Pineapple Chicken Tacos with Charred Glaze
By Isabella Quinn
Servings
4
Level
Easy
Pat the chicken dry and brown all over in a heavy pan before adding honey․ Caramelize and thicken the glaze over lower heat for 45 to 60 seconds․ The pineapple salsa will stick to the glaze-coated chicken․ The chicken will be opaque in the center and have a smoky‚ spiced coating from the glaze․
Wait for the olive oil to shimmer before adding the chicken․ Cook the chicken for 3 to 4 minutes without moving it․ I use a cast-iron skillet for this recipe‚ but you can also use stainless steel․ If your skillet is too small to cook all the chicken at once without crowding‚ cook the chicken in two batches․ Crowding the skillet keeps moisture from evaporating and lowers the skillet's temperature‚ causing the chicken to steam instead of fry․
Cubing the pineapple and mincing the onion will save you work at the end; make the salsa while you cook other things․ Lime juice in the salsa helps take the raw edge off the onion․ A seeded jalapeno will add some spice to the salsa‚ and sweet pineapple and glaze will temper the spice․ Cutting the pineapple in large pieces is discouraged because the pieces may fall out when eating tacos․
Heat tortillas in a dry skillet until they are soft and warm․ Cover tortillas with a clean cloth․ Serve tacos topped with glazed chicken and salsa․ Add lime wedges and chopped cilantro to the serving platter․ Dishes that go well with tacos include coconut pineapple rice․ A heartier accompaniment to tacos is Asian coleslaw․
Why you'll love this recipe
- Dry chicken pieces and oil help the chicken brown rather than cook in liquid․
- Cooking the first side for 3 to 4 minutes browns it before you turn the pieces over․
- The temperature of the plate drops when honey is added‚ but the glaze clings to the plate during its brief 45 to 60 second cook․
- Warm tortillas bend around more stuffing than cold corn tortillas‚ which are fragile․
- Salsa rests while the chicken cooks to reduce the onion flavor with lime juice․
- A heavy bottom skillet keeps the heat while you add chicken; cooking two batches of chicken will help․
Ingredients
- •1 lb boneless skinless chicken breast (diced into bite-sized pieces, 450 g)
- •1 cup fresh yellow pineapple (precisely diced, 150 g)
- •¼ cup red onion (finely minced, 40 g)
- •1 medium green jalapeno (seeded and minced)
- •¼ cup fresh cilantro leaves (chopped, 15 g, plus extra leaves for garnish)
- •6 small soft corn tortillas
- •1 lime (for the salsa juice)
- •2 fresh lime wedges (for serving)
- •1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil (15 ml)
- •1 tbsp honey (15 ml)
- •1 tsp chili powder (5 g)
- •½ tsp smoked paprika (2.5 g)
- •1 tsp kosher salt (5 g)
- •salt (small pinch for the salsa)
Instructions
- 1
Combine the diced pineapple, minced red onion, jalapeno, chopped cilantro, juice of half a lime, and a small pinch of salt in a medium glass or ceramic bowl. Toss gently and let the salsa stand at room temperature while you prepare the chicken.
- 2
Pat the diced chicken completely dry with a paper towel. Add it to a mixing bowl with the chili powder, smoked paprika, and kosher salt, then toss until coated. Let it sit for about 5 minutes.
- 3
Heat a heavy-bottomed skillet over medium-high heat. Add the olive oil once the pan is hot and wait until it shimmers. Add the chicken in one even layer, cooking in two batches if needed. Leave it undisturbed for 3 to 4 minutes, then flip and cook for an additional 3 minutes, until opaque in the center.
- 4
Reduce the heat to medium-low and drizzle the honey over the cooked chicken. Toss continuously for 45 to 60 seconds as the honey bubbles and clings to the meat. Remove the skillet from the heat when the edges are dark and sticky, then transfer the chicken to a clean plate.
- 5
Heat a dry skillet over medium heat. Warm the corn tortillas one or two at a time for about 30 seconds per side, until pliable and fragrant. Wrap the warmed tortillas in a clean kitchen towel.
- 6
Arrange three tortillas on each plate. Fill them with the glazed chicken and pineapple salsa, then serve with the lime wedges and scattered cilantro leaves.
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