Chicken Al Pastor

Chicken al pastor is a dish popularized by Chipotle, where chicken thigh is marinated in an al pastor marinade. Traditional al pastor is made with pork, but this chicken al pastor deviates from it in a few other ways as well. Classic al pastor is pork, typically a fairly fatty cut, marinated in a sauce made with pineapple juice and anchiote paste then cooked on a vertical spit. This chicken al pastor is lower in fat than the classic, and is easy to prepare in a smoker, grill, or oven.

My recommendation for cooking this chicken is to use a grill or smoker, but it can also be cooked low and slow in the oven, which achieves a similar texture to smoked chicken, but without the added smoky flavor. Since this chicken is only availble at Chipotle (Chipotle Mexican Grill) for limited time, now you can make it yourself at home to get your fix!

If you want to meal-prep this chicken for the freezer, you have two options. Either freezing the raw boneless skinless chicken thighs in the marinade and cooking it after, or cooking the chicken and freezing cooked meat that's ready to use. Cooking the meat just before eating it will be a little higher quality, but the convenience of the pre-cooked meat makes throwing together a meal a snap. Both options are a great way to save time in the kitchen!

Try this al pastor chicken as tacos al pastor with my taco recipes: Chicken Street Tacos or Cheesy Chicken Street Tacos. Save some pineapple to throw on top!

FAQ

What is chicken al pastor?

Since the introduction of Chipotle's Chicken Al Pastor, this dish has seen a huge rise in popularity. Classic al pastor is prepared with pork, typically a fatty cut such as pork shoulder. The pork is marinated in a sauce made from pineapple juice, achiote paste (which gives it the signature red/orange color), and other spices. Classic al pastor pork is typically roasted on a vertical spit, and it is a staple at LA area street taco stands.

Chicken al pastor utilizes the classic al pastor marinade, but subs in chicken thighs. While you could technically roast these on a vertical spit as well, they are typically grilled instead, which is much easier and faster. Compare to pork, the chicken is also much lower in fat, so its easy to argue this is quite a bit healthier than the original. My favorite method to prepare this chicken is in a smoker!

Is chicken al pastor spicy?

Yes, this chicken al pastor is a little bit spicy. If you want to make it more spicy, you can increase the chili powder or use a very spicy chili powder. If you want to make it less spicy, reduce or omit the chili powder.

Is chicken al pastor gluten-free?

This chicken al pastor recipe is gluten-free! I can't vouch for chicken al pastor from restaurants, while they should be gluten-free, its always best to confirm.

How to make chicken al pastor:

• Combine the al pastor marinade ingredients: pineapple juice, achiote rojo paste, olive oil, apple cider vinegar, salt, garlic powder, chili powder, oregano, and cumin. Similar recipes may also call for orange juice, ground annatto seeds, morita peppers, guajillo chiles, but some of these are already included in the key ingredient achiote blend of spices, which also give the dish the signature red color of al pastor marinade.
• Trim any excess fat from the boneless chicken thighs and then toss them in the marindae. Let them marinate in the fridge in an airtight container for at least two hours, or overnight. You can use chicken breasts instead, just make sure you adjust the cooking time.
• Cook the marinated chicken with your preferred method. This recipe includes instrutions for grilling, smoking, and baking in the oven. After cooking, chop the chicken up into small pieces.
• Then it's is ready to use in chicken al pastor tacos (I recommened corn tortillas, white onion, lime wedges, and cilantro), burritos, burrito bowls, or whatever you like! Top your dish with fresh pineapple chunks or save your canned pineapples for topping! Some other topping ideas to consider are: pico de gallo, adobo sauce, black beans, sour cream, salsa verde, and avocado salsa.

Key Tips - Chicken Al Pastor

Prepare in bulk and freeze for later!

• My favorite way to prepare this meal is prepping the meat in bulk in my smoker! Cooking low and slow in the smoker results in super tender and juicy meat. A similar result can be achieved by cooking low and slow in the oven, just without the added smoky flavor. Grilling is another great option for these thighs!
• The meat can also be frozen raw in the marinade, then cooked after defrosting. I recommend placing the chicken in the freezer just after it's packaged in the marinade. To prepare from frozen, just thaw the package and store in the refrigerator at least 6 hours before cooking, to give the meat time to marinate.
• To reheat precooked chicken, defrost it then warm it in a pan over medium heat, mixing occasionally, until warmed through. Add a splash of water or oil if the chicken seems too dry as it's reheating.

Use in tacos, burritos, quesadillas, and more!

• This is great chicken to use in many classic Mexican dishes. My favorite way to use it is in street tacos or burritos.
• Some other ideas for using this chicken are quesadillas, flautas, crunch wraps, tostadas, and loaded nachos.

Save the marinade and brush on more as the chicken cooks.

• To get the most flavor out of the marinade, save what's left over in the container and brush it onto the chicken as it cooks! Just make sure you don't do this right at the end, so the marinade has enough time to reach a food-safe temperature before you remove it from heat.
• Do NOT toss the chicken in excess marinade after cooking, unless you set the marinade aside before it came into contact with raw chicken.

Freeze after vacuum sealing for best results.

• A vacuum sealer is definitely a bit of an investment, but if you plan on frequently meal prepping meats in the freezer, it's a tool you will quickly fall in love with. Vacuum sealing keeps the meat super fresh in the freezer and prevents freezer burn completely.
• I recommend this vacuum sealer, which is one of the cheaper options among the name brands. I also love these vacuum bags!

Dietary Restrictions - Chicken Al Pastor

This dish is naturally Dairy-Free.

This dish is naturally Gluten-Free.

A Note On Serving Sizes

Serving sizes are a very personal thing, making it very difficult for me to select a serving size that suits everyone. One pound of raw boneless skinless chicken thigh results in about 12 oz of cooked meat. I've listed one serving as 3 oz of cooked chicken, but many people may prefer to have more than one serving per meal.

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