The BEST Way to Make Chicken Al Pastor At Home—No Vertical Spit Necessary!
It’s no secret that we love tacos here at Plays Well With Butter. Over the years, I’ve become obsessed with recreating the mouthwatering flavors of my favorite taqueria tacos right in my own kitchen.
One of my go-to tricks? Using a trusty sheet pan to bake my taco fillings. This method lets you roast everything in the oven and then give it a quick crisp under the broiler. It’s how we’ve made amazing chicken carnitas, pollo verde, and chicken fajitas at home—no fancy equipment needed!
So when it came to developing a Chicken Al Pastor recipe that rivals my favorite restaurant version, I knew this sheet pan method was the way to go.
The chicken, soaks in a homemade al pastor marinade before it bakes on a single sheet pan along with sweet pineapple, turns out completely juicy and tender. A quick broil gives it a crispy, caramelized finish that’s absolutely irresistible.
Homemade chicken al pastor?! Taco Tuesday will never be the same.
Maximum Flavor, Minimal Effort
3 foolproof secrets to low-fuss, flavor-packed dinners, learned from years working in restaurants.
Blend Up A Homemade Al Pastor Marinade
At the heart of this chicken pastor is an irresistible homemade al pastor marinade.
Made with just 10 simple ingredients in less than a minute (thanks to a blender!), the marinade is what gives the signature flavor and brilliant color of traditional al pastor to the chicken.
Achiote Paste
Achiote, made with ground annatto seeds, is a common ingredient in Mexican and Central American cuisine. It adds an earthy, slightly bitter in flavor and vibrant color to al pastor, which is why I love using it in this recipe. You can find achiote as a ground seasoning or paste at your local Mexican market or online. For more details, check the Recipe Notes below!
You will also need…
- Orange juice and brown sugar – For a nice sweetness in the marinade that helps create crispy, caramelly edges as the chicken pastor cooks.
- Apple cider vinegar – Just a splash, which helps offset the sweetness of the OJ and brown sugar.
- Aromatics – Namely fresh garlic, chipotle peppers, ancho chili powder, cumin, and dried oregano.
Marinade Time
The chicken can soak in the al pastor marinade for at least 6 hours and no more than 3 days.
Taco Night Necessities
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Buy Now →How to Make Chicken al Pastor, Sheet Pan-Style!
Aside from the richly flavored al pastor marinade, the other kinda magical part of this chicken pastor recipe is that it’s a sheet pan recipe.
The chicken bakes until juicy and tender, then your oven’s broiler does its magic, creating crispy, caramelized bits that mimic street cart-style al pastor tacos. It is so good, and it couldn’t be easier!
Place marinated chicken on a quarter baking sheet, then drain and discard any excess marinade. Why? ⇢ Too much moisture can lead to steaming the chicken rather than roasting and will prevent the crispy texture we’re after. Lastly, pile on a few cups of finely diced pineapple, stirring to lightly coat it in the marinade.
Pop the pan in the oven and bake until the chicken is just nearly cooked through. It takes about 15-18 minutes depending on the thickness of your chicken.
Dice the chicken into bite-sized pieces. Pro Tip! ⇢ I like to go for a really fine dice, matching the size of the finely diced pineapple. This makes it a little bit easier to stuff the chicken al pastor into tortillas!
Place the diced chicken back on the sheet pan with the pineapple and broil it for a few minutes, until the edges of the chicken and pineapple are beautifully browned and crispy. Seriously the easiest al pastor ever!
No Broiler? Try the Grill!
If you do not have a broiler in your oven (or if you don’t feel like turning on your oven for dinner), you can also create a similar smoky, crispy, caramelized effect using grill or grill pan. Grill the al pastor chicken for 5-6 minutes per side, until cooked through. Easy!
Serving Suggestions and Toppings
Use your chicken al pastor to create any of your favorite Mexican and Tex-Mex dishes at home—chicken al pastor tacos, burritos, burrito bowls, taco salads, nachos, tostadas…you name it!
No matter how you serve it be sure to load up on your favorite toppings! Here are a few ideas to get you started…
- Fresh veggies – Thinly sliced jalapeno, finely diced white onion or pickled red onions, matchstick radishes, etc.
