One of the dishes that stands out from my time living in Southern Mexico is Pollo Pibil. It’s very similar to Cochinita Pibil, but instead of pork, this recipe is made with chicken.
Watch the video or check out the step-by-step pictures and instructions below to learn how to make this authentic Mexican recipe from the Yucatan Peninsula.
How to Make the Pibil Sauce
- Achiote paste, onion, and garlic
- Cinnamon, cumin, peppercorns, cloves, oregano, salt
- Sour orange juice (or equal parts orange juice to lime juice)
- Blend everything until smooth.
This is the same sauce you need to make Cochinita Pibil.
If you have extra, be sure to freeze for a later date. The sauce can freeze for up to 6 months in a sealable plastic bag.
- Marinate the chicken overnight in the fridge.
- Or, marinate for a minimum of 4 hours.
You can make the Pollo Pibil using any cut of chicken. Chicken breasts were on sale. That’s why I am making this dish with only chicken breasts.
Please note: There are bones in the chicken. Be careful and remove once it is fully cooked.
More Mexican Chicken Recipes: Chicken Mole Enchiladas, Ensalada de Pollo, Mexican Deviled Chicken.
How to Prepare the Banana Leaves
Banana leaves are quite easy to work with. They come in packages like this one.
You will only need 2-3 leaves. Store the rest in the freezer for later use.
Buying Banana Leaves
Banana Leaves are cheap. You can buy them fresh or frozen at Latin and Asian supermarkets. Look for them in the freezer section or the produce aisle.
If you can’t find them there, you can also buy banana leaves online. (AFFILIATE)
Carefully and quickly place the banana leaf over the stove, moving the leaf as it changes colors to a dark, deep green.
You can also do this over a hot griddle.
What is Yucatán Style?
Any dish made Yucatán Style means that is was either cooked in one of two ways, or both.
- The combination of lime and orange juice resemble the flavors of Seville oranges which are commonly found and used in the Yucatán.
- Wrapping and cooking meat in banana leaves is also something very common in the Yucatán.
Rinse the banana leaf. It should be pliable and ready to use.
The banana leaves were hanging on trees. They collect dust and bugs. Be sure to rinse them well before going to the next step.
How to Make Pollo Pibil in the Slow Cooker
- Place a banana leaf into the slow cooker lengthwise.
- Place another banana leaf criss cross.
- Add the marinated chicken.
- Cover the chicken with the banana leaves that are overflowing. You are creating a pocket of sorts.
What does achiote chicken taste like?
This recipe for Yucatán-Style Chicken is sometimes referred to as “Achiote Chicken.”
Achiote is made from ground annatto seeds. It’s a bright red, almost orange, spice with a pepper aroma and slightly nutty, somewhat sweet, and earthy.
Other Typical Yucatan Dishes:
Shrimp Ceviche, Tamales, Habanero Avocado Mango Salsa
- Pour water around the banana leaves.
- This will prevent the chicken from drying out.
Do not add water directly into the banana leaves where the chicken is.
The chicken should be safe and snug inside.
Can you put raw chicken in slow cooker?
Yes. The chicken will cook in the slow cooker.
However, putting frozen chicken may be unsafe. Thaw the chicken meat, marinate, then place inside the slow cooker.
DUTCH OVEN VERSION:
Follow the instructions up until step 9 under “How to Arrange Chicken in Slow Cooker.”
Cover with the lid. Heat the oven to 400 degrees F.
Bake until chicken is tender. 2 ½ hours.
Pollo PIBIL INSTANT POT:
Follow the instructions up until step 3 under “How to Arrange Chicken in Slow Cooker.”
Place the metal trivet inside the instant pot. Add ½ cup water.
Put one piece of the banana leaf in the pot, put the second piece criss cross, making an X.
Add the marinated chicken in the center of the leaves.
Fold the leaves over the chicken to secure them inside the leaves.
Lock the lid. Move valve to “Sealing.”
Cook on High Pressure for 60 minutes.
Full natural release for 20 minutes.
Once the Yucatan-Style Chicken is ready, remove the lid and open the banana leaves.
- Take out the chicken and discard the bones.
- Shred the meat for tacos.
- Discard the banana leaves.
This recipe is similar to Birria de Res or Menudo in that it will feed a lot of people. It’s also a celebration dish. Perfect for parties and family get togethers.
How long does Pollo Pibil Last?
- In the fridge, it lasts up to 5 days.
- In the freezer, it lasts up to 3 months.
