Chicken Asado Recipe (Pollo Asado)

Pollo Asado is easy, marinated, grilled or roasted chicken chock full of zippy Latin flavors!  It’s stand alone scrumptious or add it to tacos, burritos, or bowls!

This Pollo Asado recipe is tender, juicy, smoky, earthy, and a little spicy with a glorious charred crust.  It’s big on flavor and low on effort so it’s perfect for all your summer cookouts or an easy weeknight meal – the marinade literally does all the work!  The Pollo Asado is marinated in an intensely flavorful mixture of orange juice, lime juice, ground cumin, smoked paprika, oregano, garlic, onion and achiote powder, which imparts its signature red-orange color and big flavor.  You can grill the chicken or roast the chicken and use the marinade on any cut of chicken you like!  Serve the Pollo Asada with warm tortillas, beans and/or your favorite side dishes such as cilantro lime rice, corn salad and pina colada fruit salad for the ultimate feast.

I love grilled chicken!  Marinating and grilling chicken makes for the easiest dinner with little prep – and zero cleanup.  Some of my favorite grilled chicken recipes include Greek Chicken, Chili Lime Chicken, Cilantro Lime Chicken, Chipotle Chicken, Teriyaki Chicken, Buffalo Chicken, Lemon Herb Chicken, Korean Chicken and now introducing Pollo Asado!

 

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WHAT IS POLLO ASADO?

The Spanish word “pollo” translated to English means “chicken,” and asado means “roasted” or “barbecued” so pollo asado means roasted or barbecued chicken.  However, Pollo Asado isn’t just any barbecued chicken.  Pollo Asado is deeply flavorful chicken marinated in a mixture of citrus juices, cumin, oregano, paprika and most notably, achiote powder, which gives the chicken it’s signature orange and red color.  You’ll find variations of Pollo Asado in Mexico, Puerto Rico, Cuba and the Caribbean. The recipe I’m sharing with you today is more Mexican inspired.  

Pollo Asado can be made with the whole chicken or parts of the chicken, but bone-in chicken thighs and leg quarter are the most common.  Pollo asado is typically grilled, but you can also roast it in the oven (both instructions included).

WHAT you’ll LOVE ABOUT THIS pollo Asado RECIPE

There’s nothing better than tender, juicy, intensely flavorful Pollo Asado right off the grill!  It’s the answer to your flavorful chicken quest and will instantly become a repeat favorite!  Here’s why you’ll love this recipe:

• Easy. This marinate-and-cook Pollo Asado recipe is SO simple to make – the marinade literally does all the work with only 10 minutes of prep.  Whisk the marinade together, add the chicken, and sit back and relax while the marinade does all the heavy lifting.
• Flavorful.  You will LOVE this bold, juicy chicken with its bright citrus notes, complex earthy nuttiness, hints of spice and unapologetic flavor. It boasts a tantalizing charred exterior while the inside remains tender and juicy.
• Juicy. This Pollo Asada recipe marinates for 4 to 24 hours which means every bite is a guaranteed to be a succulent, flavorful dream.
• Versatile.   Choose your cut of chicken and serve it plain with a side of rice, beans and tortillas or serve the chicken in tacos, burritos, bowls, quesadillas or nachos.  No matter how you serve it, this Pollo Asado recipe will always deliver.
• Meal prep or make ahead.  I love to meal prep this Pollo Asado and serve it all of the aforementioned ways throughout the week!
• Easy to double.  You can double or triple the recipe for entertaining, for purposeful leftovers or to freeze.
• Freezer friendly.  The marinated chicken is freezer friendly for an easy make-ahead dinner. 
• Great for entertaining. Just throw the marinated chicken on the grill when guests arrive, and dinner is served in minutes!  And everyone will love you for it.

Chicken Asado Recipe (Pollo Asado)

The Pollo Asado Marinade is what makes this recipe with its bright citrus and rainbow of seasonings.  The Pollo Asado is tangy from the orange and lime juice, nutty from the achiote, spicy from the chipotle pepper, earthy from the cumin and coriander, and smoky from the paprika with aromatic punches of onion and garlic to top it off.  The marinade not only infuses the Pollo Asado recipe with bright, earthy, garlic, oregano flavor, but also tenderizes the chicken and turns it the red/orange color. 

The marinade ingredient list might look a bit lengthy, but each ingredient plays a key role and the entire marinade only take a couple minutes to whisk together.  Here’s what you need:

• Achiote paste:  typically sold in 3.5-ounce blocks in the ethnic or Latin section of your grocery store.  I’ve gone into greater detail below.
• Olive oil: use extra virgin olive oil for the best flavor.
• Lime juice:  the fresh tanginess complements the nutty achiote, smoky paprika and spicy chipotle.  I also like to add a squeeze of fresh lime juice to the Pollo Asado after it’s cooked.
• Orange juice: also cuts through the robust seasonings.  You will need 2 oranges to make ½ cup orange juice.  Freshly squeezed is best but you can use bottled juice if it is pure freshly squeezed without any additives.
• Onion:  1 small yellow onion will do the trick.  Don’t substitute with a sweet onion.  You may, however, substitute with 1 teaspoon onion powder.
• Garlic: loads of fresh garlic adds the signature garlicky flavor and is needed to compete with the heat.  Of course, you can add more or less depending on your garlic love.
• Ground cumin:  warm, earthy, nutty, with a hint of both sweet and bitter. It rounds out the flavor profile and punches up the other flavors.
• Dried oregano:  Mexican oregano is best with its lemon and citrus notes and a hint of licorice but you may substitute traditional Italian/Mediterranean oregano as well with more minty undertones.
• Coriander: earthy, tart, and sweet. If you don’t keep it stocked, you can skip it, but I recommend purchasing it for future use.
• Smoked paprika: rich, mild, sweet, and smoky made from smoked pimento peppers dried over oak fires then crushed.  It is not spicy, just flavorful. You can find smoked paprika with the rest of the spices at your grocery store.  I use it in ALL my Mexican recipes, so I promise your purchase will not go to waste.
• Chipotle chile pepper: is made of smoked jalapeno peppers that are smoked, dried and crushed -so it’s not just spicy but smoky too! It is easy to find at your grocery store under any of the following names: “chipotle chile pepper,” “ground chipotle chile,” or “chipotle powder.”  If you don’t keep it stocked – you want to.  Again, I use it in all of my Mexican recipes, so I highly suggest purchasing it. 
• Pepper:  adds yet another layer of pepper flavor.
• Kosher salt:  is crucial!  It enhances all of the flavors.  If you don’t have enough salt, your Pollo Asado will taste very bland. If you don’t have kosher salt, substitute with HALF the amount of table salt.

