Name: Chicken Al Pastor Bowl
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 215 min
Ingredients: 2 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs; 1 packet Sazon Achiote; 1 teaspoon minced garlic; 1/2 teaspoon chipotle chili powder; 1 cup orange juice; 1/2 Tablespoon brown sugar; 1/2 large white onion (sliced); 1/2 large pineapple (cut into small chunks, about 2.5 cups); 3 cups cooked rice; 2 15-ounce cans black beans (drained and heated); 1/2 cup chopped cilantro; 1 medium lime (quartered)

Jump to Recipe
Ingredients
How to Make Them
Tips
Make It Tacos!
Meal Prep Instructions
Storing

The Perfect Chicken Al Pastor Recipe

You guys love making my bowl recipes like my Hot Honey Chicken Bowls or Taco Bowl Recipe, but if you want something new and fun with punchy summer flavors these Chicken Al Pastor Bowls check every box and then some! Al Pastor is typically made with pork, but this easy one-pan meal has juicy chicken thighs and is gluten-free and dairy-free. You’ll love the sweet and spicy flavor combo, too!

Enjoy this recipe with a Strawberry Lime Mocktail Margarita!

Why You’ll Love This Al Pastor Chicken Recipe

Simple – Using 1 sheet pan and basic ingredients these sweet and spicy chicken Al Pastor bowls have impressive flavor with very little effort!
Healthy – These bowls leave you satisfied and fueled since they’re high in protein and filled with nutritious ingredients.
Tasty – The yummy spice flavors are balanced by the sweet pineapple, giving that signature Al Pastor taste!
Quick – Once the chicken is marinated, everything cooks in just 30 minutes! I love meals that are healthy, fast, and perfect for busy weeknights.

Chicken Al Pastor Bowl Ingredients

Chicken Al Pastor Marinade

Chicken Thighs – Chicken thighs are so tasty in this recipe, but you can absolutely swap them for thinly cut chicken breasts instead. You can also use your favorite plant-based protein like firm tofu. Shrimp would also be good, but only marinate the shrimp for 30 minutes, instead of 3 hours.
Sazon Achiote – This product creates the unique flavors that Al Pastor is known for. Find it in your local grocery store in the Mexican food aisle or order it online! Made from annatto seeds, it adds a peppery and earthy flavor that you’ll love. If you can’t find it, you can substitute it with 2 teaspoons of smoked paprika and 1 teaspoon of salt.
Garlic and Chipotle Chili Powder – Add flavor and spice to the marinade! Chipotle chili powder can vary in spiciness so feel free to adjust the amount to the spice level you prefer.
Orange Juice – The OJ in this marinade not only makes the chicken so tender, but it also adds a tart citrusy flavor that is a perfect match for the spicy, smoky chipotle chili powder.
Brown Sugar – Rounding out the flavor, toning down the spice, and just making everything taste better, the brown sugar is a low-key hero in the Al Pastor marinade. You can also use coconut sugar!

Bowl Ingredients

White Onion – Traditionally served with Al Pastor, the white onions have the perfect crisp sweetness for this bowl.
Pineapple – Also traditionally served with Al Pastor, the pineapple is a fresh and bright sweetness that is so good with the spicy chicken. You can use canned pineapple in place of the fresh, just make sure to drain the juice well before putting it on the sheet pan.
Rice – Any rice of your choice would work for Chicken Al Pastor Bowls. You can also substitute the rice with your favorite grain like quinoa or low-carb cauliflower rice.
Black Beans – I love adding black beans to Mexican-inspired recipes! You can substitute with your favorite beans or omit them altogether.
Cilantro – Fresh cilantro is perfect as a topping on Chicken Al Pastor. The fresh, bright herby flavor is so good.
Lime – Don’t skip this! Just a little drizzle of fresh lime juice adds just the right touch.

Ingredients for Chicken Al Pastor Bowls recipe.

How to Make Al Pastor Chicken

How to Make Chicken Al Pastor Marinade

Whisk together all of the marinade ingredients.
Pour the marinade over the chicken and marinate in the fridge for 3 hours (or up to overnight)!

Making Mexican Chicken Bowls

Preheat the oven and prepare a sheet pan.
Place the sliced onions and pineapple on the sheet pan and top with the chicken.
Bake for 15 minutes.
While the chicken is baking, pour the remaining marinade into a saucepan and bring it to a boil. Boil for 5 minutes then reduce the heat and simmer until the bowls are ready.
After 15 minutes, flip the chicken and stir the pineapple and onions. Bake for another 10 minutes.
Broil for 5 minutes and then remove the sheet pan from the oven.
Cut up the chicken and return it to the sheet pan.
Assemble the bowls with rice, chicken, pineapple, onions, beans, cilantro, lime juice, and a drizzle of the simmered marinade.
Serve and enjoy!

Tips for Making Al Pastor Chicken

Prep and Marinate the Chicken Early – The longer the chicken thighs marinate, the better the flavor. I like to whip up the marinade the night before, add the chicken, and toss it in the fridge. Then when it’s time for dinner, the chicken is ready to pop in the oven and dinner is ready in just 30 minutes!

Cover Your Sheet Pan for Quick Clean-Up – Cover your sheet pan in aluminum foil and it’ll cut down on the clean-up job!

Chop Ingredients into Bite-Sized Pieces – Bowl meals are meant to be enjoyed, so cut the chicken and pineapple into smaller sizes that are bite-sized!

Broil for Longer for More Browning – In the instructions for this recipe, I broiled the chicken at the end of the baking time for 5 minutes. Thankfully, chicken thighs stay tender and juicy even when overbaked a bit, so feel free to broil the chicken for a few more minutes if you want them more brown or to have some charred bits!

Chicken thighs marinating in al pastor sauce.

Ways to Use Al Pastor Chicken

Make It Tacos!

Chicken Al Pastor is often served as tacos. I love my meals bowl-style but sometimes that taco craving hits! Marinate and bake the chicken, onions, and pineapple following the same directions. Warm whole wheat or corn tortillas and fill them with the chicken mixture. Top the chicken Al pastor tacos with this delicious cilantro lime sauce.

Meal Prep Chicken Bowls

Easy meal prep these chicken bowls by cooking the al pastor chicken according to the recipe below. Divide into 6 meal prep containers along with cooked rice, black beans, and chopped cilantro. Store them in the fridge for 3-5 days. When ready to enjoy, add fresh lettuce, avocado, lime juice, and regular or vegan sour cream!

Serving Suggestions

These bowls are honestly great and complete on their own, but there are so many ways to take this Chicken Al Pastor recipe up a notch! Here are a few ways to serve them:

Build Your Own Bowls: Keep each component separate and let your guests or family build their own bowls!
Salads: Add a salad on a the side or mix-in chopped spinach to turn these bowls into salads.
Roasted Veggies: Serve these bowls with roasted zucchini or yucca fries for a yummy meal.

How to Store and Reheat

Store these healthy chicken bowls in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-5 days or in the freezer for 1-2 months. For best results, allow the frozen bowls to thaw in the refrigerator overnight before reheating them in the microwave.

More Healthy Mexican Meals

Close up of Chicken Al Pastor in a bowl.

More Bowl Recipes You’ll Love

Want to save this recipe? Enter your email below and I’ll send the recipe to your inbox. Plus you’ll get new healthy recipes every week!

Chicken Al Pastor Bowls

Table of Contents

The Perfect Chicken Al Pastor Recipe

Why You’ll Love This Al Pastor Chicken Recipe