I am so excited to share this recipe for the best homemade pollo or pavo al pastor at home. If there is one taco I will order without fail, it's hands down tacos al pastor. Using a marinade made with prepared achiote paste, citrus and seasonings, this delicious spin on the traditional al pastor levels up Taco Tuesday. Scroll down to see how we make this staple of a recipe in Mexican cuisine. Don't forget to save the recipe card to make this tonight.
What You'll Love About This Recipe
This is a recipe adapted from Chef Rick Martinez's Mi Cocina and if you have not yet tried the series of taco recipes in his book, you're missing out. From Tacos Arracheras to Gobernador, every recipe in his book is a delight. They have been paramount in my own grounding in Mexican cooking at home. For this recipe, we're using a variation on his Pavo al Pastor recipe swapping turkey for the traditional chicken. The marinade is easy to put together as we'll use a prepared smooth paste made from achiote paste. Given the size of the turkey breast used, this will not take a long time to marinate. It can be ready to roast in as little as one hour.
Ingredients Needed for the Best Pollo or Pavo al Pastor
To make this turkey or chicken al pastor recipe, here is a key list of ingredients:
- Prepared Achiote paste: You can definitely make your own (and I have a recipe for this coming soon), but buying this in grocery stores is a great option too. The achiote mixture is made from ground annatto seeds, and dried spices and herbs such as coriander, cumin, bay leaves, and dried Mexican oregano. This is what gives chicken breasts or turkey breasts that brick red color of al pastor marinade during the slow roast. It's a must for an al pastor chicken or turkey recipe.
- Canned Chipotle Peppers in Adobo Sauce
- Apple Cider Vinegar and Orange Juice: The acidity in both the vinegar and citrus help to tenderize the turkey here.
- Thinly sliced yellow onion or white onion: we create a loose roasting rack in our baking dish by using the onion here. You can also caramelize a bit extra for the taco toppings.
- Pineapple slice or chunks: This will also work for the taco toppings and the hint of sweetness compliments the smoky spice of the achiote paste and chipotle chiles.
- Approximately 4 pounds of Boneless Turkey Breast: Quality meat is what we're after and this organic boneless turkey breast from Diestel Turkey Ranch is hands down the best. Their turkey roasts come from slow-raised organic turkeys. I love they have already done the de-boning and hand netting to ensure that we can prepare them quickly. That means the same tender, juicy, mouthwatering flavor and lean, clean, delicious protein in less time! All we need to do is rub on the marinade and the rest is easy peasy!
Get the full list in the recipe card below. A quick note on meat substitution: this recipe can also easily be made with a whole chicken or boneless skinless chicken thighs. This is great for your own chicken al pastor tacos. The marinated chicken is slow roasted until tender. It's just as good as a rotisserie chicken you'd find at the store. Hands down this is one of my absolutely favorite Mexican chicken recipes.
How to Make this Pollo or Pavo al Pastor
To make this delicious Pavo al Pastor:
- First, use a fork to break up any large clumps of the achiote paste in a small mixing bowl. Next, add the grated garlic, chipotle chiles, adobo sauce, apple cider vinegar, and 3 teaspoons of the salt. Use the fork to continue to mash and mix ingredients together until a smooth mixture forms.
- Add olive oil and honey (or maple syrup or agave syrup). Whisk everything together until the marinade is smooth. Taste and adjust seasoning as desired. The achiote sauce should have some warmth in spice with a hint of sweetness.
- Place turkey breast in a large gallon sized leak proof bag. Pour in marinade and onions. Zip up bag tight then massage marinade into turkey breast until well coated. Allow turkey breast to marinate for a minimum of 1 hour or up to 2 days in the refrigerator.
