Chicken al Pastor Recipe

5 from 1 vote

This recipe for Chicken al Pastor is a spicy-sweet delight with marinated chicken thighs grilled up with fresh pineapple, then chopped and served on tortillas, taco style. Don't forget the toppings! Makes 16-20 tacos.

Prep Time20

Cook Time45

Marinating2

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Mexican

Keyword: ancho, chicken, chile de arbol, grilling, guajillo, pineapple, tacos

Servings: tacos

Calories: 187kcal

Author: Mike Hultquist

Ingredients

FOR THE MARINADE

2 ancho peppers or use 1 tablespoon ancho powder
2 guajillo peppers or use 1 tablespoon guajillo powder
2 dried chiles de arbol or more as desired (optional, for spicy - or use ½-1 teaspoon chile de arbol powder or cayenne)
1 small yellow onion roughly chopped
4 cloves garlic chopped
1/3 cup crushed pineapple or use pineapple juice
2 tablespoons chipotle sauce
2 tablespoons achiote paste
Juice from 1 large orange about 1/3 cup
¼ cup apple cider vinegar
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1 tablespoon Mexican oregano
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon salt or more to taste

FOR THE CHICKEN AL PASTOR

3 pounds boneless chicken thighs
½ pineapple peeled, cored, and cut into 2 large pieces (for grilling) or chopped (for pan cooking)
Vegetable oil as needed
16-20 corn tortillas warmed
FOR SERVING: Diced jalapeno, diced pineapple (grilled is GREAT), diced tomato, chopped cilantro, lime wedges, spicy chili flakes, hot sauce

Instructions

FOR THE MARINADE

Dry toast the dried anchos, guajillos and chiles de arbol a couple minutes per side in a hot pan to release their oils. Cool, then remove stems and seeds. Set into a bowl and cover with hot water to soften for 20 minutes. Drain the water and add the rehydrated peppers to a large food processor. (Skip if using chili powders)
Add in the onion, garlic, pineapple, chipotle sauce, achiote paste, orange juice, vinegar, brown sugar, oregano, cumin, and salt to taste (also add chili powders if using). Process until smooth. Reserve ½ cup of the marinade for warming later if desired.
Add the chicken thighs to a large bowl and cover with the remaining marinade. Make sure to evenly coat the chicken.
Cover and refrigerate for 2 hours.

FOR GRILLING

Heat your grill to medium-high heat and lightly oil the grates.
Shake off excess marinade and grill the chicken for 6-7 minutes per side, or until cooked through and reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees F. You want to get a nice crusty char.
Lightly oil the pineapple and grill 1-2 minutes per side.
Slice the chicken and pineapple into bite-sized pieces and serve over warmed tortillas. Alternatively, you can add the chopped chicken and pineapple to a large lightly oiled pan with the reserved marinade and heat through for 10 minutes, stirring, to warm before serving. This adds some extra flavor.
Top with diced jalapeno, diced pineapple, diced tomato, chopped cilantro, lime wedges, spicy chili flakes, hot sauce.

FOR PAN/STOVETOP PAN COOKING

Heat 1 tablespoon vegetable oil in a large pan or pot to medium-high heat.
Shake off excess marinade and cook the chicken in batches (if needed) for 6-7 minutes each per side, or until cooked through and reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees F. You want to get a nice crusty char.
Remove the chicken, slice into bite-sized pieces, then return to the pan. Add the chopped pineapple and reserved marinade.
Stir, then reduce heat to medium and simmer 10 minutes to develop the flavor and cook the marinade, stirring a bit. This adds extra flavor.
Top with diced jalapeno, diced pineapple, diced tomato, chopped cilantro, lime wedges, spicy chili flakes, hot sauce.

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