Pollo Asado
I absolutely love to grill in the summer and this grilled pollo asado is so good! All you need is your favorite cut of chicken and the marinade and then it’s time to grill! I prefer chicken breasts but many of you love chicken thighs which are extra flavorful. The marinade is full of citrus and Mexican spices and is so easy to put together. You can roast the chicken in the oven if you prefer but I love the outdoor grill flavor. The chicken is so juicy and packed full of flavor! It goes well with a side of corn salad, cilantro lime rice, beans and rice, potatoes or salad. You can use it in tacos, tostados, or quesadillas as well. My Tomato and Tomatillo Salsa or Pico de Gallo Salsa make a great accompaniment to any Mexican dish. The perfect summer meal!
Ingredients for Pollo Asado:
This marinade is a delicious blend of citrus and spices as follows:
- 2/3 cup fresh squeezed orange juice or you can use bottled orange juice. If you don’t have fresh oranges then I like to use Simply Fresh orange juice as it’s the closest I’ve found to the real thing.
- Juice from one fresh squeezed lime. I wouldn’t substitute bottled lime juice for fresh in this recipe.
- Olive oil or avocado oil
- Two garlic cloves, minced
- Oregano or Mexican Oregano if you have it
- Coriander
- Paprika (regular not smoked paprika)
- Cumin
- Ancho chili powder
- Crushed red pepper flakes
- Fresh cilantro
- Fresh ground sea salt and pepper
- 3-4 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts or 6 boneless, skinless chicken thighs
How to make Pollo Asado:
- Put marinade ingredients in a small bowl or measuring cup and whisk them all together.
- Place the marinade in a large ziplock bag and add the cilantro (you can leave it whole).
- Wash and dry your chicken before marinating. If you use frozen chicken like I did make sure it is unthawed before adding it to the marinade.
- Place chicken pieces in the marinade and let it sit for at least 30 minutes to an hour in the refrigerator. Don’t marinade chicken breasts more than 2 hours. If you are using chicken thighs marinade for at least 30 minutes or up to 12 hours.
I know this isn’t the best picture but you get the idea of what it looks like in the bag. Make sure your bag is well sealed so it doesn’t leak!
Grilling pollo asado:
- When you are ready to cook the chicken, remove it from the bag and place on a tray or baking sheet.
- Heat your grill to 425 degrees. Brush a little olive oil on the grill to prevent sticking.
- Place your chicken on the grill with metal tongs. Let it cook for about 5-7 minutes on each side. Check for doneness with a meat thermometer. The internal temperature of the chicken should be 165 degrees.
- Remove the chicken to a tray or baking sheet and let it rest for about 5 minutes for the juices to settle.
- Serve the chicken pieces whole or cut into bite-size servings.
- Leftover chicken can be stored in the refrigerator in a covered container for up to 4 days.
Other great summer recipes:
Pollo Asado
Ingredients
- 3 to 4 large boneless, skinless chicken breast (depending on the size) or 6 boneless, skinless chicken thighs
- 2/3 cup orange juice (fresh squeezed or bottled)
- 1 lime, juiced (fresh only)
- 2 tbsp olive oil or avocado oil
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/2 tsp oregano or Mexican oregano if you have it
- 1 tsp coriander
- 1 tsp regular paprika (don't use smoked)
- 1 tsp cumin
- 1 tbsp ancho chili powder
- 1 tsp fine or fresh ground sea salt
- 1/2 tsp pepper
- 1 tsp dried red pepper flakes
Instructions
- Put marinade ingredients in a small bowl or measuring cup and whisk them all together.
- Place the marinade in a large ziplock bag and add the cilantro (you can leave it whole). Wash and dry your chicken before marinating. If you use frozen chicken make sure it is unthawed before adding it to the marinade. Place chicken pieces in the marinade and let it sit for at least 30 minutes to an hour in the refrigerator. Don't marinade chicken breasts more than 2 hours. If you are using chicken thighs marinade for at least 30 minutes or up to 12 hours.
- When you are ready to cook the chicken, remove it from the bag and place on a tray or baking sheet.
- Heat your grill to 425 degrees. Brush a little olive oil on the grill to prevent sticking.
- Place your chicken on the grill with metal tongs. Let it cook for about 5-7 minutes on each side. Check for doneness with a meat thermometer. The internal temperature of the chicken should be 165 degrees.
- Remove the chicken to a tray or baking sheet and let it rest for about 5 minutes for the juices to settle.
- Serve the chicken pieces whole or cut into bite-size servings.
- Leftover chicken can be stored in the refrigerator in a covered container for up to 4 days.
- Calories based on 3 large chicken breasts and marinade.