recipe

Chicken Pibil Lettuce Tacos

Name: Chicken Pibil Lettuce Tacos
Ingredients: Onion, Garlic, Cinnamon Sticks, Peppercorn, Oregano, Chili Flakes, Bay Leaf, Apple Cider Vinegar, Red Wine Vinegar, Lime, Sugar, Skinless Chicken Breast, Grapefruit Juice, Orange Juice, Onion, Ancho Chili, Achiote, Cumin, Banana Leaves, Salt, Pepper, Lettuce, Avocado

Sweet, nutty, and earthy Chicken Pibil Lettuce Tacos. Originating from the Yucatan Peninsula this dish is packed with spice, zest, & flavor!

Prep Time 10 mins

Cook Time 95 mins

servings 10

Ingredients

Onion Curtido:
4 cups water
1 | red onion, sliced
6 | cloves
2 | cinnamon sticks
6 | peppercorns
pinch | dried oregano
pinch | chili flakes
1 | bay leaf
¾ cup apple cider vinegar
¼ cup red wine vinegar
¼ cup lime juice
½ cup sugar
Chicken Pibil:
2 lbs Foster Farms Simply Raised® Free Range Boneless Skinless Chicken Breast Fillets
1 cup grapefruit juice
1 cup orange juice
2 | garlic cloves
¼ | onion, cut lengthwise
1 | ancho chili, boiled, deveined and seeded
1 tbsp olive oil
1 ½ tbsp achiote
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp dried oregano
-- | salt and pepper to taste
-- | banana leaves
10 | iceberg lettuce leaves
1 | medium avocado, sliced
-- | cilantro sprigs for garnish

Directions

MAKE THE ONION CURTIDO:

1. Boil 4 cups of water. Put the sliced red onion in a heatproof bowl, add the boiling water, cover and steep for 2 minutes; then drain off the water.

2. In a dry medium skillet over medium heat, toast the cloves, cinnamon sticks, peppercorns, pinch of oregano, and chili flakes until fragrant (about 2 minutes). Add the bay leaf, apple cider vinegar, red wine vinegar, lime juice and sugar. Bring to a slow simmer and cook for 3 minutes. Add this pickling mixture to the drained onion, cover and let sit for an hour. If the pickling liquid hasn’t turned pink after an hour, give it another 30 minutes.

MAKE THE CHICKEN PIBIL:

1. Preheat oven to 450°F.

2. In a blender, add grapefruit juice, orange juice, garlic, onion, ancho, olive oil, achiote, cumin, oregano, and salt and pepper to taste. Blend until fully pureed.

3. Season the chicken with salt and pepper. Soak the banana leaves in water for 2 minutes, and then cut them into 12" wide strips. Align the banana leaf strips in the bottom and sides of a roasting pan (these will be used to wrap the chicken).

4. Place the chicken on the banana leaves, cover with the pibil puree, and then wrap by folding the banana leaves over the chicken. Cover the roasting pan with aluminum foil. Bake for about an hour until fully cooked. The internal temperature of the center of the thickest piece of chicken must reach at least 165°F. Always use a meat thermometer to determine the temperature.

5. Once cooked, remove the chicken from the roasting pan and set aside to cool. Remove the banana leaves from the roasting pan, leaving behind as much of the liquid as possible. Transfer the remaining liquid to a large saucepan and boil over medium-high heat until it reaches sauce consistency. Meanwhile, shred the chicken and then add it back to the reduced sauce.

6. Place a lettuce leaf on each plate. Add a spoonful of chicken pibil, avocado and 1 teaspoon of onion curtido. Garnish with a cilantro sprig.