Chef notes
Frito pie is a classic American dish and even served for school lunches in Texas until the mid 1980s. Traditionally it is made with chili, often from a can, shredded cheddar cheese, Fritos in a small bag, pickled jalapeño slices and chopped raw onion. In this version, we are making a quick and easy al pastor salsa common in taquerias across Mexico. Normally, this salsa would be used to marinade pork, put on a vertical spit called a “trompo” and roasted and cut to order to make tacos with pineapple and onions. Here, we are using the salsa to flavor shredded rotisserie chicken and building our individual Frito pies which get finished with a pinapple pico de gallo and crumbled queso fresco.
Technique tip: Pineapple salsa can be made 8 hours ahead. Keep chilled.
Ingredients
- 2 cups finely chopped pineapple (from about 1/2 medium pineapple)
- 1/2 red onion, finely chopped
- 1 habanero chile, stem and seeds removed, finely chopped
- 1 clove garlic, finely chopped
- 3 tablespoons chopped cilantro, plus leaves for serving
- 3 tablespoons fresh lime juice
- 1½ teaspoons kosher salt
- 4 guajillo chiles, stems and seeds removed and chiles torn into small pieces
- 3 morita chiles, stemmed
- 3 cloves garlic, peeled
- 3/4 cup low-sodium chicken stock
- 1/3 cup fresh orange juice
- 3 tablespoons achiote (annatto) paste
- 2 whole cloves
- 1 tablespoon dark agave syrup or honey
- 1½ teaspoons sea salt, plus more for seasoning chicken
- 1 large rotisserie chicken, meat removed from bones and shredded; skin chopped (optional)
- 12 (1-ounce) bags corn chips, such as Fritos
- 6 ounces queso fresco, crumbled
- lime wedges
Preparation
For the Pineapple-Habanero Salsa Cruda:
Stir pineapple, onion, habanero, garlic, cilantro, lime juice and salt in a medium bowl. Cover salsa and chill until ready to use.
For the pollo al pastor Frito pie:
1.Bring guajillos, moritas, garlic, stock, orange juice, achiote paste, cloves, agave and sea salt to a boil in a large saucepan over high heat, cover, remove from heat and let sit for 20 minutes until chiles are very soft and tender. Transfer to a blender and purée until completely smooth.
2.Toss shredded chicken, chicken skin (if using) and al pastor purée in a large bowl until completely coated. Season with salt. Keep warm until ready to serve.
3.Lay chip bags flat on a work surface. Using a sharp knife or scissors, cut a vertical slit in center of each bag, leaving sealed edges intact. Spoon a heaping 1/3 cup pollo al pastor over chips in each bag. Top with Pineapple-Habanero Salsa Cruda, queso fresco and lime wedges for squeezing over.
