These mojo chicken tacos with chunky avocado salsa are one of my favorite quick, easy and healthy recipes! Thanks to Florida Orange Juice, the chicken is not only moist and flavorful but it’s nutritious too!
This post is sponsored by Florida Orange Juice - original recipe and opinions are all mine!
Table of Contents
What is it?
Mojo Chicken is a traditional Cuban dish that’s prepared with fresh citrus, garlic, and spices.
My version features delicious and nutritious Florida Orange Juice, lime juice, garlic, oregano and cumin!
And unlike the traditional dish, I’m making my version of these mojo chicken tacos in the Instant Pot.
With this method, there’s no need to marinate the chicken for hours or to fire up the grill.
I’m keeping it simple since I’m all about setting the boldest resolution yet - which is all about setting less self-critical goals and more wellness-specific resolutions this New Year.
I’ve also got a heavy focus on trying to keep myself and my family healthy by making smarter choices -- which is where this recipe fits in!
Because it’s so important to encourage people to flip the script on self-critical New Year resolutions and approach wellness goals with self-love, happiness, gratitude and good food!
Thanks to the Florida Orange Juice, the marinade contains a unique package of nutrients to help support your immune system.
Which is so important during these cold winter months!
And best of all, it’s simple to make and it tastes delicious!
Ingredients & Substitutions
- Florida Orange Juice - There is no substitution for Florida OJ! Not only is it absolutely delicious but 100% orange juice from Florida provides key nutrients such as vitamin C, folate, potassium, and thiamin, along with vitamin D (in fortified juices) to help support your immune system!
- Lime Juice - Fresh lime juice is best but you could use the shelf stable variety if need be.
- Olive Oil - If you don’t have olive oil, you could use another neutral oil like vegetable or avocado oil.
- Garlic - Since garlic is such a strong flavor in this dish, I highly recommend using real garlic — not the minced jarred variety.
- Dried Oregano - You could absolutely use fresh oregano but you will need much more. I’d recommend about ¼ cup if you’re using the fresh variety.
- Cumin - No real substitution for cumin but if you had a little bit of taco seasoning, you could get away with using that.
- Chicken - If you don’t like chicken, you could absolutely use another protein. It’s traditionally made with pork but you could also try it with beef, shrimp or tofu!
How to make it in the Instant Pot
Making these mojo chicken tacos in the Instant Pot is beyond easy!
To begin, you’ll mix the mojo marinade. This is made of Florida Orange Juice, lime juice, garlic, olive oil, cumin, oregano and salt.
Once the marinade is mixed, season the chicken with salt and pepper.
Now turn on your instant pot and hit the saute function and turn the heat to high.
Once the instant pot is super hot, add the olive oil and then the seasoned chicken.
Sear the chicken on both sides until golden brown. Remove the chicken and set aside.
Quickly pour in the mojo marinade and use a wooden spatula to scrape the bottom - this step will help ensure that the instant pot doesn’t go into “burn” mode.
Once the bottom is scraped, add the seared chicken back to the pot.
Put the lid on the instant pot and seal the valve so it can pressurize.
Now hit the pressure cooker button until it goes to high pressure and turn the time on for 12 minutes.
Once the timer is done, let it naturally release before opening.
Carefully take the lid off the instant pot and remove the chicken.
Place it in a shallow bowl and let it rest.
Meanwhile, press the saute button once again and let the sauce reduce by half.
Shred the chicken then pour the thickened sauce all over it and toss.
After that, it’s time to build the tacos!
How to make it in the Oven
If you don’t have an instant pot, you can still make this mojo chicken tacos recipe!
To do so, first preheat your oven to 375F degrees.
Meanwhile, make the marinade and let it sit while you prepare everything else.
Now sear the seasoned chicken on the stove top and place it in a small baking dish.
Add the mojo marinade over the top of the chicken and cover the baking dish tightly with tinfoil.
Bake for 40 minutes.
Once the chicken is done, you can shred it right in the baking dish.
If the sauce is too loose, you can pour it in a small pot and simmer until thick and silky.
Why Choose FL Orange Juice?
As a native Floridian, I’m beyond proud to come from a state that produces the best 100% OJ ever!
Not only does the Florida Orange Juice play a vital role in this recipe, but there’s also many health benefits, too!
Did you know that 100% OJ or the nutrients it provides has been associated with a variety of health benefits including heart, brain, skin, bone and immune system health?
And because it contains several electrolytes, like potassium and calcium (in fortified juices), and magnesium in smaller amounts, it can help support your hydration, too!
Just one 8-ounce serving of 100% orange juice is an excellent source of vitamin C and a good source of potassium, folate and thiamin which can help support overall immune system function!
It’s no wonder us Floridians drink (and cook with!) this nutrient rich liquid all year long!
What to pair it with
If I were making these mojo chicken tacos for dinner, I would pair them with some plantains and some black beans and rice!
You could also make them into a rice bowl and use some of my delicious pink pickled onions. Or swap out the chorizo in this chorizo nacho recipe!
You could try pairing them with some of my famous queso dip mac and cheese or even stuff the chicken in this grilled chicken burrito!
Save this recipe for later
Want to save this Mojo Chicken Taco recipe for another time? I got you!
You can pin any image on this page or use the pretty ones I made below specifically for your Fall pinterest boards.
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And if pinterest isn't really your thing, you can always scroll down to the bottom of this post and print the printable recipe card.
Recipe
Mojo Chicken Tacos with Chunky Avocado Salsa
Equipment
Ingredients
For the Mojo Marinade
For the Chicken
- 2 lbs chicken breast boneless skinless
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 2 tablespoon olive oil
For the Tacos
- 2 large avocados diced
- 1 beefsteak tomato diced
- 2 tablespoon red onion finely diced
- 3 tablespoon fresh cilantro finely diced
- ½ lime juiced
- 15-20 street taco sized corn tortillas
Instructions
For the Mojo Marinade
- Whisk together all ingredients and set aside.
For the Chicken
- Season the chicken breasts with salt and pepper on both sides and set aside.
- Turn on saute function (on high) on the instant pot and add olive oil once hot.
- Add the chicken breasts and sear on one side for 5-8 minutes or until chicken has developed a light brown crust. Flip chicken and repeat on the other side.
- Once chicken is browned all over, remove from the instant pot and add the mojo marinade – making sure to scrape up all the bits on the bottom of the pan.
- Add the chicken back in and seal the instant pot. Press the pressure cook button and set to high pressure for 12 minutes.
- Once the timer is done, let it naturally release then open the pot and remove the chicken. Place the chicken in a wide bowl and let it rest.
- Meanwhile, simmer the sauce until reduced by half by pressing the saute function once more.
- Shred the chicken and pour the sauce all over the shredded chicken and toss.
For the Tacos
- Gently stir together chopped avocado, tomato, red onion, fresh cilantro and lime juice. Season with salt and set aside.
- Toast or warm tortilla shells.
- Fill each one with a spoonful of the shredded mojo chicken and the chunky avocado salsa. Enjoy!