- Queso fresco or shredded pepper jack, or sour cream or yogurt for extra tang. If you want a fun dairy-free sauce, try one of our three varieties of cashew crema!
- Salsa for a touch of added heat or mashed avocado, or a big ol’ dollop of guacamole for cool creaminess!
- Loads of fresh lime juice and finely chopped cilantro.
I’m seriously so excited for you to try this easy Chicken al Pastor recipe. If you do, be sure to let me know! Leave a comment with a star rating below. You can also snap a photo and tag @playswellwithbutter on Instagram. We LOVE seeing your PWWB creations! Happy cooking! ♡
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Sheet Pan Chicken al Pastor (for Tacos, Burritos, and More!)
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Total Time: 40 minutes
- Yield: serves 4
- Category: Tacos, Burritos & Enchiladas Recipes, Main Dishes
- Method: Sheet Pan, Baked
- Cuisine: Mexican & Tex-Mex
- Diet: Gluten Free
Description
Sheet Pan Chicken al Pastor! Made with an earthy, citrusy and sweet al pastor marinade and baked on a sheet pan with pineapple until completely juicy and tender. Finish under the broiler for a craveable crisp and caramelly finish. Great for chicken al pastor tacos, burritos, burrito bowls, nachos, and more. Easy, fast, flavorful and versatile!
Ingredients
- 1 ½ pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs (see Recipe Notes)
- ½ yellow onion, thinly sliced
- al pastor marinade, below
- 2 cups finely diced pineapple
- for serving, as desired: charred corn tortillas, cilantro lime rice, black beans, Mexican crema or cashew crema, pickled red onions, freshly chopped cilantro, queso fresco or cheese of choice, salsa of choice, lime wedges, etc.
for the al pastor marinade:
- 3 cloves garlic
- 2–3 chipotle peppers, from a can packed in adobo sauce
- ½ cup orange juice
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar (or honey, or agave)
- 1 tablespoon achiote paste (see Recipe Notes)
- 1 tablespoon ancho chili powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt
Instructions
- Prep the al pastor marinade and marinate the chicken: Add all listed marinade ingredients to a blender. Blend until combined. Add the chicken thighs and thinly sliced yellow onion to a large bowl. Pour the al pastor marinade over top and toss to combine. Marinate in the refrigerator (covered) for at least 6 hours or up to 3 days.
- Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F, arranging the oven racks such that one is in the center of the oven and one is 6-8 inches under the broil. Line a large rimmed baking sheet with foil for easy clean up, as desired, and set aside.
- Bake the chicken: Transfer the marinated chicken and onions to the prepared baking sheet, draining and any excess marinade. Add the diced pineapple to the baking sheet. Toss to combine with the chicken and onions, spooning a little extra al pastor marinade into the mix as necessary to coat the pineapple with the sauce. Bake on the center rack for 15 minutes. The chicken should be nearly cooked through. Remove the chicken from the oven to chop, and meanwhile preheat the broiler.
- Dice the chicken al pastor: Transfer the chicken to a cutting board and carefully chop the chicken into bite-sized pieces. Place the chopped chicken pastor back on the baking sheet.
- Broil for crispy chicken al pastor: Place the baking sheet under the broiler. Broil 4-5 minutes, turning the pan halfway through, until the al pastor chicken are browned and slightly crisp.
- Serve: Place the crispy chicken pastor in tortillas for tacos or a bowl with rice and beans for burrito bowls, finishing with your favorite taco night toppings of choice: sour cream/Mexican crema, pickled red onions, cilantro, etc. Enjoy!
Notes
- Can I use boneless, skinless chicken breasts instead? Yes. I prefer using chicken thighs in this recipe since they’re flavorful and stay really nice and juicy through roasting + broiling, but you can swap them out with breasts if you prefer. Either pound the breasts out flat or cut them in half lengthwise (butterflied) to ensure they roast up evenly. Skip broiling (Step 5), as the breast meat will dry out.
- What is Achiote paste? Achiote is a seasoning commonly used in Mexican and Central American cuisine. Achiote is made with ground annatto seed, which is earthy and bitter in flavor and gives traditional al pastor (in my experience) its signature flavor and color. You’ll most commonly find achiote available as a ground seasoning or as a paste, both of which you can easily find at your local Mexican market. It’s also readily available online.
