Gluten Free Chicken Tacos al Pastor Style
Smoky, citrusy, and deeply savory, these tacos bring the bold soul of al pastor to your kitchen using chicken thighs and a marinade built from rehydrated guajillo and ancho chiles, pineapple juice, achiote, and a handful of warm spices. The result is that signature sweet-heat depth you'd expect from a taqueria, minus any of the wheat-based ingredients that can sneak into marinades and sauces. Corn tortillas are naturally gluten free, so the whole build — from the chile-rubbed chicken to the fresh pineapple, white onion, and cilantro on top — stays clean without any substitutions or workarounds. Patting the marinated chicken dry before it hits the pan is the small step that makes a big difference, giving you those gorgeous charred edges instead of a steamed, pale result. A squeeze of lime over the finished tacos ties everything together and cuts right through the richness of the thighs. This recipe serves four, making it a solid weeknight dinner or a low-effort spread for friends who eat gluten free and everyone else at the table too.
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Learn more →Ingredients
4 servings
For the marinade
- 2 dried guajillo chiles, stemmed and seeded
- 1 dried ancho chile, stemmed and seeded
- ½ cup pineapple juice
- 3 tbsp white vinegar
- 3 cloves garlic
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- ½ tsp ground achiote (annatto)
- 1 tsp salt
- ¼ tsp black pepper
For the chicken
- 2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken thighs
- 1 tbsp neutral oil (such as avocado or canola oil)
For serving
- 8–12 small corn tortillas
- 1 cup fresh pineapple, cut into small dice
- ½ white onion, finely diced
- ½ cup fresh cilantro leaves
- 2 limes, cut into wedges
- salsa verde or hot sauce, for serving (optional)
Instructions
- 1
Place the guajillo and ancho chiles in a small saucepan and cover with 1 cup of water. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then remove from the heat and let the chiles soak for 10 minutes, until softened and pliable.
- 2
Drain the chiles and transfer them to a blender. Add the pineapple juice, white vinegar, garlic, cumin, oregano, smoked paprika, achiote, salt, and black pepper. Blend on high until completely smooth, about 1 minute.
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