These zesty and smoky adobo chicken tacos are simply incredible and so easy to make! ¡Tienes que probarlos! It’s a one pot recipe too! What more reason do you need? It’s also super different from chipotle chicken which has become extremely popular and overshadows other styles of Mexican food.
The most interesting thing about this recipe is the use of orange juice. Traditionally a bitter orange is used from the Yucatán region of Mexico. Orange provides the necessary kick of acidity and the sweetness to round off all the chilies going in!
The recipe was given to me by my mentor, Chef Brian! He used it in one of his restaurants and kindly provided me with the original recipe. His quantities were meant for a restaurant so I adjusted it for something that could serve 4 people instead of 400!
Dry spices to be powdered to bits! 
Hot and smoky chilies! 
Onions, tomatoes, garlic 
Pouring in the orange juice 
Sauce all blended in a saucepan 
Chicken simmered in adobo sauce!
Adobo Chicken Tacos
Course: Lunch, DinnerCuisine: MexicanDifficulty: EZ12
tacos15
minutes1
hour20
minutes200
kcal190/375
ºC/ºFIngredients
5 bay leaves
2 tbsp oregano
2 pieces star anise
4 cloves
1 inch cinnamon stick
1 tbsp cumin seeds
4 guajillo chilies
3 hatch chilies (increase if you want it spicier)
2 large tomatoes
1/2 large yellow onion
4 garlic cloves
200ml orange juice
1 tsp olive oil
1/4 cup white wine vinegar
Salt
6 skinless chicken thighs bone-in
- Filling Ideas
Guacamole
Corn
Lettuce
Pico de gallo
Peri Peri Hot Sauce!
Roasted or Fried Padron Peppers
Directions
- Powder all the dry spices
- Add chilies and grind as much as possible.
- Add garlic, onions, tomatoes, and orange juice. Purée completely
- With a little oil in a sauce pan, cook the sauce for around 10 minutes until it reduces significantly.
- Remove from heat and add vinegar and salt immediately.
- In a pot that can go in the oven, place all the chicken thighs and pour in enough sauce to come up to a little more than half way of a chicken thigh.
- Mix and coat all the thighs well and stick it in the oven for an hour.
- Remove the chicken from the pot (save the sauce) and shred the chicken with a fork in each hand like a manic monster.
- Pour in the sauce from the pot and mix the chicken in it. You can save the rest of the sauce to use as an extra topping!
- It’s ready to be used however you wish! You could serve it up on a tortilla or make it a burrito, or even a sandwich! Make sure to doll it up with all the extra goodies like guac and corn!
