Achiote Chicken Tacos with Cotija & Guacamole
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Achiote Chicken Tacos with Cotija & Guacamole
Oh my goodness I asked Eli what he was craving today for lunch and OF COURSE he gave me one of his 5 answers, tacos. It’s always burgers, a sandwich, tacos, or chili cheese fries haha!! OR sushi! He likes to say he’s a very simple man and I agree. I always know what foods to make for dinner or lunch if I want to suprise him haha!! One of the things I really love about Eli though, is that he’s SO adventurous when it comes to food too. He always gets excited when I make something new which is honestly one of my favorite parts about cooking. I like to cook for myself sure - BUT cooking for others brings me so so much joy.
So…tacos it is!! Today I made Achiote Chicken Tacos with Cotija & Guacamole. Achitoe paste has a bit of a nutty taste that tastes so good in a taco. I also love cooking with this because it gives the chicken an AMAZING orange color!!
These tacos are perfect for weeknight dinners and I made the marinated chicken recipe hefty enough to get you a bit of extra marinated chicken to pop into the freezer! When you do this, the marinade breaks down as the meat freezes and you’ll have a even more tender chicken the next time you make these tacos. PLUS, I love making extra food to save myself the extra work next time! It’s perfect for busy days when you still want a homemade meal!
Achiote Chicken Tacos with Guacamole & Pico
Serves: 6–8
Prep Time: 20 minutes, plus at least 30 minutes marinating
Cook Time: 15–20 minutes
Total Time: About 1 hour, including marinating
Ingredients
Achiote Chicken
4 lb boneless, skinless chicken thighs
2 tablespoons achiote paste
½ cup orange juice
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
2 tablespoons white vinegar
6–7 garlic cloves, peeled
2 teaspoons Mexican oregano
½ teaspoon ground cumin
2 teaspoons smoked paprika
2½ teaspoons kosher salt, or to taste
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Olive oil, for cooking
Guacamole
4 ripe avocados
Juice of 2 limes
2 Roma tomatoes, diced
½ small white onion, finely diced
¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro
1 teaspoon kosher salt
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
¼ teaspoon garlic powder
¼ teaspoon ground cumin
For Serving
Corn tortillas, warmed
Store-bought pico de gallo
Cotija cheese, crumbled
Sour cream, for drizzling
Chopped fresh cilantro, for garnish
Instructions
To make the achiote marinade, add the achiote paste, orange juice, lime juice, white vinegar, garlic, Mexican oregano, cumin, smoked paprika, salt, garlic powder, onion powder, and black pepper to a blender and blend until smooth.
Blending is completely optional! If you don’t want to pull out a blender, finely mince the garlic and whisk all of the marinade ingredients together in a bowl until well combined.
Place the chicken thighs in a large bowl or resealable bag and pour the marinade over the chicken. Toss until every piece is well coated. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or up to overnight.
If You’re Cooking for Two
If you’re only cooking for two, you definitely don’t need to cook all 4 lb of chicken at once! Once the chicken is coated in the marinade, divide it in half. Keep one half in the refrigerator to cook now and transfer the other half, along with plenty of the marinade, to a freezer-safe bag or container. Freeze it for your next taco night. When you’re ready to use it, thaw the chicken overnight in the refrigerator and cook as directed below.
Make the Guacamole
Add the avocados to a medium bowl and mash to your preferred consistency. Add the lime juice, diced tomatoes, white onion, cilantro, salt, black pepper, garlic powder, and cumin. Stir until combined. Taste and adjust the seasoning if needed. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.
Cook the Chicken
My preferred way to cook this chicken is in a stainless steel pan with a little bit of oil. Heat a dash of olive oil in a large stainless steel pan over medium-high heat. Remove the chicken from the marinade, allowing some of the excess marinade to drip off.
Add the chicken to the pan, working in batches if needed so you don’t overcrowd it. Cook until nicely browned on both sides and cooked through. Transfer the chicken to a cutting board and let it rest briefly before chopping it into bite-size pieces.
You can also grill the chicken! Preheat the grill and be sure to oil the grates well before adding the chicken. This marinade can be a little sticky, which can make the chicken stick to the grill. Grill the chicken, turning as needed, until browned and cooked through. Let it rest briefly before chopping.
Assemble the Tacos
Warm the corn tortillas and fill each with the chopped achiote chicken. Spoon guacamole over the chicken, followed by pico de gallo and crumbled Cotija cheese. Drizzle with sour cream and finish with chopped cilantro.
Serve right away and add whatever other fixings you love. Pickled red onions are really good on these, and you can also swap the Cotija for your favorite Mexican cheese. I love serving them with Spanish rice on the side too!
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Hungry For More?
If you love these tacos, I have a feeling you’ll also love Eli’s Turkey, Brie, & Apple sandwiches!
A Recipe by Madeline May
Achiote Chicken Tacos with Cotija & Guacamole
Ingredients
Achiote Chicken
Guacamole
For Serving
Instructions
- Make the achiote marinade Add the achiote paste, orange juice, lime juice, white vinegar, garlic, Mexican oregano, cumin, smoked paprika, salt, garlic powder, onion powder, and black pepper to a blender and blend until smooth. Blending is completely optional. You can also finely mince the garlic and whisk all of the marinade ingredients together in a bowl until well combined.
- Marinate the chicken Place the chicken thighs in a large bowl or resealable bag and pour the marinade over the chicken. Toss until every piece is well coated. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or up to overnight.
- If you're cooking for two If you're only cooking for two, you don't need to cook all 4 lb of chicken at once! Once the chicken is coated in the marinade, divide it in half. Keep one half in the refrigerator to cook now and transfer the other half, along with plenty of the marinade, to a freezer-safe bag or container. Freeze it for your next taco night. When you're ready to use it, thaw the chicken overnight in the refrigerator and cook as directed below.
- Make the guacamole Add the avocados to a medium bowl and mash to your preferred consistency. Add the lime juice, diced tomatoes, white onion, cilantro, salt, black pepper, garlic powder, and cumin. Stir until combined. Taste and adjust the seasoning if needed. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.
- Cook the chicken My preferred way to cook this chicken is in a stainless steel pan with a little bit of oil. Heat a dash of olive oil in a large stainless steel pan over medium-high heat. Remove the chicken from the marinade, allowing some of the excess marinade to drip off. Add the chicken to the pan, working in batches if needed so you don't overcrowd it. Cook until nicely browned on both sides and cooked through.
- Or grill the chicken You can also cook the chicken on the grill. Preheat the grill and be sure to oil the grates well before adding the chicken. This marinade can be a little sticky, which can make the chicken stick to the grill. Grill the chicken, turning as needed, until browned and cooked through.
- Rest and chop Transfer the cooked chicken to a cutting board and let it rest briefly, then chop into bite-size pieces.
- Assemble the tacos Warm the corn tortillas and fill each with chopped achiote chicken. Spoon guacamole over the chicken, followed by pico de gallo and crumbled Cotija cheese. Drizzle with sour cream and finish with chopped cilantro. Serve right away.
Make Them Your Own
Use whatever taco fixings you love! Pickled red onions are really good on these, and you can swap the Cotija for your favorite Mexican cheese. I also love serving them with Spanish rice on the side.
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Achiote Chicken Tacos with Cotija & Guacamole