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One Pan Chicken And Pineapple Tacos

One pan chicken and pineapple tacos with seared, golden chicken and caramelized pineapple in a single skillet. Finished with a bright lime juice squeeze and topped with tangy pickled red onions for bold, balanced flavor in every bite.
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Prep Time 25 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: Mexican
Calories: 340
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Diced chicken thighs
  • 1.5 lb chicken thighs diced
Pineapple
  • 1 cup pineapple chunks
Tortillas
  • 8 small tortillas
Chili powder
  • 1 tbsp chili powder
Cumin
  • 1 tsp cumin
Lime juice
  • 2 tbsp lime juice
Pickled red onions
  • 0.5 cup pickled red onions
Cilantro
  • 1 fresh cilantro for garnish

Equipment

  • 1 cast iron skillet

Method
 

Season the chicken
  1. Season the diced chicken thighs with chili powder and cumin until evenly coated. This sets the flavor before it hits the skillet.
Sear and caramelize
  1. Heat a cast iron skillet over medium-high heat and sear the chicken, stirring occasionally, until golden, about 8 minutes.
  2. Add the pineapple chunks to the skillet and cook, stirring only as needed, until caramelized, 3-4 minutes.
Finish and assemble
  1. Squeeze the lime juice over the chicken and pineapple mixture and stir to combine, scraping up any browned bits.
  2. Warm the tortillas until pliable, then fill with the chicken and pineapple mixture.
  3. Top each taco with pickled red onions and fresh cilantro before serving for bright tang and color.

Notes

Pro tip: let the pineapple sit undisturbed for about 1 minute before stirring so it caramelizes properly. Store cooked chicken and pineapple in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days; reheat in a skillet over medium heat. Assemble tacos fresh for best texture. Freezing is not recommended for the filled tacos, but you can freeze the cooked chicken-pineapple filling for up to 2 months and thaw in the fridge before reheating. For a lighter option, use corn tortillas and swap chicken thighs for diced chicken breast (cook until no longer pink).