Pollo asado is a citrus-marinated grilled chicken that has officially taken over my Mexican dinner nights. It’s easy to prep and the bold, earthy, and citrusy marinade is what keeps me coming back for more!
What Makes This Pollo Asado So Darn Good
- The unique citrus + achiote flavor. Unlike many Mexican recipes, this is not an overly spicy or hot recipe. It’s actually tangy, earthy, and slightly smoky with a blend of citrus juice, garlic, spices, and achiote paste.
- The grill transforms the flavor. While the marinade is delicious on its own, the slight char from the grill is what really makes it taste amazing. It’s that authentic street-food style finish at home!
- The meat stays juicy. Chicken thighs soak up the marinade and are very forgiving—they don’t dry out on the grill (even if you accidentally overcook them).
- It’s one of my favorite meal-prep chicken recipes. I often marinate the chicken the night before, then simply grill it the next day for tacos, bowls, salads, or an easy dinner.
Whenever I travel to Mexico, one of the things I get most excited about is food cooked over an open flame. Whether that’s cilantro lime chicken, al pastor (for tacos al pastor) or this pollo asado. There’s almost always a grill going somewhere, and street food just hits differently (in a great way).
I’ve enjoyed pollo asada a bunch in Mexico, and after my recent trip to Mexico City, I came home determined to make it in my own kitchen. It’s simple, but incredibly flavorful. And not overly spicy, like my chipotle chicken.
It’s also a great recipe to throw on the grill, and I’m always looking for new grilling recipes. As you might imagine, with all the sunshine I get in SoCal, it’s my preferred summertime cooking method!
The secret to this recipe is the achiote paste, lots of citrus, and lots and lots of garlic. This was my first time cooking with achiote paste (see my tips below), but boy do I love it in this pollo asada!
Pollo Asado Ingredients
- Chicken thighs: I strongly recommend chicken thighs for this recipe. Not only are they traditionally used in pollo asado, but they also stay juicier after grilling. I’ve tested plenty of grilled chicken recipes with breasts and thighs, and thighs consistently deliver better flavor and texture. You can also use a whole or half chicken butterflied on the grill!
- Pollo asado marinade: The combination of orange juice, lime juice, garlic, achiote paste, cumin, oregano (use Mexican oregano if you have it), and olive oil creates the perfect balance of citrusy, earthy, smoky, and savory flavors.
What is achiote paste? Made from annatto seeds, garlic, spices, and vinegar, it gives pollo asado its signature reddish-orange color and earthy flavor.
You can usually find achiote paste in the Latin foods section of larger grocery stores, at Mexican markets, or online (I linked the one I’m using in the recipe card below). Once opened, I like keeping the extra paste in the refrigerator for future batches.
Find the complete recipe with measurements below
How To Make Pollo Asado
First, blend the marinade until smooth. I like making the marinade directly in a Mason jar using an immersion blender because it quickly breaks down the achiote paste and garlic into a smooth mixture. You can also blend this in a small, smoothie-type blender.
Lisa’s blending tip: If you don’t have an immersion blender, you can whisk the ingredients as well, but the achiote paste may take longer to dissolve and/or need to be mashed a bit. I tried chopping up the achiote paste and mashing it into the marinade the first try, thinking it would dissolve more easily, and well, it just wasn’t ideal. So I do recommend some type of blender for a smooth, well-dissolved, and blended achiote paste.
Next, give the chicken time to marinate. While 2 hours will work, I find the flavor develops best after 6 to 8 hours in the refrigerator. The citrus, garlic, and spices have more time to penetrate the chicken, and the difference is noticeable. If I’m planning ahead, I’ll usually prep everything the night before.
Now, it’s time for grilling! I like cooking the chicken over medium-high heat until the outside develops slightly charred edges. If the grill is too hot, the sugars from the citrus can darken too quickly before the chicken cooks through.
Lisa’s grilling tip: An instant-read thermometer is your best friend here. Once the thickest part reaches 165°F, it’s ready.
Lastly, let it rest before slicing. I know it’s tempting to cut into it immediately, but give the chicken about 5 minutes to rest. It helps keep those juices where they belong. If I’m making tacos, I’ll usually chop the chicken after resting so all those flavorful juices stay mixed throughout the meat.
Common Questions
Yes, you can! Though you’ll be missing that charred, smoky flavor, which is what this authentic recipe is really all about. For indoor cooking, heat a skillet over medium-high heat with a little oil. Cook for 5 to 6 minutes per side until cooked through.
Either one works! I’m using skin-on today as I sure do love some crispy skin. And it’s more traditionally what’s served in Mexico. But if you’re planning on chopping the meat for tacos, you can use boneless skinless chicken thighs.
