Chicken Tacos al Pastor
Juicy chicken thighs marinated in a smoky, tangy adobo-pineapple sauce, seared until charred, and piled into warm corn tortillas with fresh pineapple, cilantro, and onion. All the magic of the trompo, simplified for your kitchen.
Ingredients
- 1.5 lb boneless skinless chicken thighs
- 3 dried guajillo chiles, stems and seeds removed
- 2 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce
- ½ cup pineapple juice
- 3 cloves garlic
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 2 tbsp white vinegar
- 1 tsp salt
- 12 small corn tortillas
- 1 cup diced fresh pineapple
- ½ cup diced white onion
- ½ cup chopped fresh cilantro
- 2 limes, quartered
Method
- Toast the guajillo chiles in a dry skillet for 30 seconds per side, then soak in hot water for 10 minutes until softened. Drain.
- Blend the rehydrated chiles, chipotles, pineapple juice, garlic, cumin, oregano, vinegar, and salt in a blender until smooth. Pour over the chicken thighs and marinate for at least 30 minutes (or up to overnight in the fridge).
- Heat a large cast-iron skillet or grill pan over high heat. Cook the chicken for 5-6 minutes per side until charred and cooked through (165 degrees F internal). Let rest 5 minutes, then dice into small pieces.
- In the same hot pan, quickly sear the diced pineapple pieces for 1-2 minutes until caramelized. Warm the tortillas on the skillet for about 20 seconds per side.
- Assemble the tacos by layering diced chicken onto doubled-up tortillas. Top with seared pineapple, diced onion, fresh cilantro, and a generous squeeze of lime.
Chef's note: For even deeper flavor, marinate the chicken overnight. If you cannot find guajillo chiles, substitute 2 tablespoons of ancho chile powder. Serve with a smoky salsa verde on the side.
Nutrition per serving
420kcal
30gprotein
38gcarbs
16gfat
Cook it with Cooksmith
Step-by-step cooking mode with timers, automatic grocery lists and meal planning — free.
Open Cooksmith