Pro Tip: When reheating frozen Pollo Pibil, add some of the remaining pibil sauce. For 2 cups of cooked pollo pibil, add ¼ of the marinating sauce. It will help in getting rid of the frozen flavor.
What to serve with Pollo Pibil Tacos?
Traditionally, the tacos are served with red pickled onions and Mexican salsa.
Or try refried beans and Mexican rice.
The best part about this Mexican recipe is that you can make it ahead of time. Turn the slow cooker on in the morning, and serve to your guests with minimal effort.
Pollo Pibil is sure to be a crowd pleaser. Hard to resist and easy to enjoy!
Pollo Pibil
Equipment
- Slow Cooker
Ingredients
For the Marinade
- 1/2 cup orange juice
- 1/2 cup lime juice
- 1 3.5 oz achiote paste package
- 1/2 tspn dried oregano
- 1/2 tspn whole cumin
- 2 whole cloves
- 1/2 tspn black peppercorn
- 1/4 piece cinnamon stick
- 10 garlic cloves
- 1/4 onion rough chopped
- 2 tspn salt
For the Chicken
- 4 lbs chicken any cut
- 9 feet banana leaves cut into 3-feet pieces
- 1/2 cup water
To Serve
- 1 dozen corn tortillas optional
- pickled red onions optional
Instructions
For the Marinade
- Add all the marinade ingredients into a blender.
- Blend until smooth. Set aside until ready to use.
For the Chicken
- Rinse the chicken well.
- In a large container, pour some of the marinade over the chicken pieces.
- Individually marinate the chicken. Use only the sauce necessary to coat the chicken.
- Cover the chicken, and place inside the fridge overnight. Minimum 4 hours.
How to Arrange Chicken in Slow Cooker
- When ready, heat the banana leaves over a gas stove or over a hot griddle.
- Carefully move the banana leaf over the flame. As soon as it turns dark green, it is ready.
- Rinse the banana leaves.
- Place a banana leaf in the slow cooker lengthwise.
- Place another banana leaf, over the other leaf criss cross. Making an X.
- The banana leaves will overflow out of the slow cooker.
- Add the marinated chicken into the center of the banana leaves.
- Cover the chicken with the overflowing banana leaves, wrapping the chicken into a packet.
- Add water around the banana leaves. Not directly inside the packet.
- Cover with the lid and set the slow cooker on low for 6 hours, or high for 4 hours.
- Once ready, remove the lid from the slow cooker. Open the banana leaves.
- Carefully remove the chicken and shred the meat.
- Discard any bones and banana leaves.
- Serve as tacos on corn tortillas and top with pickled red onions.
Notes
- The combination of lime and orange juice resembles the flavors of Seville oranges which are commonly found and used in the Yucatán.
- Wrapping and cooking meat in banana leaves is also something very common in the Yucatán.
- In the fridge, it lasts up to 5 days.
- In the freezer, it lasts up to 3 months.
What a fun recipe! I don’t get the chance to cook with banana leaves often, and I love all the flavor going on in this pork. Thanks so much for sharing!
This recipe looks super fun and delish!! I love that the whole family can enjoy it too!
This chicken dish is the perfect way to get my fix on tacos for taco Tuesday. I love the marinade on this.
This chicken dish is the perfect way to get my fix on tacos for taco Tuesday.
We absolutely love Mexican food in our home and love venturing out to try something new. This recipe is really tasty and I found most of the ingredients at a Spanish market near my house. This was a fun treat for my kids and it turned out great!
This is amazing! I love recipes like this. Especially latin ones; I have some banana leaves in my freezer right now ! Thanks for sharing 🙂
Sound simply perfect! I have always wanted to make pibil sauce yet never got around to it. I don’t know where I’ll find banana leaves, but that won’t stop me from eating these beauties!
I love that this can be frozen! Definitely considering making a huge amount and freezing it 🙂
I’ve never heard of pollo pibil, but I love slow cooked chicken and tacos, so I’m guessing I would enjoy this recipe! Looks so flavourful and those toppings are a must too!
I’ve never heard of pibil sauce, but it looks like it has an amazing flavor profile! And I love that you can cook this whole dish in a slow cooker. Talk about perfect for these hot summer days!
I just made some pickled onions the other day and now I have an excuse to use them on top of tacos. What’s better than this? Taco Tuesday can’t get here quick enough.
These are perfect for any night of the week. I love that I can throw this together and head out the door. It’s seriously amazing!
I’ve never tried Pollo Pibil But I want to try this recipe! The flavors from the sauce and banana leaves look incredible! I also appreciate the instructions for the many ways of cooking this dish!