All Purpose Al Pastor Marinade

Al Pastor Marinade in a mason jar with a spoon being held with marinade.

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Introducing my go-to All-Purpose Al Pastor Marinade recipe—a zesty, spicy blend with a citrusy kick from orange juice, a punch of garlic, and a fiery heat from chipotle peppers. It’s perfect for marinating your favorite meats like chicken, and it comes together in just 5 minutes! Completely Gluten-free + Dairy-free.

Prep Time5

Total Time5

Course: Main Course

Keyword: chipotle, dinner, easy, essentials, family-friendly, marinade, sauce, smoky

Servings: cups

Calories: 543kcal

Author: Shanika

Ingredients

MARINADE:

3 garlic cloves
3 chipotle peppers from can in adobo sauce
½ cup orange juice, homemade or store-bought
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
2 Tbsps raw organic honey (You can sub with maple syrup or Agave)
1 tablespoon achiote paste (You can find this on my Amazon Shop)
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon dried oregano
salt + black pepper, to taste

CHICKEN:

2 lbs. organic chicken breasts

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

TO MAKE THE AL PASTOR MARINADE:

Add the garlic cloves, chipotle peppers, orange juice, apple cider vinegar, honey, achiote paste, chili powder, cumin, oregano, salt, and black pepper in a high-powered blender, blending everything until smooth.

TO MAKE THE BAKED AL PASTOR CHICKEN:

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. You can also make the chicken in an oven-safe skillet, if desired.
In a bowl, add your freshly cleaned chicken breasts along with the homemade Al Pastor marinade, massaging everything together to fully cover it. NOTE: This marinade adds more flavor once chicken is chilled in a zip lock bag or airtight container for at least 2 hours or overnight. Be sure to leave at room temperature for about 20-30 minutes before baking.
Line the marinated chicken breast (side by side) unto prepared baking sheet (or skillet), leaving a bit of room in between each one.
Bake for 30-35 minutes or until a bit charred on the outside and fully cooked through (but juicy) on the inside.
Remove from oven and let them cool slightly. Serve with your favorite side of salad, pasta, basmati rice, brown rice, black beans, mango salsa, etc.
Bon Appetit!

Notes

STORAGE: Leftover marinade can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 1 week. Place any leftover chicken in a tightly sealed container in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days. To reheat, simply add chicken to a baking sheet and bake for a few minutes until completely warmed through.
FREEZE FOR LONGER: You can prepare in large batches of marinade and freeze them in ice cube trays, after they are frozen, remove the cubes from the trays and store in freezer bags.
CHICKEN PIECES: I love using chicken breasts for this recipe, however, you can also do this with chicken tenderloins, thighs, and drumsticks.

Nutrition