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About this recipe

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Why you’ll love it

Smoky citrus-marinated chicken, caramelized achiote edges, juicy grilled pineapple, fresh lime, and warm tortillas create a colorful Mexican dinner packed with bold flavor. 🍗

Ingredients

• Citrus-achiote chicken 🍗
• 🍗 700 g boneless skinless chicken thighs (1.54 lb)
• 🍊 90 ml fresh orange juice (6 tbsp / 3 fl oz)
• 🍋 30 ml fresh lime juice (2 tbsp / 1 fl oz)
• 🌶️ 35 g achiote paste (2 tbsp / 1.2 oz)
• 🫒 30 ml olive oil (2 tbsp / 1 fl oz)
• 🧄 15 g garlic, finely grated (3 cloves / 0.5 oz)
• 🌿 1 tsp dried Mexican oregano
• 🌿 1 tsp ground cumin
• 🌶️ 1 tsp smoked paprika
• 🌶️ ½ tsp chili powder
• 🧂 1 tsp fine sea salt
• ⚫ ¼ tsp ground black pepper
• Charred pineapple salsa 🍍
• 🍍 350 g fresh pineapple, cut into thick slices or large cubes (2½ cups / 12.3 oz)
• 🧅 80 g red onion, finely chopped (½ cup / 2.8 oz)
• 🌶️ 1 jalapeño, finely chopped
• 🌿 20 g fresh cilantro, roughly chopped (½ cup / 0.7 oz)
• 🍋 30 ml fresh lime juice (2 tbsp / 1 fl oz)
• 🫒 10 ml olive oil (2 tsp / 0.35 fl oz)
• 🧂 ¼ tsp fine sea salt
• To finish 🍽️
• 🌮 Warm corn tortillas
• 🥑 Sliced avocado
• 🌿 Fresh cilantro
• 🌶️ Sliced jalapeños
• 🧅 Pickled red onion, optional
• 🍋 Lime wedges
• 🍚 Cooked Mexican rice, optional

Preparation

• 1 Prepare the marinade 🍊 Whisk the orange juice, lime juice, achiote paste, olive oil, garlic, oregano, cumin, smoked paprika, chili powder, salt, and black pepper until the achiote paste is completely dissolved.
• 2 Marinate the chicken 🍗 Place the chicken thighs in a shallow dish and pour the marinade over them. Turn each piece until evenly coated, cover, and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or up to 8 hours.
• 3 Prepare the pineapple 🍍 Cut the pineapple into thick slices or large pieces that will not fall through the grill or skillet. Pat the surface dry so it caramelizes instead of steaming.
• 4 Char the pineapple 🔥 Heat a cast-iron skillet or grill pan over high heat. Cook the pineapple for 2–3 minutes per side until dark golden grill marks appear and the natural sugars begin to caramelize.
• 5 Mix the pineapple salsa 🌿 Allow the pineapple to cool slightly, then cut it into small cubes. Combine it with red onion, jalapeño, cilantro, lime juice, olive oil, and salt.
• 6 Remove excess marinade ✨ Take the chicken from the refrigerator 15 minutes before cooking. Lift each thigh from the marinade and allow the excess liquid to drip away so the surface can brown properly.
• 7 Sear the chicken 🍗 Heat a large cast-iron skillet or grill pan over medium-high heat. Place the chicken in a single layer and cook without moving it for 5–6 minutes until deeply caramelized.
• 8 Turn and finish cooking 🔥 Turn the chicken and cook for another 5–7 minutes until browned on the second side and the thickest part reaches 74°C (165°F).
• 9 Rest the chicken ⏳ Transfer the cooked chicken to a board and leave it to rest for 5 minutes. Resting allows the juices to settle back into the meat instead of escaping during slicing.
• 10 Slice against the grain 🔪 Cut the rested chicken into thick strips against the direction of the muscle fibers. Spoon any juices remaining on the board over the sliced chicken.
• 11 Assemble and serve 🍽️ Arrange the pollo asado on a warm serving plate and spoon the charred pineapple salsa over the top. Serve with tortillas, avocado, cilantro, jalapeños, lime wedges, pickled onion, and Mexican rice when using.

Timing details

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