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Pastor Chicken

A flavorful dish with tender chicken thighs marinated in pineapple juice, achiote paste, and spices, grilled to perfection and served with fresh toppings.
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Prep Time 1 hour
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 20 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Dinner, Main Course
Cuisine: Mexican
Calories: 400
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

For the Marinade
  • 1/4 cup pineapple juice
  • 1/4 cup white vinegar
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 tablespoons achiote paste
  • 1 tablespoon chili powder
  • 1 teaspoon cumin
  • 1 teaspoon oregano
  • to taste Salt and pepper
For Grilling
  • 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs
  • Pineapple slices for grilling
  • Corn tortillas
  • Chopped onions and cilantro for topping

Method
 

Marinating the Chicken
  1. In a large bowl, combine the pineapple juice, white vinegar, minced garlic, achiote paste, chili powder, cumin, oregano, salt, and pepper.
  2. Add the chicken thighs, ensuring they’re fully coated in the marinade. Cover and refrigerate for at least one hour; overnight is fantastic for deeper flavor.
Grilling
  1. Preheat your grill to medium-high heat.
  2. Once ready, place the marinated chicken thighs directly on the grill. Cook for about 6-8 minutes on each side until they develop beautiful grill marks and are cooked through.
Adding Pineapple
  1. While the chicken is grilling, toss some pineapple slices on the grill for about 3-4 minutes on each side, allowing them to caramelize slightly.
Tortilla Prep
  1. Warm up the corn tortillas on a skillet or the grill for about 30 seconds on each side, or until they’re pliable and slightly charred.
Assembling the Dish
  1. Slice the grilled chicken into strips.
  2. Place them on a tortilla, top with grilled pineapple, chopped onions, and cilantro.
  3. Serve immediately and watch everyone dig in!

Notes

Substitutions: If chicken thighs aren’t your favorite, boneless chicken breasts work just fine but might require a shorter cooking time. Timing: Feel free to let your chicken marinate longer for more profound flavor. A minimum of one hour is great, but overnight yields even tastier results! Avoiding Common Mistakes: Don’t rush the grilling process – chicken that isn’t well-cooked can be dry. Aim for an internal temperature of 165°F for that juicy finish.