Chicken or Pork Adobada Lettuce Wraps
This is a light summer adobada recipe from Mexico normally served with tortillas for tacos. I recommend serving as lettuce wraps using butter lettuce for a healthier meal.
This is a light summer adobada recipe from Mexico normally served with tortillas for tacos. I recommend serving as lettuce wraps using butter lettuce for a healthier meal.
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 2 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 cup low sodium chicken broth
- pinch salt and pepper to taste
- 1 small onion chopped
- 4 guajillo chiles chopped
- 1 pound chicken breast or pork roast
- 2 avocado sliced for garnish
- 1/2 pineapple sliced for garnish
- 1 cup salsa for garnish
- 2 limes quartered
- 1 butter lettuce
- Carbohydrate 45.9228500033868 g
- Cholesterol 72.9737792 mg
- Fat 28.2637335570602 g
- Fiber 15.7917496062531 g
- Protein 31.9935072870832 g
- Saturated Fat 5.63182051061616 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (710g)
- Sodium 729.069798599629 mg
- Sugar 30.1311003971337 g
- Trans Fat 2.21546954926419 g
- Calories 524 calories
Step-by-step
- To make the adobada (marinade), saute the onion and garlic in olive oil, then add the chiles and cook until soft, about 4-minutes. Place mix in a blender with the broth and process until smooth, about 1-minute. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
- Rub the meat with the adobada. Grill until fully cooked then slice.
- Grill the pineapple just enough to brown a bit on two sides. The pineapple can be cut smaller after grilling.
- Wrap a couple of slices of meat in lettuce or ( optional tortilla). Top with avocado, pineapple, salsa and a sprinkle of lime juice.
Should the pineapple hit the grill before or after the meat rests? Adobada traditionally relies on a rich paste of dried chiles, aromatics, and broth that transforms chicken breast or pork roast through sustained contact. Managing this preparation requires precise sequencing because the blended guajillo mixture acts simultaneously as a surface-coating paste and a potent flavor penetrant.
Sauteing the onions and garlic just until translucent before introducing the chiles prevents bitterness while releasing fat-soluble aromatics into the olive oil. Blending those softened elements with low-sodium chicken broth yields a smooth emulsion that adheres cleanly to the protein without sliding off during direct heat exposure. Grilling the pineapple slices requires medium-high heat to caramelize the natural sugars on two surfaces without scorching the interior fruit before the meat finishes cooking.
Substituting butter lettuce for tortillas lightens the texture while providing a crisp, neutral vessel that highlights the smoky heat of the adobo paste and the bright acidity of the lime juice.
