked through steak that has no pink, you want your steak to be well done. Well done steak will have an internal temp of 160°F. Remove the steak at 155°F and finish cooking during its rest time.
QUESTIONS YOU MIGHT HAVE:
Although the marinade consists of chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, the spice level is still very mild. You can totally make the marinade spicier by adding chili powder to the seasoning or even some jalapenos slices.
Chipotle uses a mixture of different cuts, such as round cuts and top rounds.
For the best results you want to marinate the steak for at least 4 hours. You can marinate the steak in the fridge for up to 2-3 days!
Yes! Resting is very important! This allows the steak to finish cooking, and it locks in the juices. You do not want to skip this step.
Once the steak is cooled, store in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days. Enjoy the cold or reheat and then enjoy the leftovers.
Leftover Chipotle steak will stay good for 3-4 days in the fridge! This steak is a great meal prep option!
Yes! You can totally freeze leftover Chipotle steak! Add the cooled steak to a freezer bag and freeze for up to 3 months!
OTHER CHIPOTLE COPYCAT RECIPES–
Copycat Chipotle Steak Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 lbs flank steak no thicker than 1 1/2 inches thick
Steak Marinade-
- 7 oz can chipotle peppers in adobe sauce
- 1/2 cup olive oil
- 1/2 medium onion yellow or red
- 2 garlic cloves
- 2 tsp salt
- ½ tsp ground black pepper
- 1 ½ tsp garlic powder
- ½ tsp paprika
- 1 tsp cumin
Instructions
Marinating the Steak-
- Rinse the steak and pat it dry, then place it into a bowl, container or a plastic bag.
- Add the chipotle peppers (along with the sauce), oil, onion, garlic cloves, salt, pepper, garlic powder, paprika, and cumin in a blender or immersion blender.
- Blend until the mixture is smooth and fully combined. Pour the marinade over the steak and mix to ensure the steak is completely coated.
- Cover and allow the steak to marinate for at least 4 hours, or overnight for deeper flavor.
- When ready to cook, let the steak come to room temperature for at least 25-30 minutes.
Cook Steak (Pan-Sear Method)-
- Heat a cast-iron skillet over high heat. Once hot, drizzle some oil and let it heat until the oil shimmers. (You can use a non-stick skillet also.)
- Remove excess marinade from the steak and carefully add the steak to the hot skillet.
- Let the steak cook undisturbed for about 4-5 minutes, giving it a nice char. Flip the steak and cook for another 3-4 minutes or until it reaches desired temperate. (Use a meat thermometer if needed: 130°F for medium-rare, 140°F for medium.)
- Once the steak reaches the internal temperature or your desired doneness, transfer the steak to a cutting board and let it rest for 5-10 minutes. (This allows the steak to finish cooking and lock in the juices.)
- Cube or slice the steak, going against the grain, and top with a flakey salt and lemon juice.
- Serve as desired immediately.
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