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Pollo Asado - Mexican Grilled Chicken

Pollo asado delivers charred, citrus-marinated Mexican grilled chicken with an orange-red achiote color. Blend a citrus-achiote marinade, marinate for hours, then grill until cooked through with smoky char spots.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Marinating 4 hours
Total Time 4 hours 45 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: Mexican
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Chicken pieces
  • 3 lb chicken pieces Use pieces or a whole chicken cut into parts.
Citrus and oil marinade
  • 0.25 cup orange juice
  • 0.25 cup lime juice
  • 0.25 cup olive oil
  • 4 clove garlic Minced.
Achiote and spices
  • 2 tbsp achiote paste
  • 1 tbsp cumin
  • 1 tsp oregano
  • 1 tsp chili powder
  • 1 salt To taste.
  • 1 pepper To taste.

Equipment

  • 1 grill

Method
 

Make the marinade
  1. Blend orange juice, lime juice, olive oil, garlic, achiote paste, cumin, oregano, chili powder, salt, and pepper until smooth and evenly colored.
Marinate
  1. Marinate the chicken in the refrigerator for 4-24 hours, turning once halfway if possible.
Grill the chicken
  1. Preheat the grill to medium-high heat.
  2. Grill chicken, turning occasionally, until cooked through and charred in spots, about 30-40 minutes for whole chicken.
Rest and serve
  1. Let the grilled chicken rest for 10 minutes to keep it juicy.
  2. Serve with warm tortillas, lime wedges, and cilantro.

Notes

Pro tip: for the best char, blot the chicken lightly after marinating so the marinade doesn’t steam on the grates. Store leftovers in the refrigerator up to 3 days; freeze cooked chicken up to 2 months. For a dairy-free option, the recipe is already naturally dairy-free; for lower-sodium, use reduced-salt salt blends or less added salt.