Description
Savory pollo asado brings Mexico’s grilling traditions to home kitchens with marinated chicken perfection. Spicy, aromatic seasonings and charred edges promise delicious results you’ll crave again and again.
Ingredients
Scale
- 3 lbs (1.36 kg) chicken thighs, legs and/or breast, bone-in or boneless, skin-on or skinless, trimmed of any excess fat
- ½ cup (120 ml) orange juice
- ¼ cup (60 ml) lime juice
- 3 tbsps (45 ml) olive oil
- 3–4 garlic cloves minced or 1 tbsp garlic paste
- 1 tbsp achiote powder ground annatto seed or achiote paste
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp ground coriander
- 1 tsp dried oregano (Mexican preferred)
- 2 tsps sea salt or Kosher salt
- ½ tsp ground black pepper
Instructions
- Marinade Preparation: Blend all ingredients in a large container, ensuring complete dissolution of achiote paste for uniform flavor infusion.
- Chicken Marination: Thoroughly coat chicken pieces, massaging marinade into every surface. Allow to rest at room temperature for 30 minutes or refrigerate up to 4 hours for deeper flavor penetration.
- Grill Setup: Clean and lightly oil grates. For gas grills, establish medium-high heat (375º – 425ºF) with dual temperature zones. For charcoal grills, create direct and indirect heating areas by positioning hot coals to one side.
- Initial Grilling: Remove chicken from marinade, letting excess drip off. Sear skin-side down over direct heat to develop crisp exterior and rich caramelization.
- Cooking Process: Rotate chicken every 5 minutes for even browning, grilling bone-in pieces for approximately 20 minutes over direct heat. Transition to cooler grill section, continuing indirect cooking until internal temperature reaches 160º – 165ºF (71º – 74ºC).
- Resting Phase: Remove from heat, loosely tent with aluminum foil for 10 minutes to redistribute juices and complete cooking.
- Oven Alternative: Preheat to 400ºF (204ºC), place chicken on wire rack in foil-lined baking pan. Roast skin-side up for 35-45 minutes, flipping midway. Confirm doneness with internal temperature of 165ºF (74ºC).
- Final Preparation: Allow chicken to rest, covered, for 10 minutes before serving to ensure maximum moisture and tenderness.
Notes
- Marinate Smartly: Let chicken absorb flavors between 30 minutes to 4 hours, avoiding extended marination to prevent protein breakdown and maintain meat texture.
- Grill with Precision: Create dual temperature zones for controlled cooking, allowing crisp searing over direct heat and gentle finishing over indirect heat.
- Check Temperature Accurately: Use a reliable meat thermometer to confirm internal chicken temperature reaches 160º-165ºF, guaranteeing safe and juicy results.
- Rest for Perfection: Allow chicken to rest 10 minutes after cooking, enabling juice redistribution and ensuring tender, flavorful meat throughout.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Category: Dinner, Lunch
- Method: Grilling
- Cuisine: Mexican
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 5
- Calories: 420
- Sugar: 5 g
- Sodium: 600 mg
- Fat: 22 g
- Saturated Fat: 3 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 19 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 10 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 38 g
- Cholesterol: 120 mg