Tacos al Pastor, a truly unique Mexican street food, is traditionally made with thinly sliced marinated pork stacked on a vertical spit (like a gyro). This simpler, but equally flavorful, home-style version uses chicken thighs to capture the signature blend of dried chilies, spices, and the crucial tangy sweetness of pineapple.

Ingredients

• For the Marinade:
  • 4 Ancho Chilies, stemmed and seeded
  • 2 Chipotle Peppers in Adobo (plus $1$ tbsp of adobo sauce)
  • $1/4$ cup White Vinegar (or Apple Cider Vinegar)
  • $1/4$ cup Orange Juice
  • 3 cloves Garlic
  • $1$ tsp Cumin, $1$ tsp Oregano (preferably Mexican), $1/2$ tsp Ground Cinnamon
  • $1$ tbsp Achiote Paste (optional, for color and earthy flavor)
  • $1$ tsp Salt
• For the Tacos:
  • $1.5 \ lb$ boneless, skinless Chicken Thighs, cut into 1-inch cubes
  • $1/2$ small Pineapple, cored and cut into small pieces
  • 12-16 Corn Tortillas
  • Toppings: Chopped white onion, cilantro, lime wedges
• Instructions

1. Prepare the Marinade: Place the dried Ancho chilies in a bowl and cover with boiling water. Let them soak for 20-30 minutes until soft. Drain the chilies, reserving a little soaking water.
2. Blend: In a blender, combine the rehydrated chilies, chipotle peppers, adobo sauce, vinegar, orange juice, garlic, cumin, oregano, cinnamon, achiote paste (if using), and salt. Blend until completely smooth. Add a splash of the reserved soaking water if the mixture is too thick.
3. Marinate: Place the cubed chicken in a large bowl and pour the marinade over it, ensuring all pieces are fully coated. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or up to overnight for maximum flavor.
4. Cook the Chicken: Thread the marinated chicken onto skewers (if grilling) or cook in a heavy-bottomed skillet over medium-high heat until fully cooked and slightly charred on the edges.
5. Cook the Pineapple: Grill or sear the pineapple pieces in a separate pan until they are nicely caramelized.
6. Assemble: Warm the corn tortillas on a comal or skillet. Chop the cooked chicken into small pieces. Serve the chicken in the warm tortillas, topped with the warm, charred pineapple, a sprinkle of chopped onion and cilantro, and a generous squeeze of lime juice.