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Fast Food Friday – Pineapple Chicken Tacos

The chicken is sweet because the salsa is spicy! These Pineapple Chicken Tacos are a fast, fresh way to curb that taco craving. 

Next week’s #fastfoodfriday is all about #tacos ????????????????

A photo posted by Heather Tullos (@sugardishme) on

Tacos!!! One of my favorite fast foods. Okay so we grow these ridiculously hot peppers. Like ABSURD. Chad has a thing for cultivating things that are the highest on the Scoville Unit Scale. So we have Carolina Reapers, Trinidad Scorpions, and Chocolate Moruga peppers. Most of them are too hot to do much of anything with, but they make THE BEST sweet and spicy salsa. I’m telling you all this so you will know a few things:

  1. The chicken is cooked in pineapple juice and has some brown sugar. That’s because the salsa is HOT.
  2. Your salsa doesn’t have to be stupid hot like mine. Go with your favorite hot pepper. If you hate heat then use a bell pepper, but don’t say I told you or I’ll lose my hot stuff street cred.
  3. The pineapple cuts the heat and adds lots of flavor. If your salsa is too hot, ADD MORE PINEAPPLE.

Okay so that’s pretty much it. The cilantro lime sour cream is the jam, and I highly recommend it. Most of the ingredients here will do double duty so it’s all good. Welcome to my new fave Pineapple Chicken Tacos!!

Pineapple Chicken Tacos
 
Prep time
Cook time
Total time
 
Author:
Serves: serves 4-6
Ingredients
  • For the Salsa:
  • 4 ripe Roma tomatoes, diced
  • ⅓ cup diced red onion
  • 1½ cups fresh diced pineapple
  • 2 tablespoons finely minced hot peppers (as hot as you dare! I used Chocolate Morugas)
  • ¼ cup chopped cilantro
  • ⅓ cup red wine vinegar
  • ¼ cup olive oil
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1 teaspoon black pepper
  • ½ teaspoon garlic powder
  • For the Cilantro Lime Sour Cream:
  • 1 cup sour cream
  • 2 tablespoons fresh squeezed lime juice
  • 1 tablespoon chopped cilantro
  • For the Chicken:
  • 1 teaspoon oil
  • 1 - 1½ pounds boneless, skinless chicken breast (or tenders) cut into thin slices
  • ½ teaspoon kosher salt
  • ½ cup pineapple juice
  • 2 teaspoons brown sugar
  • 1 teaspoon chili powder
  • 1 teaspoon paprika
  • For the Tacos:
  • corn or flour tortillas, lime wedges, shredded lettuce
Instructions
  1. To make the salsa toss together all the salsa ingredients. If it's too hot add more pineapple.
  2. To make the cilantro lime sour cream, mix together the sour cream, lime juice, and cilantro until smooth.
  3. To cook the chicken, heat the oil in a large skillet. Add the chicken, sprinkle with salt, and cook until it's browned. Pour in the pineapple juice and add the brown sugar. Drop the heat to medium and let the liquid cook down, stirring the chicken occasionally. Stir in the chili powder and paprika, cook for another minute or two, and remove from the heat.
  4. Assemble and serve

Sweet and spicy Pineapple Chicken Tacos Recipe - ready in just 25 minutes! Fast, fresh, delicious.
Rate this recipe:  

Lynette Cassel

Thursday 4th of August 2016

This sounds amazing, I like it hot too. One thing I am wondering is how much cilantro is in the Cilantro Lime Sour Cream?

Heather Tullos

Thursday 4th of August 2016

Good catch Lynette!! That was a typo on my part. I have edited to add the measurement, but it should be 1 Tbsp

Surya-Patricia Lane Hood

Friday 29th of July 2016

Thanks so much for this recipe. Because of health issues, I don't eat red meat or pork and, unfortunately, I am not allowed to eat most things green because of the K-Vitamin content. Eating healthy with these limitations is a challenge so I love it when I find a healthy recipe that I can use. I'm a born Tar Heel, too, although I now live in Arizona (don't miss the humidity in NC.).

I have now a nice collection of your recipes that I have been able to adapt and I appreciate them. I can't wait to try this one. It sounds yummy.

Heather Tullos

Friday 29th of July 2016

Thank you so much for leaving me such a thoughtful comment!! I appreciate you! Hope you enjoy! -Heather