Coffee-Marinated BBQ Chicken Tacos
We gave this rich, zesty BBQ marinade a serious flavor boost with a cup of Joe, brewed from our Krups Savoy Digital Coffee Maker. It gets better: The chicken is then cooked in bacon fat and topped with pineapple salsa.
Yields:
4
– 6
4
– 6
Prep Time:
0
hours
35
mins
Total Time:
0
hours
55
mins
Ingredients
For the Marinade
8
chicken thighs
chicken thighs
1 c.
brewed coffee
brewed coffee
2 tbsp.
brown sugar
brown sugar
2 tsp.
oregano
oregano
1 tsp.
cumin
cumin
5
cloves garlic, smashed
cloves garlic, smashed
2
bay leaves
bay leaves
1/2
an onion, chopped in half
an onion, chopped in half
1/2 c.
orange juice
orange juice
Juice of 1 lime
For the Pineapple Salsa
2 c.
chopped pineapple
chopped pineapple
1/2 c.
diced red onion
diced red onion
2
Serrano or small jalapeño chiles, minced
Serrano or small jalapeño chiles, minced
1/3 c.
freshly chopped cilantro
freshly chopped cilantro
1/4 c.
fresh lime juice
fresh lime juice
2 tsp.
apple cider vinegar
apple cider vinegar
1 tsp.
kosher salt
kosher salt
For the Sauce
4
slices bacon, chopped
slices bacon, chopped
kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1/2 c.
reserved cooking liquid (from pulled chicken)
reserved cooking liquid (from pulled chicken)
4 tbsp.
ketchup
ketchup
1 tbsp.
apple cider vinegar
apple cider vinegar
3 tbsp.
chipotle in adobo (sauce only)
chipotle in adobo (sauce only)
Corn tortillas, for serving
Directions
- Marinate chicken: In a resealable container or bag, add chicken and brine ingredients. Marinate 4 to 6 hours.
- Make pineapple salsa: Combine all ingredients and let sit 20 minutes
before serving. - Cook chicken and make sauce: Meanwhile, in a medium Dutch oven,
cook bacon over medium-high heat until crispy. Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside.
Remove chicken from brine (reserve liquid) and blot with paper towels. Brown chicken in remaining bacon
fat at medium-high heat and season with salt and pepper. - Once chicken is browned on both sides, add brine to pot and bring to
a boil over medium-high heat. Continue to boil, uncovered, for 20 minutes.
Remove chicken with a slotted spoon and transfer to a plate. Let cool, then shred. - Transfer ½ cup of remaining liquid from pot to a small bowl (discard
the rest). Add ketchup, apple-cider
vinegar and chipotle sauce and whisk together. Mix some or all of the sauce with the chicken; adjust depending on how saucy or spicy you prefer it. - Assemble tacos: Serve chicken in corn
tortillas with pineapple salsa.