The name al carbón in this Mexican dish means “cooking over coals” and refers to the charred surface of the meat derived from the grilling process. The wonderfully refreshing orange and pepper salsa goes great with the grilled chicken.
Reprinted with permission from Mod Mex: Cooking Vibrant Fiesta Flavors at Home by Scott Linquist (Andrews McMeel 2007).

See Also

Anchiote Paste Recipe

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup freshly squeezed orange juice
• 1/4 cup achiote paste (available from Mexican grocers)
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• * * * * Orange Salsita * * * *
• 4 Navel or Valencia oranges, peeled and cut into segments*
• 1 red bell pepper, seeds and membranes removed, cut into thin strips
• 1 yellow bell pepper, seeds and membranes removed, cut into thin strips
• 1 poblano chile, stemmed, seeded, membranes removed, and cut into thin strips
• 1/4 cup finely chopped fresh cilantro leaves
• 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
• 2 tablespoons honey
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 12 (6-inch) corn tortillas, purchased or homemade
• 2 cups guacamole

• Prep Time: 120 minutes
• Cook Time: 15 minutes

• Total Time: 135 minutes

Preparation

In a small bowl, blend the orange juice, achiote paste, honey, and salt. Put the chicken breasts into a large bowl, pour on the achiote marinade, and turn to coat evenly. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or up to a day in advance of grilling.
Make the salsita: Combine all of the salsita ingredients in a medium-size bowl, toss gently, and refrigerate until ready to serve. The salsita can be made up to an hour in advance, but if making it ahead of time, add the salt just before serving.

Heat a barbecue until hot and brush the grill rack with oil. Lift the chicken breasts from the marinade and discard the marinade. Season on both sides with salt and pepper and grill until nicely charred, 5 to 7 minutes per side, turning once. The internal temperature should be 165F on an instant-read thermometer. Using tongs, remove the breasts, let rest for 1 to 2 minutes, and then slice crosswise into thin strips. Meanwhile, wrap the tortillas in aluminum foil and heat on the grill for 5 minutes.

To serve, spoon 1 tablespoon of guacamole onto each tortilla, add about 1/4 cup of grilled chicken, and top with 2 tablespoons of salsita. Serve warm.

*Cutting an Orange into Segments

Using a sharp paring knife, cut off the colored peel and white pith from the orange. To remove the sections, cut a narrow slice off the top and bottom of the orange. Working over a strainer, make an incision next to the membrane of one section and another cut on the other side of the section, letting the sections fall into the strainer as they are loosened.

Continue working around the orange. After all the sections have been removed, squeeze the juice from the orange core into a separate bowl and reserve. This technique works for other citrus fruits as well. (It is also possible to slice the orange in half and remove the segments as you would cut a grapefruit, using a grapefruit knife.)