Chicken Al Pastor Recipe

Three tacos filled with chicken al pastor and served with lime wedges.

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My easy chicken al pastor recipe features chicken thighs in a chipotle, honey, lime, and pineapple marinade. Perfect for tacos al pastor!

Prep Time20

Cook Time20

Marinating Time1

Total Time1 40

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Mexican

Servings: servings

Calories: 429kcal

Author: Becky Hardin

Equipment

Cast Iron Skillet or Grill Pan

Ingredients

1½ pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs *
2 tablespoons olive oil divided
1 pineapple cut into slices**

For the Marinade:

½ onion roughly chopped
3 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce
½ cup pineapple juice
1 tablespoon honey
2 tablespoons Fresh lime juice from 1 lime
2 cloves garlic minced
1 teaspoon chili powder
½ teaspoon oregano
½ teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon kosher salt
¼ teaspoon ground black pepper

For the Tacos (Optional):

8 corn tortillas
onion chopped
chopped fresh cilantro
Lime wedges

Instructions

Add the marinade ingredients to a blender or food processor and blend until smooth. Reserve and refrigerate 3/4 cup marinade for later use.
½ onion, 3 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, ½ cup pineapple juice, 1 tablespoon honey, 2 tablespoons Fresh lime juice, 2 cloves garlic, 1 teaspoon chili powder, ½ teaspoon oregano, ½ teaspoon cumin, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
Add the chicken thighs to a large bowl. Pour the remaining marinade over the chicken. Toss until fully coated. Let the chicken marinate for at least 1 hour, or overnight in the fridge.
1½ pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs

1 hour is enough if you're short on time, but an overnight marinade (8+ hours) will give you the most flavor!

Add 1 tablespoon olive oil to a large skillet or grill pan over medium high heat. Once heated, add the pineapple and cook for 2-3 minutes per side, until the edges are charred. Set aside on a cutting board and chop into chunks.
1 pineapple, 1 tablespoons olive oil
Reduce the heat to medium. Add another tablespoon of olive oil to a skillet. Add the chicken and cook for 6-7 minutes per side, or until cooked through.
1 tablespoons olive oil
Remove the pan from heat and transfer the chicken to a cutting board. Let it rest for a few minutes. Then, chop into bite-size pieces.
Add the chicken back to the skillet over medium heat. Pour in the reserved marinade/sauce, and cook for a few minutes until the chicken is well coated and caramelized.
To make tacos, serve the chicken and pineapple in corn tortillas with chopped white onion, chopped cilantro, and a squeeze of lime juice.
8 corn tortillas, onion, chopped fresh cilantro, Lime wedges

Notes

*This recipe works best with boneless chicken thighs. Boneless chicken breast works well too -- just reduce the cook time slightly.

**Peel and slice a fresh pineapple into thick slices. If using frozen pineapple, let it thaw first.

Becky's Top Tips:

I recommend using a cast iron skillet for this recipe, because it cooks the chicken perfectly! Another non-stick skillet, or a grill pan, can be used instead.
It’s important to cook the chicken on medium heat or lower to avoid burning the sugars from the marinade too quickly. If the marinade seems to be burning, add a bit of water or broth to deglaze the pan and break up any brown bits from the bottom. Continue this method if needed until the chicken is cooked through.
Nutritional Information for chicken and marinade only. Does not include taco ingredients.

Storage: Store chicken al pastor in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3 days, or in the freezer for 3 months. Tacos are best assembled and served fresh.

Nutrition