Mexican Chicken recipes are some of our favorite dinners around here! Don’t miss Shredded Mexican Chicken, Chicken Birria Tacos Chicken Fajitas, Chicken Enchiladas or Smothered Baked Mexican Chicken Burritos!
Al Pastor RECIPE VIDEO
ingredients In Chicken Al Pastor
This Chicken Al Pastor recipe may require a few ingredients you don’t typically keep on hand — dried chiles and chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, for instance — but all are easy to find! Let’s take a closer look at what you’ll need (full recipe measurements in the recipe card at the bottom of the post): FOR THE CHICKEN FOR THE MARINADE FOR THE TACOS Making tacos is optional, but delicious! You will need:
HOW TO MAKE chicken al pastor
Once you have your marinade ingredients assembled, this recipe for Chicken Al Pastor comes together quickly! Let’s take a closer look at how to make it (full recipe in the recipe card at the bottom of the post):
Step 1: Prepare the Al Pastor marinade. Toast the guajillo chiles in a dry skillet until fragrant. Then, cover with water and simmer until softened. Transfer the chiles to a blender along with the remaining marinade ingredients. Blend until smooth.
Step 2: Marinate the chicken. Add the chicken to a shallow dish or zip-top bag. Toss to coat thoroughly in the marinade, then let marinate in the refrigerator for at least 8 hours.
Step 3: Skewer the chicken. You’ll need to use two skewers per kebab. Thread one pineapple ring half onto the skewers, followed by three halved chicken thighs, then another pineapple ring, and so on. Repeat until all the chicken is gone.
Step 4: Grill the kebabs. Grill the kebabs over medium-high heat for about 5 minutes, then flip and cook for another 5 minutes. Cover, then continue to cook until done, rotating every 5 minutes.
Step 5: Let the chicken rest. This seals in all the juices and ensures juiciest chicken.
Step 6: Carve the chicken. Stand the skewers upright on a cutting board, then thinly slice the chicken and pineapple. After you slice it thinly, you can chop it finer if you’d like.
Step 7: Dig in! I like to serve my Al Pastor Chicken in warm corn tortillas with pineapple chunks, guacamole and pico de gallo – SO good!
Use pork. You can also use this marinade to make classic al pastor using pork instead of chicken. Chicken Al Pastor Salad. Add chicken, pineapple, lettuce, tomatoes, fresh corn, black beans, cheese (pepper Jack, Mexican Cheese blend or cotija), pepitas or sunflower seeds to a large bowl. Serve with Tomatillo Avocado Ranch or Cilantro Lime Dressing. Chicken Al Pastor Burrito Bowls. Layer cilantro lime rice with cheese, black beans or pinto beans, chicken, pineapple, chopped lettuce, and your favorite toppings including crushed tortilla chips and either sour cream/Greek yogurt or I highly recommend Chipotle Sauce, Tomatillo Avocado Ranch or Cilantro Lime Dressing. Chicken Al Pastor Burritos. Layer a burrito size tortilla with cilantro lime rice, black or pinto beans, cheese, chicken, pineapple, guacamole, sour cream and pico de gallo. You can also include French Fries like my favorite local restaurant! Serve with additional sour cream and homemade salsa or chipotle sauce. Chicken Al Pastor Enchiladas. Fill tortillas with layers of cheese, chicken, pineapple and a generous dollop of sour cream. Roll up and place in a lightly greased 9×13 baking dish. Top with red enchilada sauce or salsa verde and cheese and bake for 25 minutes at 350 degrees F. Chicken Al Pastor Quesadillas. Layer a burrito size tortilla with Mexican cheese and Chicken Al Pastor and pineapple and grill until golden, cheesy perfection. Serve with your favs of sour cream, salsa, chopped lettuce, guacamole, etc. Chicken Al Pastor Nachos: Pile thick, restaurant-style tortilla chips with cheese and beans and bake. Top with chicken, pineapple and toppings such as jalapenos, salsa, sour cream, guacamole, etc. along with a drizzle of salsa verde. Chicken Al Pastor Fajitas. Throw some bell peppers on the grill to create fajitas! Pile the ingredients in a tortilla and top with sour cream, guacamole, lime juice and cilantro.
Tag @CarlsbadCravings and Use #CarlsbadCravngs Leave a Review, I Always Love Hearing From You!
