Grilled Adobo Chicken Tacos Recipe

Prepare chiles

Remove stems and seeds from the dried árbol (and guajillo, if using). Place chiles in a heatproof bowl and cover with 120 ml (1/2 cup) hot water. Let soak 15 minutes until softened, then drain, reserving 2–3 tbsp of the soaking liquid.

Make adobo puree

In a blender, combine the rehydrated chiles, reserved soaking liquid, garlic, white vinegar, orange juice, soy sauce, cumin, oregano, black pepper and 1 tsp salt. Purée until smooth, adding up to 60 ml water if needed to achieve a pourable paste.

Marinate chicken

Pat the chicken dry. Rub the chicken thoroughly with the adobo puree, ensuring under the skin where possible. Cover and refrigerate at least 2 hours, preferably overnight (up to 24 hours) for best flavor.

Bring chicken to room temp & grill

Remove chicken from fridge 30 minutes before cooking. Preheat a grill to medium-high (about 200–230°C / 400–450°F) or heat a grill pan/skillet over medium-high heat with 2 tbsp vegetable oil. Brush excess marinade off the skin (to avoid flare-ups) and reserve remaining marinade for basting if desired. Grill chicken skin-side down first 6–8 minutes until well charred, flip and continue cooking 12–20 minutes more until internal temperature reaches 74°C (165°F) for thighs. Total time varies by piece size. Let rest 5–10 minutes, then shred or slice into taco-sized pieces.

Combine diced pineapple, sliced red onion and minced jalapeño in a bowl. In a separate small bowl whisk together lime juice, rice vinegar, sugar and 1/2 tsp salt until dissolved. Pour the dressing over the pineapple mix, toss to combine, add chopped cilantro. Let sit at least 20 minutes for flavors to meld; can be chilled up to 2 days. Taste and adjust salt/lime before serving.

Toast the dried árbol chiles lightly in a dry skillet 20–30 seconds per side until aromatic (do not burn). In the same skillet, roast the tomatillos (or tomatoes) and garlic until blistered and softened, turning occasionally, about 6–8 minutes. Transfer toasted chiles, roasted tomatillos, garlic and quartered onion to a blender. Add 1 tsp salt and 15 ml lime juice and 30 ml water. Purée until smooth, adding more water if necessary to reach a salsa consistency. Taste and adjust salt or lime. If you prefer a milder salsa, remove seeds from the chiles before blending or blend until very smooth.

Warm the corn tortillas: brush very lightly with 1 tbsp oil and char briefly on a hot grill or skillet 20–30 seconds per side until pliable and slightly charred. Keep warm wrapped in a clean towel.

Assemble tacos: Place shredded or sliced adobo chicken on each tortilla (about 60–80 g / 2–3 oz per tortilla). Top with 1–2 tbsp pickled pineapple salsa, a spoonful (about 1–2 tbsp) of salsa de árbol, a sprinkle of crumbled cotija (about 1–2 tbsp), and chopped cilantro. Finish with a squeeze of lime and a light pinch of salt to taste.

Serve immediately while chicken and tortillas are warm. Provide extra salsa de árbol, pickled pineapple and lime wedges at the table.