Chicken al Pastor

This Chicken al Pastor is bold, smoky, sweet, and packed with flavor thanks to a rich marinade of dried chiles, pineapple, and achiote. It’s the best street taco shortcut, no spit or grill required!

I’ve always loved the flavor of tacos al pastor, but making them at home can feel intimidating! This recipe simplifies the process. You just blend up a vibrant, chile marinade with citrus, pineapple, and achiote paste, pour it over juicy chicken thighs, and let it marinade overnight.

The next day, cook it all up in a hot skillet, and you’ve got tender, caramelized, irresistibly good chicken ready to pile into warm tortillas with pineapple salsa and a splash of salsa verde! Taco Tuesday, here we come!

Why We Love This Chicken al Pastor Recipe

• Big flavor, minimal effort. The blender does most of the work, and marinating overnight makes the chicken ultra flavorful.
• No grill needed. This version is cooked on the stovetop so it’s perfect for weeknights or small kitchens.
• Perfect for tacos. The chicken is juicy, tender, and easy to chop into small, taco-ready bites.
• Fun to serve. Whether it’s Taco Tuesday or a casual dinner party, this recipe is always a hit!

Ingredients You Need

For the Chicken al Pastor:

• Chicken Thighs: Boneless skinless chicken thighs stay juicy and flavorful during cooking. You can substitute with chicken breast, but thighs are more traditional.
• Olive Oil: For sautéing the aromatics.
• Sweet Onions: Adds sweetness and depth to the marinade.
• Garlic: Garlic gives the marinade a bold, savory flavor!
• Spices: You need oregano, cumin, ground cloves, bay leaves, salt and whole peppercorns. Crush the peppercorns slightly if you don’t have a high-speed blender.
• Guajillo Chiles: These provide mild heat and a beautiful smoky color. Since they are dried, first deseed them and then add them to the aromatics and water to moisten them before blending.
• Apple Cider Vinegar: Adds acidity to balance the sweetness and tenderize the meat.
• Water: Helps the peppers soften and blends the marinade smoothly.
• Chipotle in Adobo Sauce: Smoky, spicy, and essential for that signature al pastor heat.
• Fresh Pineapple: Sweetens the marinade naturally and complements the chiles.
• Orange Juice: Adds citrusy brightness and helps thin the marinade.
• Achiote Paste: This gives the marinade its signature red color and earthy, tangy flavor.

For the Pineapple Pico de Gallo:

• Pineapple: Fresh and juicy, this adds a sweet-tart bite to every taco.
• Sweet Onion: Mild and crunchy. Red onion can be swapped in if you prefer more bite.
• Cilantro: Fresh and vibrant.
• Lime juice: Brings everything together with brightness.
• Pinch of Salt: Enhances all the flavors.

To Serve:

• Corn tortillas: Warmed and soft, corn tortillas are essential for al pastor-style tacos.
• Salsa verde: Adds a tangy, spicy finish to balance the sweet and savory chicken.

Variations & Substitutions

• Use pork instead of chicken: Traditional tacos al pastor use pork shoulder or tenderloin. This marinade works beautifully on either.
• Grill it: For added smokiness, grill the marinated chicken instead of using a skillet.
• Make it spicier: Add more chipotles or toss in an dried chile de árbol with the Guajillo chiles for heat.
• Low-carb version: Skip the tortillas and serve the chicken over cauliflower rice or in lettuce wraps.

How to Make Easy Chicken al Pastor

1. Sauté the Aromatics: Heat a skillet over medium high heat. Add olive oil, onion, garlic, bay leaves and spices. Sauté until onion is translucent.
2. Add Peppers to Soften: Add Guajillo chili peppers, salt, vinegar and water. Cover the pan and let it simmer for 7-10 minutes.

3. Blend: Transfer all the mixture into a blender. Add chipotle on adobo, fresh pineapple, orange juice and Achiote paste. Blend until smooth.
4. Marinade the Chicken: Pour the mixture over the chicken thighs and marinade overnight. Make sure every piece of meat is covered with the sauce.
5. Sear the Chicken: Heat a skillet over medium high heat. Shake excess marinade from the chicken and cook for about 10 minutes. Chop into small pieces.

6. Make the Pico de Gallo: In a medium bowl mix all ingredients for the salsa and refrigerate until ready to serve.
7. Serve & Enjoy: Warm up your corn tortillas and build tacos with chicken al pastor, pineapple salsa and salsa verde. Enjoy!

Tips for Success

• Marinate overnight if you have time. Letting the chicken sit in the marinade overnight will lend the most flavor. If you can’t marinade overnight, at least let it marinade for 1-2 hours!
• Blend until smooth. You want the marinade to be silky without chunks. A high-speed blender makes a difference here.
• Shake off excess marinade. Before cooking, remove some of the marinade so it sears instead of steams.
• Chop small. Al pastor is all about those little bits of caramelized, flavorful meat! Chop the cooked chicken into small pieces before serving.
• Warm your tortillas. Whether you heat them in a dry skillet or over an open flame (very carefully), warm tortillas make all the difference in texture and flavor!

Servings Suggestions

Chicken al pastor can be served in so many different ways! The classic choice is to serve the juicy chicken in corn tortillas to make chicken al pastor tacos. If you don’t want to make tacos, serve them in a bowl with rice, the pineapple pico, salsa verde, elote, and fresh avocado slices. And don’t forget to serve it with a spicy michelada, too!

Frequently Asked Questions

More Recipes to Try

• Tacos de Alambre
• Oven Baked Beef Barbacoa
• Watermelon Salsa
• Beef Birria Tacos
• Spicy Peach Corn Summer Slaw