Lettuce Tacos with Chipotle Chicken and Pineapple

Chipotle Chicken and Pineapple Lettuce Tacos Recipe

Hello! We're going to prepare some incredible tacos that combine the best of two worlds: the crisp freshness of lettuce and a juicy chicken filling with the smoky touch of chipotle and the sweetness of pineapple. It's a light version, full of color, and perfect for when you want to eat well without feeling heavy. Let's get to work!

Preparation time

Getting organized is key in home cooking to enjoy the process. Here are the estimated times for you to plan your afternoon.

• Preparation: 20 minutes
• Cooking: 15 minutes
• Marinade: 30 minutes (recommended)
• Total: 1 hour and 5 minutes
• Servings: 4 people (3 tacos per person)
• Difficulty: Easy

Ingredients

To achieve those spicy flavors and sweet, so characteristic, we need fresh ingredients. Don't worry, everything can be found at your usual market or supermarket.

For the chicken and marinade

• 600 g boneless, skinless chicken thighs (they are juicier than breast)
• 3 chipotle peppers in adobo (canned)
• 2 tablespoons of the adobo sauce from the chipotles
• 2 cloves of garlic
• 1/4 white onion
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• Salt and black pepper to taste
• 2 tablespoons of vegetable or mild olive oil

For assembly and accompaniment

• 1 fresh honey pineapple (we will only use half a peeled and sliced pineapple)
• 12 lettuce leaves (Butter, Romaine or French according to your taste), washed and disinfected
• 1 ripe avocado
• 1/4 of red onion
• 1 small bunch of fresh cilantro
• Limes to taste

If it's difficult to find boneless thighs in your area, you can use chicken breast, although you'll need to monitor the cooking more closely to prevent it from drying out. If you prefer to avoid strong spice for children, reduce the amount of chipotle to just one or use a tamarind and chipotle sauce milder one as a final dressing instead of marinating everything. Also, if you're looking for a completely different variant in the future, you could try some Asian-style pork lettuce wraps, but today we will focus on our delicious Mexican version.

Utensils we will use

We don't need professional equipment for this Mexican food. With the basics from your kitchen, it's enough to achieve spectacular results.

• Small blender or food processor
• Large frying pan or griddle (if you have a grill, even better)
• Cutting board
• Chef's knife or well-sharpened knife
• Medium bowl for marinating
• Kitchen tongs (very useful for flipping the chicken and pineapple)
• Absorbent kitchen paper
• Platter or serving dish

Preparation

Follow these steps so that the chicken is infused with flavor and the pineapple gives it that perfect sweet contrast.

Prepare the marinade and chicken

1. Clean the chicken. Check the chicken thighs and remove any visible excess fat. Cut them into medium strips or cubes of approximately 2 to 3 centimeters. This will make them cook quickly and fit well in the lettuce leaf.
2. Make the sauce. In the blender cup, place the chipotle chilies, adobo sauce, peeled garlic cloves, piece of white onion, cumin, oregano, a generous pinch of salt and pepper. Process until you get a smooth and homogeneous paste.
3. Marinate. Place the chicken in the bowl and pour the chipotle mixture over it. Use a spoon or your (clean) hands to ensure each piece is well covered. Cover the bowl and let it rest in the refrigerator for at least 20 or 30 minutes. If you're in a hurry, use it directly, but resting improves the flavor.

Cooking the chicken and pineapple

1. Grill the pineapple. While the chicken rests, heat your pan or griddle over medium-high heat. Place the pineapple slices without oil. Leave them for about 3-4 minutes per side until you see golden or slightly charred marks (this is called tatemar and adds a lot of flavor). Remove and cut the pineapple into small cubes. Set aside.
2. Cook the chicken. In the same hot pan, add the two tablespoons of oil. Add the marinated chicken. Don't overcrowd it too much; if your pan is small, do it in two batches.
3. Sear and cook. Cook over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally for about 7 to 10 minutes, or until the chicken is well cooked through and has a reddish-golden color on the outside. The chipotle aroma will fill your kitchen.

Preparing the vegetables

1. Chop accompaniments. Finely chop the red onion into very small cubes (brunoise) and the cilantro. Cut the avocado into cubes or slices just before serving so it doesn't oxidize.
2. Prepare the lettuce. Make sure the lettuce leaves are super dry. If they have water, the taco will feel watery and the adobo will slip off. A lettuce spinner helps, or dry them carefully with paper towels.

