Grilled Chicken al Pastor Skewers with Charred Pineapple Salsa

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 lb boneless skinless chicken thighs, cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces
• 2 cup fresh pineapple chunks, divided
• 3 chipotle peppers in adobo, plus 1 tbsp of the adobo sauce
• 3 cloves garlic, peeled
• 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
• 1 tbsp honey
• 1 tbsp smoked paprika
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 1 1/2 tsp kosher salt, divided
• 2 thick slices fresh pineapple, about 1/2 inch each, for the salsa
• 1 tbsp neutral oil, for brushing
• 1/2 red onion, finely diced
• 1/4 cup cilantro, chopped
• 2 limes, 1 juiced and 1 cut into wedges
• 8 corn tortillas, warmed, for serving

Steps

1. 1

   Blend the marinade. Add 1 cup of the pineapple chunks, the chipotles and adobo sauce, garlic, vinegar, honey, smoked paprika, cumin, oregano, and 1 teaspoon of the salt to a blender and blend until completely smooth. It should be brick red and smell like it means business.

2. 2

   Toss the chicken with the marinade in a bowl and refrigerate for 20 to 30 minutes, but no longer than an hour. Fresh pineapple carries enzymes that tenderize the meat, which is the whole point, but past an hour they stop tenderizing and start dissolving.

3. 3

   If you are using wooden skewers, soak them in water for at least 20 minutes. Heat an outdoor grill or cast-iron grill pan to high, around 450°F, so the sugars in the marinade char instead of steam.

4. 4

   While the grill heats, make the salsa. Brush the pineapple slices with the oil and grill them 2 to 3 minutes per side until deeply charred with dark grill marks. Dice them small and toss with the red onion, cilantro, lime juice, and the remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt. Set it aside; it gets better as it sits.

5. 5

   Thread the chicken onto skewers, shaking off excess marinade so it chars rather than drips. Grill 10 to 12 minutes, turning every 3 minutes or so, until the edges are blackened in spots and the thickest piece reads 165°F.

6. 6

   Warm the tortillas on the grill or in a dry skillet for about 20 seconds per side, just until pliable with a little toast on them.

7. 7

   Slide the chicken off the skewers straight into the tortillas, pile on the charred pineapple salsa, and finish with a squeeze of lime. Or serve the skewers whole on a platter with the salsa spooned over. Either way, do not skip the lime.