Grilled Al Pastor Chicken Recipe

Fire up the grill as we make the most amazing grilled chicken al pastor with slices of fresh pineapple and onions! It’s a fiesta flavor bomb of deliciousness!

Pollo Al Pastor: Pit Master Approved

Using over three decades of professional experience, I’ve crafted a Chicken (pollo) Al Pastor recipe that truly embodies the authentic flavors of this beloved Mexican dish. Using traditional techniques and simple ingredients, I can deliver the genuine taste that makes Al Pastor a crowd favorite. Marinated to perfection with a blend of spices and pineapple, this recipe brings the richness of authentic flavors right to your kitchen or backyard.

Not only is my Chicken Al Pastor recipe incredibly easy to make, but it’s also affordable. Whether you’re prepping for a week of tasty lunches or planning a casual backyard cookout, this dish is perfect for meal prep or large gatherings. It’s versatile, flavorful, and sure to impress guests, making it a must-try for anyone who loves bold, authentic Mexican cuisine with minimal effort.

Chicken Al Pastor ingredients

This is a straightforward recipe with only six ingredients. One of the ingredients you will need to order is honestly incredible.

• Chicken: I went with boneless, skinless chicken thighs. You can also use 50/50 chicken breasts, but all chicken breasts can dry out unless you watch the grill closely, as they may get done sooner.
• Seasoning: this is one you’ll have to buy, but it’s worth it! Trompo King Al Pastor Seasoning
• Liquids – olive oil, fresh orange juice, and chicken stock
• Produce – large pineapple and one large onion

Watch How to Make Chicken Al Pastor Recipe

Now, one thing I wish I had done differently was to put the carrots directly on the bottom of the pan at the beginning. Even though I put liquid in the bottom, the carrots burned. That’s my stupid fault.

I should have put them in about 35 minutes before the end of the cooking period. Lessons Learned

What is Chicken Al Pastor?

Traditional Al Pastor refers to thin, split cuts of pork marinated in specific seasonings, peppers, and acidic liquids like lime, pineapple, etc. While I love traditional Al Pastor with pork, I find that we eat the chicken version more often.

This takes everything we love about the traditional dish but uses chicken instead.

How to make Chicken Al Pastor on the Big Green Egg

1. Sprinkle your onions and pineapple with Al Pastor Seasoning. Add the top (or bottom) of an onion to the skewer and push it down on the skewer. I push mine down. Typically, I use a large onion that I cut into three equal sizes.
2. Next, follow it with a slice of pineapple, then a third of the meat.
3. Repeat until the last piece is the onion on top.
4. Pour over any liquid left marinade over the top. (not pictured, as I ended up adding it after I took the pic)

Chef’s Explanation of ‘Trompo’ Style Cooking

If you’ve ever seen gyro meat cooking, you’ll see it cooking/roasting on a vertical spit that spins. It’s typically cone-shaped, and the heat cooks the cone or meats as it turns.

The Trompo King unit acts in the same way but without the rotation part. By putting it in a Big Green Egg (using indirect heat) or your home oven, you’re allowing the heat to circulate the meat, cooking it similarly to a gyro cone on a spit.

Why you’ll love this Al Pastor Chicken Recipe

You’ll love this specific recipe for its ease of preparation, affordability, and customization possibilities.

How to Grill:

1. Set the meat on the grill, close the lid, and let it cook until the internal temperature reaches 165F.
2. Remember, if you’re adding carrots, don’t do as I did in the video and the picture but add it 30 minutes before the end of the cook.

Pollo Al Pastor grilling tips

Here are a few Chef tips here:

1. Pour the liquid into the pan after you put it into/onto the grill.
2. If adding carrots or chopped veggies, add them about 30 minutes before the end of the cook. Naturally, if you’re using, say, whole potatoes or huge veggies, add them in a bit earlier. Size matters here, folks.
3. USE BBQ gloves to remove this. These gloves are THE BEST gloves I’ve ever had! I use these daily on my pizza oven that gets over 900F, and my hands and arms are protected!

Seriously, look at that char on the chicken and the caramelization on the onions and pineapple! This was EXCEPTIONAL!

No Grill? No Problem!

What I love about the Trompo King is that you can make this in the home oven. I recommend putting this on the lowest shelf, removing the other racks, and testing it out to see if the 12″ spike will fit height-wise. If not, switch to the 7″ one. That works perfectly! Some ovens aren’t tall enough, or the heating element gets in the way. If it’s too tall, no worries—they have a perfect smaller one!

Or maybe you want a smaller version. Then check out the Regular Size, which is only 8.4″ tall!

Removing the Meat & Produce

The easiest way is to grab a sharp slicing/carving knife and just carve the meat, pineapple, and onions off the skewer.

Alternatively, you could use gloved hands and pull all the stuff off of the skewer, place it onto a carving board, and then slice/chop it up.

How to serve this Pollo Al Pastor Recipe

Here are some of my favorite ways I’ve served this.

• Tacos: add the carved meat and produce to a hard or soft taco shell, then add avocado, crema, cilantro, cheese, and hot sauce
• Buritto: Stuff a flour tortilla with the carved meat/produce and add Mexican rice, queso, and sauce
• Nachos: layer it on tortilla shells with cheese, jalapenos, avocados, fresh tomatoes and cilantro
• Protein Bowl: This is amazing for meal prep! Add it atop rice or cauliflower rice and your favorite veggies!
• Pizza: This one has enchilada sauce, cheese, radishes, avocado, and a swirl of crema! It’s everything!

Let me know how you’d serve it!

Pollo Al Pastor Recipe

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Fire up the grill as we’re making the most amazing grilled chicken al pastor with slices of fresh pineapple and onions! It’s a fiesta flavor bomb of deliciousness!

• Author: TKWAdmin
• Prep Time: 15 minutes
• Cook Time: 2 hours
• Total Time: 2.5 hours
• Yield: Serves 8-10
• Category: bbq, grilled, latin, meat lovers, mexican, nachos, salads, tacos
• Method: bbq, grill, oven
• Cuisine: bbq, grilled, latin, meat lovers, Mexican, nachos, salads, tacos

Ingredients

• 4lb chicken thighs, boneless
• 4 Tbl al pastor seasoning
• 2 Tbl olive oil
• 1/2 cup fresh orange juice
• 1 whole onion cut in thirds, skin removed
• 1 large pineapple, skin removed and cut in thirds (leave the core)

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Instructions

1. Place the chicken, oil, seasoning, and orange juice in a plastic food storage bag or a lidded food storage pan (lid sold separately). Mix to combine, cover, and place in the fridge for 15-16 hours.
2. The next day, light the Big Green Egg, add the convEGGtor, legs facing up, and add a grate. Heat up to 375°. If you do not have a Big Green Egg, set your grill for indirect heat.
3. Place one of the three slices of onion on the XL Trompo King Vertical Skewer. Next, add one section of pineapple, followed by a third of the chicken. Repeat one more layer. Next, switch it up by adding the last round of pineapple, the rest of the chicken, and the last slice of onion.
4. When the EGG is at temp, set the Trompo King Vertical Skewer stacked with all that deliciousness onto the egg. Cook for 1.5-2 hours or until the chicken temp registers at 165°.
5. Move the Trompo to a heat-safe counter and slice and enjoy using a carving knife!

Notes

*time does not include overnight marinating

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