To finish and serve

Bring everything to the table so everyone can assemble their tacos to their liking, or serve them already assembled. Take a lettuce leaf, place a generous portion of chipotle chicken in the center, add the grilled pineapple cubes on top, a little red onion, avocado, and finish with fresh cilantro. Squeeze a few drops of lime just before eating. Accompany it with a fresh drink; for example, this recipe goes wonderfully with a pineapple and ginger agua fresca to enhance the tropical flavors. Enjoy hot!

Nutritional Information

These values are estimates per serving (3 tacos) so you have a reference for your balanced diet.

• Calories: 320 kcal
• Proteins: 28 g
• Fats: 14 g
• Carbohydrates: 18 g
• Fiber: 5 g

Note: Values may vary depending on the size of the lettuce leaves and the amount of avocado you use.

5 keys to make it perfect

Sometimes the smallest details make a big difference between a good dish and a memorable one. Here I share my secrets for these tacos of chicken and lettuce.

1. Drying the lettuce is vital. I insist on this because it's the number one mistake. If the lettuce is wet, it dilutes the chicken sauce and the biting experience is unpleasant. Take the time to dry leaf by leaf with paper if necessary.
2. Don't overcrowd the pan. When cooking the chicken, we want it to brown and caramelize with the marinade, not boil in its own juices. If you put all the meat in at once, the temperature will drop and it will release water. It's better to do it in two batches to keep the heat high.
3. The pineapple's sweet spot. Raw pineapple is good, but roasted or charred pineapple is superior for tacos. The heat caramelizes its natural sugars and reduces acidity, creating a perfect balance with the chipotle's spiciness.
4. Use thighs, not breast (if you can). Although breast is leaner, it tends to dry out quickly. Thigh meat withstands direct heat better and stays juicy, which is ideal for tacos where we don't have a tortilla to absorb juices. If you use breast, don't overcook it.
5. The creamy accompaniment. The chipotle's spiciness calls for something unctuous to balance it. Avocado is king here, but if you want to elevate it, a good classic guacamole never fails and provides that smooth texture that contrasts with the crispy lettuce.

When is it ideal to enjoy it?

This healthy recipe it's incredibly versatile. It's my favorite option for summer dinners when it's hot and you don't want to eat heavy flours, but you do want something with character and flavor. It also works perfectly as a recovery lunch after training, thanks to the chicken protein and the lightness of the lettuce.

If you have a family gathering, you can place all the ingredients in bowls in the center of the table «buffet» style and let everyone assemble their own tacos. It's fun and takes pressure off the cook. Even for a night of Mexican cravings where you want to watch your figure but without losing the festive essence, these tacos are the solution. If you have leftover ingredients, the marinated chicken is also excellent for preparing other dishes the next day, similar to how meat is reused in some tacos al pastor traditional ones, but in a quick homemade version.

Comparison table

There are many taco variations and sometimes we get confused about which one to prepare depending on the occasion. Here I compare this recipe with other popular options so you can choose the best one.

Frequently asked questions

Share your experience

Cooking is for experimenting and sharing. I would love to know how these tacos turned out for you. Did you add any special touch? Perhaps a little more spice or changed the fruit? Leave your comment and share your own little tricks! It makes me very happy to read how everyone adds their personal seasoning to the recipe.

Culinary glossary

So you can move like a fish in water in the kitchen, here I explain some terms we used today:

• Tatemar: Mexican technique that consists of roasting ingredients (like pineapple or chilies) directly over fire or on a comal until they are browned and have black parts. It provides a delicious smoky flavor.
• Brunoise: It is a cut of vegetables into very small and uniform cubes, about 2 to 3 mm. We use it for the onion so that it is well distributed in each bite without dominating.
• Marinade: Sauce or mixture of chilies, spices, vinegar and/or oil where raw meat is submerged to give it flavor and preserve it. In this case, we use the one from chipotles.
• Reserve: It means to set an ingredient or preparation aside (in a plate or bowl) to use it in a later step of the recipe.
• Sear: To cook meat over high heat briefly to brown the surface, creating a flavorful crust and retaining the juices inside.