- Storage and freezing: Leftover chicken al pastor will keep, stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator, for up to 4 days. It’s also a wonderful freezer staple since you can easily thaw it out and use it on tacos, nachos, taco salads, burrito bowls, etc. for an easy dinner down the road. To freeze, transfer cooled chicken al pastor to a freezer bag or container. (These are my absolute favorite!) Freeze for up to 3 months. Defrost by placing in the refrigerator overnight to thaw, or by submerging the freezer bag/container in room temp water for 20-25 minutes.
- 15-Minute Meal Prep: Nearly all of the active prep work for this sheet pan chicken comes from prepping the marinade and chopping the onion/pineapple. Get it all done in advance to get a head start on your chicken al pastor—it’ll take 15 minutes, tops:
- Thinly slice ½ yellow onion, storing in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
- Peel, core and finely dice 1 pineapple, storing in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. You’ll need 2 cups diced for your chicken al pastor. You can use the rest in other dishes or for snacking throughout the week, or freeze for later.
- Prep the marinade according to Step 1 of Recipe Directions, above. Store in a jar or airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Marinate the chicken and onion for at least 6 hours prior to cooking or up to 3 days.
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I found that the fresh pineapple kept leeching its liquid into the pan – I had to ladle out the juice 3 times during the baking process. But in the end it was quite tasty.
That can definitely happen! But so glad to hear you loved the chicken!
Delicious! I used chicken breasts (scored them on both sides so the marinade would really soak in) and grilled them, along with half an onion and the pineapple. And then I chopped everything up and mixed it all together. The char from the grill was great! My son said they were better than chipotle. 🙂
Better than Chipotle is the highest compliment!! So happy to hear your family loved this chicken as much as we do!
Absolutely delicious! Made it today in my Ninja Combi.
So happy to hear you enjoyed it, Ranee!
I also shared it on a FB Ninja Combi group.
Thanks so much for sharing, Ranee!
Yum, yum, YUM! My husband said this is one of the best things I’ve ever cooked; neither of us wanted to put our forks down haha! I was worried about the spice level for my toddler so I only used 1 chipotle, but I think it was definitely a little lacking as a result. I’ll definitely do 2 chiles next time!
Hi Mary, so happy to hear that you and your family enjoyed the Chicken al Pastor! We definitely recommend 2-3 chiles for a bigger pop of flavor. Thanks for the review! 🙂
thank you for sharing. i will try it this weekend
Make sure to let us know what you think! 🙂
I made this for a party yesterday. It was soooooo good. Heads up, it is a bit spicy, but oh my goodness delicious. Will make again. Excellent with fresh pineapple salsa
Hi Kathrine, so happy to hear that these tacos were a hit for your party! The fresh pineapple salsa sound like a perfect addition, too! 🙂
Making these tonight for the 1st time and they already look soooo good.
This is literally the best thing I’ve ever made. This is soooo delicious with a crispy corn tortilla and cilantro. Honestly its amazing by itself too. The recipe was easy to follow, quick, and fun.
Such high praise! Thank you so much, Lindsay, we’re so happy to hear you loved this chicken!
Tried this yesterday and it came out GREAT! Made Cilantro Lime Rice to go with it. This recipe is definitely a keeper and one I will make often!
Thanks so much for the kind review, Sharon! So glad to hear you loved the chicken!
This recipe is dynamite!! Chipotle just came out with al pastor chicken, and ever since trying it, I knew I had to make it. This recipe is incredible and blows Chiptoles chicken out of the park. I easily found the achiote paste at a local Mexican grocery store and it was well worth the trip. This will be a regular recipe made in my household. Thanks for sharing!!
“Better than Chipotle” is the absolute highest praise! So glad you enjoyed the al pastor, Olivia!! 🙂
I made this for Cinco de Mayo; and, it was awesome. I do try to cook/make an assortment of Mexican/Hispanic dishes throughout the year for something different on my plate. This is the first time I ever tried Chicken al Pastor. It won’t be the last. I made tacos with it which included toppings of pico de gallo, sour cream, lettuce and queso fresco.
