Chicken al Pastor

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Juicy grilled chicken in smoky chipotle-achiote marinade, caramelized pineapple, fluffy lime-cilantro rice, avocado, diced onion, salsa verde, and fresh cilantro. Bold Mexican flavor, easy weeknight dinner.

Prep Time20

Cook Time15

Marinating Time2

Total Time2 35

Course: Dinner

Cuisine: American

Servings: servings

Author: Amy Nash

Ingredients

Marinade

6 cloves garlic minced
2 Tablespoons chipotle chilies in adobo sauce minced (about 3-4 chipotle peppers)
½ medium onion peeled
1 Tablespoon achiote paste up to 2 tablespoons
½ cup orange juice
2 Tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1 Tablespoon brown sugar
1 Tablespoon ancho chili powder
1 ½ teaspoons ground oregano
1 ½ teaspoons ground cumin
2 teaspoons kosher salt

Bowls

2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts or thighs
6 cups cooked rice (we like coconut rice, jasmine rice, brown rice, or even 1/2 cauliflower rice with 1/2 regular rice)
¼ cup fresh lime juice
½ cup chopped cilantro
½ teaspoon kosher salt
6 slices pineapple
⅛ teaspoon chili powder
6 Tablespoons salsa verde
6 Tablespoons diced white onion
1 avocado (diced or sliced)
Optional cotija cheese or queso fresco for serving

Instructions

In a large blender or food processor, combine the minced garlic, chipotle chilies in adobo, onion, achiote paste, orange juice, apple cider vinegar, brown sugar, ancho chili powder, oregano, cumin, and kosher salt. Blend or processor until smooth.
6 cloves garlic, 2 Tablespoons chipotle chilies in adobo sauce, ½ medium onion, 1 Tablespoon achiote paste, ½ cup orange juice, 2 Tablespoons apple cider vinegar, 1 Tablespoon brown sugar, 1 Tablespoon ancho chili powder, 1 ½ teaspoons ground oregano, 1 ½ teaspoons ground cumin, 2 teaspoons kosher salt
Pour the marinade over the chicken breasts or thighs in a zip-top bag or dish, then cover and marinate in fridge for at least 2-4 hours or up to 24 hours for deeper flavor.
2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts or thighs
To make the rice for the bowls, drizzle the cooked rice with lime juice, then sprinkle with chopped cilantro and salt. Toss to fluff and set to the side to keep warm.
6 cups cooked rice, ¼ cup fresh lime juice, ½ cup chopped cilantro, ½ teaspoon kosher salt
Meanwhile, heat a grill to medium-high (about 400°F). Lightly oil grates to prevent sticking.
Remove chicken from marinade (discard any excess marinade) and grill for 5-7 minutes per side until charred at edges and the internal temperature reaches 165°F when tested in the thickest part of the chicken thighs or breast with a digital meat thermometer.
Sprinkle the pineapple slices with chili powder. Arrange them on the grill around the chicken and grill the pineapple for 1-2 minutes per side until caramelized and lightly charred. Remove from the grill and dice into large chunks.
6 slices pineapple, ⅛ teaspoon chili powder
Remove the chicken from the grill to a cutting board and let it rest for 5 minutes before slicing or chopping into bite-sized pieces.
To assemble, divide the lime-cilantro rice among individual bowls. Top with the chopped grilled chicken, diced grilled pineapple, avocado slices or chunks, diced white onion, a drizzle of salsa verde, and extra chopped cilantro. Crumble cotija cheese over top and serve with lime wedges. These can also be served in warm corn tortillas as tacos, instead of in bowls.
6 Tablespoons salsa verde, 6 Tablespoons diced white onion, 1 avocado, Optional cotija cheese or queso fresco

Notes

Store: Store leftovers in airtight containers in the fridge for up to 3-4 days (separate the chicken, rice, pineapple, and toppings).
Freeze: Freeze cooked chicken and rice (no avocado/toppings) for up to 2 months. Thaw in the fridge.
Reheat: Reheat chicken and rice gently in the microwave or stovetop with a splash of water; add fresh toppings last.
Make Ahead: Marinate chicken up to 24 hours, prep rice and chop toppings a day early, refrigerate separately.
Nutrition: The nutrition information below was calculated using an nutrition calculator tool using regular white rice and no cotija cheese. One serving is 1/6 of the recipe. For the most accurate results, you may want to do your own nutrition calculation.

Nutrition

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