About
Tropical Chicken Tacos take you right to the tropics, but not in a hurry. The juicy shredded chicken takes a dip in a sweet and spicy sauce to really infuse that beloved jerk flavor. And don't worry, it's all done in a slow cooker so you can keep living on island time. It's packed in a salty (not sandy!) corn tortilla and topped with tasty green onions, crunchy red cabbage, creamy feta cheese, and a squeeze of fresh lime. After just one bite of Tropical Chicken Tacos, you'll be singing, "Is this love, is this love that I'm feelin'?"
Ingredients
- For the tacos:
- 2 teaspoons dried thyme
- 2 teaspoons ground nutmeg
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 2 teaspoons ground allspice
- 2 teaspoons ground ginger
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 3 pounds chicken thighs, boneless and skinless, excess fat trimmed
- 4 green onions, chopped, white and green parts separated
- 1 (20-ounce) can pineapple chunks, unsweetened, drained and juices reserved
- 1/4 cup white vinegar
- 6 cloves garlic, chopped
- 2 jalapeño peppers, with seeds, diced
- Optional, for serving:
- corn tortillas, to taste
- red cabbage, to taste, shredded
- feta cheese, to taste, crumbled
- lime wedges, to taste
Directions
Step 1 -In a small bowl, stir together the thyme, the nutmeg, the cinnamon, the allspice, the ginger, the black pepper, and the salt.
Step 2 -Drizzle the olive oil into the seasoning mixture and combine until it forms a paste.
Step 3 -Place the chicken thighs into a 6-quart slow cooker.
Step 4 -Rub the spice paste over the top of each of the chicken thighs.
Step 5 -Sprinkle the white parts of the green onions over the chicken thighs.
Step 6 -Pour the pineapple, the pineapple juice, and the white vinegar evenly over the top of the chicken.
Step 7 -Add the garlic and the jalapeño peppers to the chicken mixture.
Step 8 -Cover and cook until the chicken is tender and cooked through, on low for 4-5 hours.
Step 9 -Transfer the cooked chicken to a plate and shred using two forks.
Step 10 -Transfer the pineapple chunks from the chicken mixture with a slotted spoon and set them aside.
Step 11 -In a wide saucepan, pour in the remaining cooking liquid.
Step 12 -Heat the cooking liquid over medium-high heat, stirring often, until it is thickened and reduced by half, about 5-10 minutes.
Step 13 -Stir the shredded chicken and the reserved pineapple chunks into the reduced glaze, stirring thoroughly.
Step 14 -Plate the shredded chicken in the corn tortillas and top with the reserved green onions, the red cabbage, the feta, and a squeeze of the lime wedges.
Step 15 -Serve.
