Chicken al pastor is a Mexican inspired chicken. It is marinated with chiles, spices and pineapple. This smokiness, spiciness, juiciness and sweetness are mild. So it’s a perfect complement to tacos, burritos, rice bowls and more. The chicken is marinated. Then lightly browned on the outside, for a nice crisp texture. Chicken al pastor is served in warm tortillas topped with pineapple, onion, cilantro and other ingredients, in rice, salads and other foods.
Table of Contents
The question on everyone’s mind is what is chicken al pastor?
Chicken al pastor is a Mexican fusion cuisine which consists of chicken marinated with a spicy mix of Mexican spices. The chiles and the chile based ingredients, spices, vinegar and pineapple is used for marinating. Each flavor of the marinade gets absorbed by the chicken and cooked into the meat, giving it savory, spicy, smoky, tangy and sweet flavors and rich in juiciness and tenderness. Chicken thighs will be used in this recipe, as they are juicier.
The ingredients
You Will Need:
- 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs – the key ingredient of the dish.
- 1 cup of pineapple juice – sweetens and acidifies
- 2 peppers on a chipotle, in adobo sauce, which is smokey and spicy.
- Tuna can (drained, in adobo sauce) – 2 tablespoons, add more chile flavor
- 1 teaspoon of salt – salty garlic flavor.
- 2 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar – add acidity
- 1 tablespoon olive oil – helps to bind the marinade together
- 2 tablespoons of cumin seeds, boiled and ground – adds an earthy spicy flavour.
- 1 tsp of dried oregano, herb flavouring
- 1 tablespoon fried onions – adds another smokey paprika flavor to the smokey taste.
- 1/2 teaspoon chili powder – for greater spice
- 1 teaspoon salt – improves the taste.
- 1/2 teaspoon of black pepper – mild spicy flavor
- 2 cups cooked pineapple chunks or served with pineapple chunks (optional)
Instructions
How to Make It
Put pineapple juice, adobo sauce, chipotle peppers, garlic, vinegar, olive oil, cumin, oregano and smoked paprika and chilli pepper in a blender and puree.Place all the pineapple juice, adobo sauce, chipotle peppers, garlic, vinegar, olive oil, cumin, oregano and smoked paprika and chili pepper in a blender and puree until smooth. Put meat into a large bowl. Sauté, tossing in marinade. Mix marinade in a blender until smooth. Put the chicken in the large bowl or other container. Add in the chicken and prepare marinade. Chicken Marinates should be placed in the fridge for at least 1 hour, and can be marinated overnight for a more flavorful chicken. On medium-high heat, heat a skillet (or grill pan). Put chicken into a pan heated to the correct temperature to fry. Cook, turning once, until brown and cooked through. Take out the chicken and allow it to rest for a few minutes. Cut the chicken up into bite-sized chunks. Add the chunks of pineapple to the skillet and cook until they are browned, about 2 minutes. Add chopped chicken to skillet, and stir in pineapple Serve al Pastor chicken with favorite toppings and sides.
The best ways to cook the best Chicken Al Pastor
Use Chicken Thighs
Chicken thighs are juicy when cooked at high temperatures, in comparison to the chicken breasts.
When adding Time a Marinate:
The chicken will marinate to get additional flavours from the chiles, pineapple and spices.
Use a Hot Pan
This will cook the chicken a nice brown and char with the hot pan.
Don’t Crowd the Pan
If necessary, cook the chicken in batches so that it can brown, rather than steam.
Let It Rest
Do not cut, or toss, until the chicken has cooled down for a few minutes.
Adjust the Spice Level to add or remove spices to a dish
Adjust the amount of chili powder and chipotle peppers, as desired.
The best way to store
Leftover food should be cooled down before placing it in the freezer. It can be stored in the refrigerator. Only remove what you need for reheating. The chicken can be warmed up in a frying pan, or in the microwave, until hot. If you need to store the leftovers for a longer time, you can also divide them into portions. Freeze them in appropriate containers. Make sure to thaw the frozen chicken, before reheating.
Chicken al pastor is a simple dish that combines juicy chicken, the smoky flavor of chiles, the sweetness of pineapple and the warmth of spices. The marinade is a great addition of sweet, spicy, tangy and savory flavors added to the dish and the cooking produces a nice crust on the chicken. This easy chicken al pastor recipe is best served in tacos, burritos, or rice bowls, but it can also be paired with rice, beans, avocado, and salsa, for a more homemade feel.
