The Ultimate 30-Minute Pineapple Chicken Tacos
A sweet and spicy taco recipe featuring pan-cooked chicken thighs simmered in a flavorful pineapple-hot sauce glaze. The tender, sliced chicken is served in warm flour tortillas and topped with a creamy chipotle broccoli slaw, fresh pineapple wedges, and cilantro. The remaining sauce from the skillet is reduced to a syrup and drizzled over the top for extra flavor.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 4 tacos
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Pan-Frying, Simmering
- Cuisine: Tex-Mex
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 6 boneless, skinless chicken thighs
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 4 scallions, thinly sliced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- One 6-ounce can 100% pure pineapple juice
- 1/4 cup hot sauce
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 4 small flour tortillas
- 12 ounces broccoli slaw
- 1/2 cup mayonnaise
- 2 to 3 tablespoons chipotle sauce
- 1 lime, zested and juiced
- 1/2 cup thinly sliced pineapple wedges
- 1/2 cup fresh cilantro leaves
- Serving suggestions: tortilla chips and salsa
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F.
- Heat the vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Season the chicken thighs with a pinch of salt and pepper and add them to the skillet. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes per side, until browned.
- Add the scallions and garlic to the skillet and cook for another minute until fragrant.
- In a liquid measuring cup, whisk together the pineapple juice, hot sauce, and honey. Pour this mixture into the skillet.
- Bring the liquid to a simmer and cook for 5 to 7 minutes, allowing the chicken to cook through and the sauce to begin reducing.
- While the chicken cooks, shingle the tortillas on a baking sheet and place them in the oven to warm for 5 minutes.
- Prepare the Slaw: In a large bowl, place the broccoli slaw. In a separate smaller bowl, mix the mayonnaise, chipotle sauce, lime zest, and half of the lime juice. Pour this dressing over the slaw and toss to combine. Season with salt, pepper, and additional lime juice if needed.
- Remove the cooked chicken to a cutting board. Lower the heat under the skillet and continue to simmer the remaining juices until they reduce to a syrup-like consistency.
- Slice the chicken.
- Assemble the Tacos: Place the warm tortillas on plates. Add the sliced chicken down the middle of each tortilla and spoon some of the reduced sauce from the skillet over the top.
- Top the tacos with the fresh pineapple wedges, the prepared chipotle slaw, and fresh cilantro leaves.
- Serve immediately, with tortilla chips and salsa on the side if desired.
Notes
- This recipe uses a single skillet to cook the chicken and create the glaze, which simplifies the process and cleanup.
- Reducing the sauce in the pan after the chicken is removed concentrates the flavor into a delicious syrupy glaze.
- The broccoli slaw with the creamy chipotle dressing provides a cool and crunchy contrast to the warm, sweet and spicy chicken.
Find it online: https://cookupjoy.com/pineapple-chicken-tacos/