This marinade is amazing. I’ve made it twice now- both times with chicken breast (although pork tenderloin would be fantastic) and served it as tacos. The citrus (orange and lime) + brown sugar + ancho chile powder works magic on a lean, boring cut of meat. This could also be prepared as kabobs, threaded with onions and peppers or pineapple and mango and served over a bed of rice or quinoa.

Ancho chili powder can be found at Whole Foods or in the Latin section of many grocery stores. It’s my favorite of all chili powders and I use it constantly. So stock up- you won’t be sorry. A few other recipes using ancho chili powder: Chicken Skewers with Ancho Sauce, Maple Ancho Grilled Salmon, and Slow-Cooker Carnitas.

Citrus Ancho Grilled Chicken or Pork

INGREDIENTS

1- 1 1/2 lbs. boneless chicken breast or pork tenderloin, cut into strips or cubed
1/4 cup fresh orange juice
2 Tbs. fresh lime juice
2 Tbs. canola oil
2 tsp. brown sugar
2 tsp. pure ancho chile powder
2 cloves garlic, minced
pinch crushed red pepper flakes
1/2 tsp. kosher salt
freshly ground black pepper

for serving as tacos:
corn or flour tortillas
cheese (Monterey or Pepper or Colby Jack)
lettuce
salsa (tomatillo highly recommended)
sour cream
diced avocado
chopped cilantro
diced white onion

DIRECTIONS

1. In a medium bowl, whisk the orange juice, lime juice, oil, sugar, ancho powder, garlic, pepper flakes, salt, and pepper.

2. Add the chicken or pork, toss to coat, cover, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or up to 4 hours.

3. Preheat outdoor grill or indoor grill pan to medium-high heat. Lightly oil and grill the meat (if the meat is cubed, you’ll want to thread it onto skewers before grilling) until the juices run clear (time will depend on the size and type of meat). Let rest several minutes before slicing (if needed) and serving.

4. To serve as tacos, melt cheese on tortillas over medium heat on the stove or griddle. Fill with meat and toppings and serve.

Serves 4-6.

(Adapted from Fine Cooking)