- To roast the turkey breast: Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Place oven rack on center of the oven. In a large baking dish, layer onion and pineapple on the bottom of the dish or rimmed baking sheet. Drizzle with a couple tablespoons of olive oil and a pinch of kosher salt and pepper. Place the marinated turkey breast on top. Roast turkey for about 45 to 65 minutes. Rotate about halfway through to ensure even browning. Continue to roast until skin is a deep burgundy color and bits of charring occur. Turkey is done when meat thermometer registers 165 degrees Fahrenheit in the thickest part of the breasts.
- Remove turkey from oven and tent with foil. Let turkey or chicken rest for about 10 minutes before carving. Thinly slice or chop turkey breast in bite sized pieces for taco filling. Serve alongside warm tortillas such as corn tortillas. I also love adding fresh salsa like pico de gallo, minced pineapple chunks with some of the pineapple juice, lime wedges, and even a bit of mashed avocado.
Final Tips for Making These Pavo al Pastor Tacos
Recipes like this one are great in that you can also adapt them to suit your needs and taste preferences. I don't lean on the idea that Mexican recipes need to be "authentic" to be delicious. When it comes to cooking with the seasons using what we have, adaptability is key. A couple of ideas of where you can swap and substitute:
- Experiment with different citrus juices. Lime juice or pineapple juice can also work well. Start with small amounts of pineapple juice as it can tenderize the meat a lot.
- Try the marinade with pork loin or even pork tenderloin for a changeup in protein that will still yield great flavor.
- What to do with leftovers? Tacos are a great option. Additionally, these are great for chicken fajitas or turkey fajitas. You can also add this to burrito bowls akin to Chipotle Mexican Grill. A taco salad also works. As you can see, the options are endless!
- This is also freezer friendly! Make a batch then shred and freeze for later.
More Dinner Ideas for Taco Night
Taco Night can seriously be just about every night at our house. There are so many ways to enjoy it. Here are a few recipes we love and have in rotation for that Tuesday Taco Night Fix:
- Buffalo Cauliflower Tacos for Meatless Monday
- Chorizo & Potato Tacos
- This Kumquat Jalepeño Salsa is perfect for Taco Nights in spring too.
Pollo or Pavo Al Pastor Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons prepared achiote paste
- 3 garlic cloves finely grated
- 2 canned chipotle chiles stems and seeds removed
- 2 tablespoons adobo sauce
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 1 tablespoon orange juice
- 1 tablespoon kosher salt
- 1 tablespoon honey can also use maple syrup or agave here
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 1 large white or yellow onion halved and thinly sliced
- 2 cups diced fresh pineapple chunks
Instructions
- Use a fork to break up any large clumps of the achiote paste in a small mixing bowl. Next, add the grated garlic, chipotle chiles, adobo sauce, apple cider vinegar, and salt. Use the fork to continue to mash and mix ingredients together until a smooth mixture forms.
- Add olive oil and honey (or maple syrup or agave). Whisk everything together until the marinade is smooth. Taste and adjust seasoning as desired. The marinade should have some warmth in spice with a hint of sweetness.
- Place turkey breast in a large gallon sized leak proof bag. Pour in marinade and onions. Zip up bag tight then massage marinade into turkey breast until well coated. Allow turkey breast to marinate for a minimum of 1 hour or up to 2 days in the refrigerator.
- To roast the turkey breast: Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Place oven rack on center rack. In a large baking dish, layer onion and pineapple on the bottom of the dish. Drizzle with a couple tablespoons of olive oil and a pinch of kosher salt and pepper. Place the marinated turkey breast on top. Roast turkey for about 45 to 65 minutes, rotating about halfway through to ensure even browning, until skin is dark red in spots and bits of charring occur. Turkey is done when meat thermometer registers 165 degrees Fahrenheit in the thickest part of the turkey breast.
- Remove turkey from oven and tent with foil. Allow turkey to rest for about 10 minutes before carving. Thinly slice or chop turkey breast in bite sized pieces for taco filling. Serve alongside warmed corn tortillas, fresh salsa like pico de gallo, minced pineapple, and even a bit of mashed avocado.
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