Oven Baked Chicken al Pastor
Chicken al Pastor is a quick and easy taco recipe perfect for those in search of a low calorie meal. A healthy twist on the more commonly known Trompo al Pastor recipe, this meal uses chicken instead of pork. Chicken is marinated in a chile pineapple base and then slow cooked in an upright position for the best flavor!
Chicken al Pastor is the best type of Mexican chicken out there, in my opinion. Not only that, but have you seen the presentation? Chicken is layered and baked on a skewer along with pineapple slices so it looks like a massive tower of meat. Exactly what you see in Brazilian steakhouses or barbecues where they slice the meat off for you.
When I first tried the recipe, it was made with pork. I figured we could cut back on the calories a little bit without compromising flavor if we used boneless chicken thighs instead! I just had a baby 2 months ago and am actively in the weight loss phase, so this switch from pork to chicken is just what I needed.
What is al Pastor?
Al Pastor directly translates to “Shepherd Style” in Spanish. It is originally of Lebanese origin but was later modified into a Mexican recipe. Meat is stacked on a spinning rod so that it cooks evenly and is frequently basted with the marinade during the cooking process.
The marinade includes pineapple, chiles, onion, achiote paste and seasonings as a base to infuse the meat and add flavor. The result is tender, juicy meat with a smoky flavor and subtle notes of sweetness and spice.
Why You’ll Love Chicken al Pastor
Budget Friendly: Chicken thighs are SO much cheaper than chicken breasts or other other cuts of chicken. Go with boneless for this recipe.
Visually Appealing: Any tower of meat is not only exciting to look at, but will have your guests drooling while they watch the tender chunks of meat cut off the skewer!
Unique Flavor: Nothing beats Mexican food with tropical, smokey flavor when it comes to tacos. The guajillos and ancho chile peppers really add a deep flavor to the chicken thighs.
Chicken al Pastor Ingredients
Boneless Chicken Thighs – a little higher in fat than chicken breasts. This is necessary to prevent the chicken from drying out during the cooking process.
Onion and Garlic – excellent flavor bases for the marinade.
Pineapple – our star player! Pineapple contains just the right amount of acidity to both tenderize the meat and infuse it with tropical, sweet flavors. We use canned pineapple for the marinade and sauce, fresh for the skewer.
Apple Cider Vinegar – adds to the tangy flavor of the pineapple without being too sweet.
Chicken Stock – the base to our marinade that brings out the flavor of the meat.
Chicken Bouillon – my favorite way to salt chicken while also bringing out out that chicken flavor!
Achiote Paste – adds an earthy, smoky flavor to the meat while giving it a rich, red color.
Seasonings – cumin, oregano, and pepper are the perfect seasonings that really give the meat that traditional, Mexican spice.
Olive Oil – for cooking the meat and vegetables.
How to Make Chicken al Pastor
First, you will need an al Pastor skewer which not everybody has. I got my al Pastor Skewer Set from Amazon in the 13” pan size and used the 12” skewer for this recipe, but you can get away with the 10” pan. The set comes with basting brushes, the tray, and 3 different sizes of skewers.
The first step to Chicken al Pastor is creating the marinade. Begin by cutting off the stems and removing the seeds from 2 guajillo chile and 4 ancho chiles. Chop ½ a yellow onion, 5 cloves garlic, 2 bell peppers, and ⅓ cup pineapple. Set aside.
Heat a large frying pan to medium-high heat and drizzle with olive oil. I prefer a ceramic pan for this recipe since it’s great at preventing the chiles from sticking.
Add the onion and cook for 2 minutes. Add in the garlic and chile peppers and cook for another 2 minutes. Lower heat to low setting and pour in ¾ cup chicken stock and ¼ cup apple cider vinegar. Season with salt and cover with lid. Allow to simmer on low heat for 15-20 minutes.
Transfer everything from the pan into a blender. Add ½ cup worth of pineapple with a little bit of the pineapple juice into the blender along with 2 oz of achiote paste (about ⅔ of a block of el Yucateco achiote paste). Blend on high until fully liquified.
Place about 3 lbs worth of boneless chicken thighs in a bowl and marinate with the contents from the blender for at least 4 hours (preferably overnight) in a covered bowl placed in the refrigerator.
Preheat the oven to 350°F. After marinating, begin building your chicken tower. Cut up an entire pineapple and alternate while skewering by placing a few slices of chicken thigh on the skewer followed by a pineapple slice.
Place your tower on the bottom rack and bake for 1.5 – 2 hours or until chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165°F. Baste the tower every 30 minutes to prevent the chicken from drying out.
Remove from the oven and allow to cool for at least 10 minutes before cutting. Allow the pieces to collect in the roasting pan containing the drippings and toss to coat. Eat alone or serve on tacos with sour cream, salsa, hot sauce, and fresh cilantro for garnish. Enjoy!
Note: This post contains affiliate links in which the creator may receive commission. We have personally tested these products and hope you love them as much as we do!
Oven Baked Chicken al Pastor
Equipment
Ingredients
- 3 lb Chicken Thighs
- 2 whole Guajillo Chiles
- 4 whole Ancho Chiles
- 1/2 whole Yellow Onion
- 5 cloves Garlic
- 2 whole Bell Peppers
- 1/2 cup Canned Pineapple
- 1 whole Pineapple fresh
- 1 tbsp Olive Oil
- 3/4 cup Chicken Stock
- 1/4 cup Apple Cider Vinegar
- 2 oz Achiote Paste
- Salt to taste
Instructions
- Prepare the marinade. Cut off the stems and remove the seeds from 2 guajillo chiles and 4 ancho chiles. Chop ½ a yellow onion, 5 cloves garlic, 2 bell peppers, and ⅓ cup pineapple. Set aside.
- Heat a large frying pan to medium-high heat and drizzle with olive oil. Add the onion and cook for 2 minutes. Add in the garlic and chile peppers and cook for another 2 minutes.
- Lower heat to low setting and pour in ¾ cup chicken stock and ¼ cup apple cider vinegar. Season with salt and cover with lid. Allow to simmer on low heat for 15-20 minutes.
- Transfer everything from the pan into a blender. Add ½ cup worth of pineapple with a little bit of the pineapple juice into the blender along with 2 oz of achiote paste (about ⅔ of a block of el Yucateco achiote paste). Blend until fully liquified.
- Place about 3 lbs worth of boneless chicken thighs in a bowl and marinate with the contents from the blender for at least 4 hours (preferably overnight) in a covered bowl placed in the refrigerator.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. After marinating, begin building your chicken tower. Cut up an entire pineapple and alternate while skewering by placing a few slices of chicken thigh on the skewer followed by a pineapple slice.
- Place your tower on the bottom rack and bake for 1.5 – 2 hours or until chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165°F. Baste the tower every 30 minutes to prevent the chicken from drying out.
- Remove from the oven and allow to cool for at least 10 minutes before cutting. Allow the pieces to collect in the roasting pan containing the drippings and toss to coat. Eat alone or serve on tacos with sour cream, salsa, hot sauce, and fresh cilantro for garnish. Enjoy!