Chicken and Pineapple Tacos (Printable Version)
A quick, flavorful mix of spiced chicken and pineapple in one pan, perfect for tacos.
# What You Need:
→ Poultry
01 - 1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs, diced
→ Produce
02 - 1 cup fresh pineapple, diced (or drained canned pineapple)
03 - 1 medium red onion, thinly sliced
04 - 1 red bell pepper, sliced
05 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
06 - 1 jalapeño, deseeded and chopped (optional)
07 - Juice of 1 lime
08 - 1 small bunch cilantro, chopped
→ Pantry & Spices
09 - 2 tbsp olive oil
10 - 1 ½ tsp ground cumin
11 - 1 ½ tsp chili powder
12 - 1 tsp smoked paprika
13 - ½ tsp garlic powder
14 - ½ tsp salt
15 - ¼ tsp black pepper
16 - 8 small corn or flour tortillas
→ To Serve (Optional)
17 - Diced avocado
18 - Crumbled queso fresco or shredded cheese
19 - Extra lime wedges
# Directions:
01 - Toss diced chicken with cumin, chili powder, smoked paprika, garlic powder, salt, and black pepper in a large bowl until evenly coated.
02 - Heat olive oil in a large skillet or sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add seasoned chicken and cook for 5–6 minutes until it starts to brown.
03 - Add onion, bell pepper, jalapeño, and garlic to the pan. Sauté for 3–4 minutes until vegetables are just tender.
04 - Stir in diced pineapple and cook for another 5 minutes, allowing the fruit to caramelize slightly.
05 - Squeeze in lime juice and add half the chopped cilantro. Toss everything together to combine flavors.
06 - Warm tortillas in the pan for 30 seconds per side or in the microwave wrapped in a towel.
07 - Fill each tortilla with the chicken-pineapple mixture. Top with avocado, cheese, cilantro, and extra lime as desired. Serve immediately.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- You get that sweet and smoky street taco vibe without making a mess of multiple pots and pans.
- The pineapple caramelizes in the pan creating a natural sticky glaze that you just cannot buy in a jar.
02 -
- Do not crowd the pan too much or the chicken will steam instead of sear, losing that desired texture.
- Let the pineapple sit undisturbed for a minute so it actually caramelizes instead of just boiling in the juices.
03 -
- If you have time, marinate the chicken in the spices for an hour before cooking for deeper flavor penetration.
- Use a cast iron skillet if you have one to hold the heat steady and get the best sear.