Now for the answer to a couple of questions I noticed under comments. If you cannot find achiote paste, the best powdered seasoning to use is Sazon Goya seasoing with culiandro and annato(corriander and achiote). The seasoning comes in individual packets that season enough dishes for 2-4 people per pack. So, if you are making this dish for two, you use one packet of seasoning.
Thanks.
Hi Eric, so glad to hear you loved the chicken al pastor!!
Can you use pineapple juice instead of orange juice?
Hi Antonia! We like the natural sweetness in orange juice and have never tested pineapple juice but it should work. Please be sure to use canned pineapple juice as fresh pineapple juice has enzymes that will break down protein like chicken & will not be suitable for the marinade time required for the recipe. Hope that helps & let us know if you give it a try!
Excited to try this. Do you think the marinade would do well with cauliflower or mushrooms instead of chicken? Looking for a non-meat option if possible.
Hi Kim! Cauliflower & mushrooms should work well with this al pastor marinade you’d may want to adjust the oven temperature slightly & vegetable roasting times & watch carefully to make sure the veggies don’t get too crisp but the texture you should be able to achieve with cauliflower & mushrooms (or even sweet potatoes!) would be a great non-meat option. Let us know if you need additional guidance & if you give it a try!
Hi! Can I use frozen pineapple (thawed) for this recipe?
Hi Dana! Thawed from frozen pineapple should work just fine, just be sure to drain off any excess liquid from the thawing process & you should be good to go!
Awesome, thanks for the quick response! Also – we can only find achiote powder at our local store (no paste) – can we use that instead?
Hi Dana! You’re so welcome! In regards to the achiote substitute, we’ve never tested this recipe with achiote powder but can recommend another quick achiote paste substitute that uses pantry ingredients here. Let us know how it goes!
I love traditional al pastor but I don’t tend to make pork at home so I was so excited to try this chicken version. I made these for New Year’s Eve and they were a huge hit! So flavorful! The best part was that most of the work is done in advance (and it’s so easy) so it’s great for having people over. For taco toppings I had fresh jalapeños, cilantro, sour cream, tomatillo salsa, guacamole and pickled red onions. I am definitely making these again soon!
Sounds like an epic taco feast, Lauren! I’m so glad you enjoyed & happy to hear that you’re going to make them again soon. Happy cooking! xx
I never ever ever thought I would like pineapple on tacos but after trying this recipe I clearly thought wrong. The flavor is incredible and sticking the chicken back in the oven after dicing it really gives it extra flavor and texture. Keeping this recipe bookmarked!
I can’t find achiote paste but I can get the achiote powder. Would I still use 1 Tbsp?
Hi Greg! We’ve never tested this recipe with achiote powder but can recommend another quick achiote paste substitute that uses pantry ingredients here. Let us know how it goes!
I want to take a bath in this marinade. I was SHOCKED at how delicious the marinade smelled in my blender as soon as it was thrown together. Instant flavor that will make your mouth water. Waiting for the chicken to marinade is the ultimate test of patience!
Omg! I have not made this yet but I did just make your Cauliflower sweet potato black bean tacos! With that amazing sauce! I do not know you, but you are my new favorite person! Where have you been my entire life 😂 I’m soo glad I found your recipes! Truly amazing! This one is getting made next ❤️
Hi Shelly! Thank you so much for checking out PWWB & trying our recipes – it means so much! We agree the Chipotle Lime Crema is a total game changer! Let us know how things go with the Chicken al Pastor & also be sure to check out our other easy cashew crema recipes here!
Hey Jess! What would you say the slickness level is on these? Kid friendly? I’ve never used achiote. 🙂 Thanks!!
Hey Kristin! I wouldn’t say these are spicy as much as they are spiced, if that distinction makes sense. Achiote is mild, but has a real earthy quality. If your kids have somewhat adventurous palettes or they like Mexican food, it would be worth a try! If not, leave theirs plainer & make a fun meal for the adults with the marinade. Or, you can try these sheet pan chicken carnitas, which has a really similar preparation & likely a more kid-friendly flavor profile.
So delicious Jess! We made these last night and loved them. We had pickled red onions and some cotija cheese to top our taco’s with and it was a delicious combo. Will definitely be making these again soon!
I’m SO glad to hear it!!! Pickled red onions & cotija cheese are the perfect toppings, too. Thanks for leaving a comment, Rebecca! xx