Chicken Pineapple Tacos

Natalie Perry — Sat, 27 May 2023 11:00:00 +0000

These grilled chicken tacos with pineapple knocked our socks off. SERIOUSLY. Smoky grilled pineapple and some smoked gouda cheese take these tacos up to a whole other level. Hands down the best chicken tacos we've ever eaten!

I'm not exaggerating when I say these are the best chicken tacos we've ever had. I'm not sure why it took me this long to make chicken tacos with pineapple. But grilled pineapple is AMAZING on tacos.

The combination of the smoky marinated grilled chicken + grilled pineapple + smoked gouda is *chef's kiss*.

The marinade is super easy, too. Once you have the chicken and pineapple ready to grill, you can have these pineapple chicken tacos ready to eat in 30 minutes.

Let's start with that chicken marinade!

Pineapple Chicken Tacos Ingredients

Boneless/skinless chicken thighs or breasts
Smoky Chipotle Taco Seasoning or regular taco seasoning
Sea salt
Lime juice
Avocado or coconut oil
Fresh pineapple
Red onion
Fresh cilantro
Smoked gouda
Street taco tortillas

Ingredients for marinade

Smoky Chipotle Taco Seasoning
Lime juice
Avocado oil
Salt

For this marinade, I wanted someting smoky to compliment the smoked gouda and the sweetness from the pineapple.

You can use any taco seasoning or Mexican-inspired seasoning blend, but I HIGHLY recommend using my Smoky Chipotle Taco Seasoning for this.

It has a base of different types of paprika (instead of chili powder) and a little chipotle powder. And a surprise addition of nutritional yeast which adds some umami and depth. (Optional, though, if you'd rather not use it.)

What kind of chicken is best for chicken tacos?

For this recipe I used boneless skinless chicken thighs. They're more forgiving and don't dry out as easily as chicken breasts.

You could use either, though. If you decide to use bone-in chicken, factor in some extra grilling time since those tend to take longer to cook thoroughly.

How to make Grilled Chicken Tacos

1. Grilling chicken and pineapple for tacos

You'll want to grill the chicken and pineapple at high heat to get a good sear on them.

Flip them once or twice during cooking, making sure the chicken and the pineapple both have nice grill marks.

Internal temperature for the chicken should be about 140F.

Don't have a grill?

You can cook them in batches in a large skillet in a little oil over medium-high heat or on a sheet pan under an oven broiler on high.

2. Assembling chicken tacos with pineapple

Once you've got everything prepped it's time to put the tacos together!

Chop the chicken and pineapple into small slices or chunks and assemble your tacos!

I like to do this extra step to get the cheese melted onto the tortillas...

3. Prepping tortillas with cheese

I like using those little street corn tortillas. You can fit a dozen on a baking sheet.

Sprinkle a little cheese in each tortilla and pop it under the oven broiler for a few minutes.

You should have enough taco filling to make 24 tortillas. You can use larger tortillas if you like.

Grilled Chicken Tacos Recipe toppings

I top these with a simple cilantro and red onion mixture like a traditional street taco. (Just 1 cup fresh cilantro and some red onion.) And maybe a little hot sauce.

Honestly, I don't think they need any more than that! Avocado wouldn't be a bad idea, but avocado is never a bad idea. ;)

Use Smoked Chicken for tacos

TIP: Try smoking your chicken breasts for these chicken tacos for even more smoky flavor! Smoked Chicken Breasts or a Whole Smoked Chicken would work beautifully. You could still use the marinade, too, or just make those smoked chicken recipes according to their specific recipes.

If you like this chicken taco recipe, try another one of these easy taco recipes on my site!

How to store leftover Chicken Pineapple Taco

If you have any leftovers, store the grilled chicken and pineapple separate from the other taco fixings in a lidded container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

More Easy Taco Recipes on Perry's Plate

Crispy Black Bean Tacos with Corn & Zucchini

Grilled Shrimp Tacos with Pineapple Avocado Salsa

10-minute Smoked Salmon Tacos

Keto Tortillas & breakfast Tacos

Tropical Fish Tacos with Pineapple Salsa

Crispy Shredded Chicken Tacos

The best shredded chicken for tacos (honest)

If you make one of my recipes, I'd love to see! Post it on social media and tag me at @perrysplate or #perrysplate so I can send you some love!

Grilled Chicken Taco Recipe

Yield: 24 street tacos

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes

Marinade Time: 2 hours

Total Time: 2 hours 35 minutes

Ingredients

1.5 pounds boneless/skinless chicken thighs or breasts
1 Tablespoon Smoky Chipotle Taco Seasoning
1 teaspoon sea salt
3 Tablespoons lime juice
2 Tablespoons avocado or coconut oil
½ small fresh pineapple
⅓ cup diced red onion
⅓ cup fresh cilantro
6 ounces grated smoked gouda
24 street taco tortillas

Instructions

Place the chicken in a medium bowl or a large shallow dish. Sprinkle the taco seasoning over it and add the salt, lime juice, and avocado oil. Toss the chicken around with your hands or a pair of tongs so it's coated well. Marinate at room temperature for 30 minutes or in the fridge for 2-24 hours.
When you're ready to grill the chicken, preheat your grill to high heat. Cut the pineapple into long spears (about ½ inch thick).
Grill the chicken and pineapple spears until the chicken is cooked through and the pineapple is tender and they both have nice grill marks.
In a small bowl, combine the red onion and cilantro.
When the chicken and pineapple is finished grilling, let the chicken rest for 10 minutes before slicing thinly. Slice the pineapple into bite sized pieces, too.
Assemble the tacos how you like, using the grated smoked gouda. I liked to lay the tortillas out on a couple of sheet pans, sprinkle a little cheese on each one, and broil them for a couple of minutes to melt the cheese and toast the tortillas. Add the chicken and pineapple and a sprinkle of the onion & cilantro. And hot sauce, if you like.

Nutrition Information

Yield 8 Serving Size 3 tacos
Amount Per Serving Calories 904Total Fat 45gSaturated Fat 20gTrans Fat 1gUnsaturated Fat 22gCholesterol 205mgSodium 2386mgCarbohydrates 70gFiber 10gSugar 8gProtein 55g

The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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