I usually enjoy pollo asado on a plate or in a bowl with Mexican sides such as cilantro lime rice or Mexican rice, black beans, guacamole, and fajita veggies. But you can also make pollo asado tacos! Just chop the chicken into small cubes and pile the tacos with diced onion, cilantro, and a squeeze of fresh lime juice to finish it off.
More Mexican Recipes
- Carne Asada: The best Mexican grilled steak.
- Birria: There’s so much flavor in this!
- Carnitas: A must-make for pork lovers.
- Chicken Fajitas: A staple weeknight dinner.
- Or give these other Mexican recipes a try!
If you try this pollo asado recipe, let me know how it turns out in the comments below! Your review will help other readers in the community. And if you’re looking for more healthy food inspiration, join my free newsletter here.
Description
Equipment
Ingredients
For the chicken
- 4 pounds chicken thighs, bone-in and skin-on (though see FAQs above for boneless skinless variation)
For the marinade
- ⅓ cup extra-virgin olive oil
- ⅔ cup fresh orange juice
- ⅓ cup fresh lime juice
- 6 garlic cloves, minced
- 3 tablespoons achiote paste, roughly chopped
- 1 tablespoon ground cumin
- 1 tablespoon dried oregano
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
Instructions
- Make the marinade. In a mason jar, add the olive oil, orange juice, lime juice, garlic, achiote paste, cumin, oregano, salt, and pepper. Use an immersion blender to blend the ingredients until smooth. Set aside. Alternative: If you don't have an immersion blender, you can whisk the ingredients as well, but the achiote paste may take longer to dissolve and/or need to be mashed a bit.
- Marinate the chicken. Add the chicken to a large mixing bowl, and pour the marinade on top. Use tongs to make sure the chicken is coated thoroughly. Cover and refrigerate at least 2 hours, though ideally 6 to 8 hours.
- Grill the chicken (best method). Preheat the grill to medium-high heat (about 400°F to 450°F). Lightly oil the grates, then grill the chicken for 5 to 7 minutes per side. It should have a nice char and internal temperature of 165°F. Alternative: For indoor cooking, heat a skillet over medium-high heat with a little oil. Cook for 5 to 6 minutes per side until cooked through.
- Rest and serve. Let the chicken rest for 5 minutes, then serve. Alternatively, you can slice into strips or chop into bite-sized pieces.
Lisa’s Tips
- 4 pounds of chicken thighs is about 12 medium-sized thighs.
- Achiote paste (as linked above) comes in a 3.5-ounce block, which is roughly 3 to 3 ½ tablespoons of achiote paste. So I simply cut the block in half, then roughly chop that. And then save the other half for a future batch.
- Storage: Store leftover pollo asado in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
- Reheating: Reheat gently in a skillet over medium-low heat with a splash of water to help keep the chicken moist. You can also microwave it in 30-second intervals until warmed through. If serving in tacos or bowls, I like to chop the chicken first so it reheats more evenly.
- Freezing: Let the chicken cool completely, then freeze it in an airtight container for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
Nutrition
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Best chicken recipe ever! We had this for dinner last night. I served it with black beans, Lisa’s fajita veggies, and flour “street taco” tortillas. The meal was a hit! The immersion blender was key. Thank you so much, Lisa!
Hi Carrie – I’m so glad you loved this pollo asado recipe for the perfect taco night!
Hi Lisa
My name is Winona and I’m writing you from the province of Ontario in Canada
Just about to try your Pollo Asado recipe
When you say to keep the remaining sauce, do you mean the sauce that is leftover from the marinated chicken? Meaning this sauce would have been used to marinate the raw chicken
Hi Winona – No, you don’t keep any sauce. You keep the remaining achiote paste (if you purchased the same size as mine), then save that for a future batch. Hope that clarifies. Enjoy!
Lisa, I made this today on a ceramic smoker using lump charcoal and some chunks of cherry wood for smoke. This was super easy to make and very tasty chicken. Will make again for sure.
I’m so happy to hear your pollo asado turned out perfectly, Tim!
Chicken thighs were good but not great. Was very careful to maintain grill temperatures to 430 +/- 10, but still required an extra 7-8 minutes for internal temperatures to reach/exceed 165. I did get excellent char marks, but otherwise the skin didn’t get crisp as we’d prefer. Planning to try again soon with the extra achiote paste we have leftover, but cook it even longer.
Hi Rich – Hopefully your next try comes out even better with a slightly longer cook time. Enjoy!
