Pollo Asado

Pollo asado (sometimes called pollo asada) is a citrus-marinated grilled chicken dish that is popular in Mexico, as well as in Caribbean countries like Cuba and Puerto Rico.

The paprika gives the chicken its orange-red color, and the orange juice and lime juice give it a bright, tangy flavor. Cooking it on the grill adds a little smoke.

Eat it on its own with lime wedges, or slice it into strips for tacos, burritos, bowls, or quesadillas.

💛 Why you’ll love this recipe

• Straightforward ingredients that are readily available at the grocery store.
• High in protein, with about 45 grams per serving from the chicken thighs.
• Three ways to cook it: on an outdoor grill, in a grill pan, or in the oven.

➡️ Ingredients

⏲ How to make pollo asado

This is an overview of the recipe’s instructions. The full instructions can be found in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.

Recipe Tip: Juicing ½ a cup of lime juice can be time-consuming, so it is sometimes easier to just use store-bought lime juice. If you want to juice limes to yield ½ a cup, I would suggest using a lemon squeezer.

• Prepare Marinade: To a blender, add cilantro, onion, orange juice, lime juice, garlic cloves, paprika, oregano, kosher salt, cumin, pepper, and ground cayenne pepper (optional). Blend until ingredients are pulverized and combined.
• Marinate Chicken: Place chicken in a resealable bag or in a large bowl. Pour the marinade atop the chicken. If using a storage bag, seal the bag, then rotate it so the marinade coats the chicken. If using a bowl, use tongs to coat the chicken in the marinade, then cover the bowl with foil or a lid. Transfer the chicken to the refrigerator, and chill for 1 to 4 hours.
• Cook Chicken: Remove chicken from bag or bowl of marinade, letting any excess marinade drip off.
  
  Outdoor grill: Preheat the outdoor grill to 350°F. Rub oil on the grates. Grill the chicken undisturbed for about 5 to 10 minutes per side.
  Grill pan: Preheat a grill pan to medium-high heat. Grill for 3 to 5 minutes per side.
  Oven: Preheat the oven to 425°F and cook the chicken on a baking sheet coated in nonstick cooking spray for 18 to 25 minutes.
  
  The chicken is done once it reaches an internal temperature of 165°F on an instant-read thermometer.
• Serve: Remove chicken from the grill or oven and allow to rest for at least 5 minutes before serving with lime wedges.

👉 Ingredient substitution suggestions

• White Onion: Replace with yellow onions, red onions, or shallots.
• Fresh Orange Juice: You can replace fresh orange juice with a mixture of citrus juices like grapefruit juice or a combination of lemon and orange juice. The goal is to have a tangy and slightly sweet element in the marinade.
• Lime Juice: Lemon juice is your best substitution option.
• Garlic Cloves: Use 1 ½ teaspoons of garlic powder or use 5 teaspoons of minced garlic from a jar.
• Paprika: Replace the 2 Tablespoons of paprika with approximately 1 to 2 Tablespoons of achiote paste (note that achiote paste can vary in strength and flavor intensity, so start with a smaller amount and you can always add more, if desired). Alternatively, instead of regular paprika, use smoked paprika or a combination of chili powder and ground cayenne pepper for some heat.
• Mexican Oregano: Regular oregano can be substituted for Mexican oregano. While Mexican oregano has a slightly different flavor profile, regular oregano will still work just fine.
• Kosher Salt: Use 1 teaspoon of table salt instead.
• Ground Cumin: Use chili powder instead.
• Chicken Thighs: Use chicken breasts instead; keep in mind that cook time will be different than written in the original recipe. If you can only find bone-in chicken thighs at the store, you can de-bone the chicken and then move on to marinating.

✨ Variations

• Replace some of the citrus juice with Mexican beer (like Corona or Modelo) to add a unique flavor to the marinade.
• For a spicier version, add some chopped jalapenos, serrano peppers, and/or crushed red pepper flakes to the marinade.

〰️ How to serve

• Veggies: Serve with fajita vegetables, air fryer corn ribs, or sauteed kale.
• Salad: Serve with corn salad or Mexican chopped salad.
• Rice: Serve alongside cilantro lime cauliflower rice, Mexican cauliflower rice, cilantro lime rice, or Mexican rice.
• Sides: Serve with this colorful one-pan Mexican quinoa.
• Beans: Serve alongside refried beans, black beans, or this combo one pot rice and beans.
• Tacos, Burritos, Burrito Bowls, or Quesadillas: Slice chicken into strips and serve in a tortilla or in a bowl with cheese, pineapple salsa or corn salsa, guacamole, and sour cream.

💬 FAQs

📚 More chicken recipes

• Creamy Tuscan Chicken
• Shawarma Kebabs
• Creamy Spinach Chicken Bake
• Creamy Sun Dried Tomato Chicken
• Green Chile Chicken with Leftover Shredded Chicken Thighs