Pollo Asado
Published Sept. 22, 2023
- Total Time
- 1 hour 10 minutes, plus at least 3 hours marinating
- Prep Time
- 10 minutes
- Cook Time
- 1 hour, plus at least 3 hours marinating
- Rating
- Comments
- Read comments
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Ingredients
- 6garlic cloves, peeled
- 1small yellow onion, peeled and halved through the root
- 3guajillo chiles, seeded
- 2pasilla chiles, seeded
- 2teaspoons coriander seeds
- 1teaspoon cumin seeds
- ½cup grapefruit or orange juice (from 1 grapefruit or 2 oranges)
- ½cup lime juice (from about 4 limes)
- 1tablespoon kosher salt (such as Diamond Crystal), plus more for seasoning
- 2teaspoons annatto seeds, or a cube of achiote paste
- 1teaspoon dried oregano
- 1teaspoon hot paprika
- 3pounds bone-in, skin-on chicken drumsticks and thighs
- 2tablespoons neutral oil
- ½bunch cilantro (leaves and tender stems)
- 3limes, cut into wedges
For the Marinade
For the Pollo Asado
Nutritional analysis per serving (6 servings)
594 calories; 43 grams fat; 11 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 19 grams monounsaturated fat; 9 grams polyunsaturated fat; 13 grams carbohydrates; 3 grams dietary fiber; 3 grams sugars; 39 grams protein; 765 milligrams sodium
Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
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Preparation
- Step 1
Make the marinade: Heat a medium skillet over medium. Add the garlic cloves and onion, and cook on one side until charred in spots, about 5 minutes. Flip and cook until charred on the opposite side, about 5 minutes more. Transfer to a blender.
- Step 2
Place the chiles in the same skillet and press down firmly until blistered and fragrant, about 1 minute. Flip and repeat on the other side. Add to the blender.
- Step 3
Turn off the heat under the skillet and immediately add the coriander and cumin. Swirl the pan until the spices are fragrant and the cumin sounds like it's popping, 15 to 30 seconds. Transfer the spices to the blender, then add the grapefruit and lime juices, 1 tablespoon salt, annatto, oregano and paprika. Blend until smooth.
- Step 4
Transfer the marinade to a bowl, or resealable freezer bag, and add the chicken. Toss to coat and transfer to the fridge for at least 3 hours and up to 12 hours.
- Step 5
Using your hands, scrape off excess marinade. With a brush, coat the chicken with some neutral oil and season on all sides with salt. Place on a baking sheet or tray for carrying to the grill.
- Step 6
Prepare a grill for indirect heat: Heat the coals on one half of a charcoal grill, or turn half the burners to medium-high on a gas grill. Lightly grease the grates of the grill with a paper towel dipped in neutral oil and place the chicken skin-side up on the side of the grill without coals (or turned on burners). Cover the grill and cook until chicken registers 165 degrees on an instant-read thermometer, 25 to 30 minutes. If you’d like more color on the skin, flip the chicken and place skin-side down on the coal side with the cover open, until it’s nicely charred. Be vigilant, as the chicken can quickly burn; it will only need 1 or 2 minutes. (Alternatively, cook the chicken on a grill pan over medium heat, flipping the pieces every 5 minutes, until the chicken registers 165 degrees.)
- Step 7
Transfer the chicken to a platter, season with salt, tent with foil and let rest for at least 5 minutes before serving with cilantro and lime wedges.
Private Notes
Comments
Cooking a beautiful and delicious meal like this for family and friends is a warm expression of love for them, food and life.This one takes time to obtain some ingredients, preparing the marinade and marinating (overnight, preferred). Appetites soar as vigilant cooking proceeds. Then the serving part. No need to choose between beans and rice or pickled red onions and tortillas. Serve them all! And please, show that love for all by presenting the mandatory toss of cilantro on the side.
Cat, regarding oven cooking methods for this dish: I find with similar recipes that cooking chicken thighs in a hot oven - 425 to 450 degrees F - for 30 to 40 minutes (accounting for oven differences) - can deliver crackling, blistered skin and juicy meat. And you can deglaze the pn with water or white wine (degreasing according to taste) - and making a nice finishing sauce, spiced with the marinade to drizzle over the chicken. Some experimenting may be involved, but I've had good results.
Love! Any suggestions for cooking in oven? Thx-
I make this every few months. Having lived in Mexico and now living in Texas, I usually have 5-6 varieties of dried Chiles in the pantry. Add a bit of oil to the blender, reserve some of the marinade as a sauce or to brush on. This marinade also goes very well with grilled seafood so save the extra.
Must have set my grill too high because the outside was overly burnt but the inside was perfect. Served to kids ages 8-15 with the feedback that it was "too sour" so I added a little honey and they were happy.
This is now a family favorite made by all siblings! Over the past year, I've learned a couple of things. 1. For those asking, use dried chilies. Cut open and dump out the seeds. A few are okay. 2. I blister them on the BBQ to avoid coughing and scrubbing my skillet. 3. Double the marinade and use 3-4 times the chicken. Freeze until you want a quick dinner. 4. Leave part, but not al of the marinade on. Too much will taste bitter. 5. Air Fry or bake @ 400 for 25-ish minutes. Enjoy!
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