I loved this dish! I ordered the achiote paste on Amazon and I’m so excited that I still have half of it left so that I can make this again. I was nervous that this would be a spicy dish, but it wasn’t at all. We cooked the chicken thighs on a pellet smoker and served them with Lisa’s fajita veggies and guacamole along with tortilla chips. It was a 5 star meal ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
So happy you loved this pollo asado, Lauren! And yes, it’s not spicy at all, just flavorful. And I’m sure extra flavorful on your pellet smoker, yum!
OH BOY HOWDY! This was amazing!
Achiote paste is brand new to us and what an amazing flavor along with the fresh citrus juices. Complex, earthy, and fresh. We bbq’d on charcoal so that of course took it to next level!
We LOVE trying new things and you truly help introduce those in an easy, approachable recipe.
Excited to explore more ways to use the achiote!
Loved everything about this Lisa!
Wonderful! I’m so thrilled you loved this recipe, Robin! And thanks for trying new things and trusting my recipes. :) x
Hi Lisa….I can’t wait to try this recipe. You mentioned either grilling (BBQ) or frying in a skillet. Can I broil the chicken thighs? I tend to broil chicken thighs and even take the time to baste them with my turkey baster (on both sides) and they taste delish, even when the chicken has not been marinated. Thought I should make sure broiling is OK as well for this particular recipe. Thank you.
Hi Eleanor – Yes, you could broil them as well!
Hi Lisa, I am a HUGE fan of your recipes. I have no trouble following them usually however, I am a novice at the grill. I just want to clarify, the actual cooking instructions are for an outdoor grill and the chicken goes directly on the oiled grates or should it go on a grill pan (like the one in your pic) on top of the grill? I find it hard to believe that the chicken thighs could cook in only 5-7 minutes per side?
Hi Nicole – If you’re cooking this recipe on the grill, you can place the chicken directly on the grill grates. You don’t need to use a grill pan. Hope you enjoy!
Lisa, every recipe continues to be amazing! Tried this and it was delicious. We grilled the chicken outside and it was so flavorful. I’m Mexican, so I love pollo asado. This was such a healthy version compared to what I’ve had.
Thanks so much for your kind words, Sandy! I’m happy you enjoyed this one!
I’d like to make this for someone who doesn’t like garlic. Do you think it would still be good or should I just pick another recipe :)
Hi Rachel – While this recipe would still be good, I do think the garlic helps to make it extra delicious. So you might be better off with another recipe for your friend.
If I could give this 10 stars I would! The flavor is spectacular!! I’ve never used achiote paste before… it must be the secret ingredient! One thing though, it contains sodium benzoate, which we try to avoid. I will research to see if it can be found without that ingredient. Bone in chicken thighs are hard to mess up!!! Thank you again for a great recipe. You’re the best!
Achiote paste really is the secret ingredient! And I agree, chicken thighs really are forgiving. So happy you loved it, Marie!
Looking forward to cooking this, Lisa.
Is it made with thighs with skin and bone or boneless?
Many thanks
Hi Sue – I’m using chicken thighs with skin and bones. I just clarified it in the recipe card. Hope you enjoy!
Question: are the thighs boneless skinless?
Hi Kate – If you want to chop up the meat for tacos, you can use boneless skinless. If you want to pick up each piece with your hands and eat it, you can use skin-on and bone-in, as I’m showing today. Enjoy!
Did you use boneless, skinless chicken thighs?
Hi Kathleen – I used skin-on and with bones, as I typically pick up the thighs with my hands and eat them. But if you want to chop the meat for tacos you can use boneless skinless chicken. Enjoy!
Hello! Thank you for the recipe! Do you have a link to achiote paste? There is no link that I can find?
Hi Shawn – I just fixed the link in the recipe card above. Hope you enjoy this pollo asado!
I always find when marinating chicken with citrus for to many hours or overnight, the texture of the meat is mealy or just strange. Am I the only one who this happens to?
Hi Linda – I find that chicken thighs are more forgiving that chicken breasts. But if you’re concerned, you can keep it to the 2 hour marinating time. Hope you enjoy!
I don’t have a Mexican market near me and my small town grocery store doesn’t carry much! I tried to find the link to the achiote paste you used, but didn’t see the link anywhere. Thank you!
Hi Cat – Sorry, about that. I just fixed the link in the recipe card. Hope you enjoy!
Lisa- where is the link for the achiotto paste?
I’m not finding it
Hi Robin – I just fixed the link in the post. :)
I really want to make this, but I’m allergic to oranges. Any ideas for substitutions?
Hi Zoey – You could always swap in pineapple juice. Though if you do, don’t marinate longer than 2 to 4 hours as the enzyme in pineapple can make the chicken mushy. Enjoy!
Is there another citrus I can substitute for the orange!
Hi Heidi – While orange juice is traditionally used, you could always swap in tangerine juice or pineapple juice. Hope you enjoy!