What is Achiote? 

Achiote is made from ground annatto seeds and is used as a culinary spice, food colorant, and commercial dye.  As a spice, it is slightly nutty, sweet and peppery. 

Achiote is native to the tropical areas of the Americas, including the Caribbean and Mexico.  It has been used for thousands of years to flavor dishes, color cosmetics, dye fabric and body paint, and as a sunscreen and insect repellent.  Today, achiote is commercially used as a coloring agent in many processed foods such chorizo, butter, margarine, cheese, including Velveeta, custards, breakfast cereals, snack foods and more.

Achiote can be found in various forms – whole seeds, powder, or a paste. For this recipe, you will need achiote paste (also known as recado). 

What is Achiote Paste?

Achiote paste is made by grinding annatto seeds and combining them with vinegar, oregano, cumin, cloves, cinnamon, black pepper, garlic and salt.  The paste is slightly sweet, peppery, nutty and smoky.  It is what gives the Pollo Asado, and many other Latin dishes, their signature red-orange color. That’s right, unlike Tandoori Chicken, Pollo Asado is 100% all natural in coloring. 

Where to buy achiote paste

Generally, the achiote paste is sold in small, 3.5-ounce blocks.  We will use 2.5 ounces for this recipe, so a little more than a third of the block.  Look for achiote paste in the ethnic aisle of your local grocery store or by other Latin foods.  It can also be found at any specialty Latin market.  If you can’t find it near you, you can order it on Amazon here.

Achiote Paste substitute for Asado Chicken

If you can’t get your hands on achiote, you may substitute the following spice blend.  Note, that the substitution will not provide the authentic Pollo Asado flavor and won’t boast the same nuttiness, but it will still be tasty.  And yes, add the following seasonings are in ADDITION to the ones listed in the recipe if you are not using achiote paste.

• 2 tablespoons paprika (NOT smoked)
• 1 tablespoon white vinegar
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• ½ teaspoon ground cumin
• ¼ teaspoon black pepper
• ¼ teaspoon cinnamon
• ⅛ teaspoon cloves

Chicken Asado Recipe variations

• Play with the seasoning ratios to mix up the flavor profile
• Make it spicy by adding cayenne pepper
• Add cilantro: for more of a zesty, citrusy punch. 
• Add jalapeño:  remove the seeds and membrane before roughly chopping because they contain most of the heat.

WHAT CUT OF CHICKEN Is best FOR POLLO ASADO?

Pollo Asado is often made with a whole chicken or dark cuts of meat such as the legs quarters thighs, and wings.  That being said, use whatever cut of chicken you like!  I however, am partial to bone-in chicken thighs and leg quarters.  They are dark cuts of meat which means they are richer tasting, inherently juicier and the bone keeps them extra tender.  The bone also makes it harder to overcook these cuts of chicken.    

CAN I USE CHICKEN BREASTS?

Absolutely!  You can still make this Pollo Asado recipe using chicken breasts which is especially helpful when serving the chicken in tacos because they are easier to chop.  If you choose to use chicken breasts, take care to pound the breasts to an even thickness before marinating.  If your chicken breasts are extra-large, slice them through the equator to create fillets so the marinade has time to flavor the chicken through and through, and so there is more surface area to grill and char.

Also note, you don’t want to overcook chicken breasts or they won’t be as juicy.  Chicken breasts should be cooked to an internal temperature of 165 degrees F, 10 degrees less than the ideal 175 degrees F for darker cuts of meat.

HOW TO MAKE pollo asado

This Pollo Asado recipe is super easy to make – just marinate and cook! Here’s how (full recipe measurement are in the recipe card at the bottom of the post):

STEP 1: MARINATE CHICKEN

• Whisk all of the Marinade ingredients together in a large bowl or freezer size plastic bag. 
• Add the chicken and marinate for 4 hours or up to 24 hours in the refrigerator. 

STEP 2:  BRING Chicken TO ROOM TEMPERATURE

When read to grill or roast, let the chicken sit at room temperature for 30 minutes. You should never grill chicken or any protein straight out of the refrigerator.  Room temperature protein is juicier and cooks more evenly.

Room temperature Pollo Asado will cook more quickly because it starts cooking at a higher temperature which means the outside is less likely to overcook and there is less time for moisture to be released while cooking.  The Pollo Asado also cooks more evenly and you aren’t left with an overcooked exterior and cold interior. Lastly, bringing the Pollo Asado to room temperature relaxes the cold muscle fibers so they release natural moisture which is then reabsorbed into the muscle for juicier results (otherwise the moisture stays trapped in the fibers).

STEP 3:  HEAT GRILL

Heat the grill with the lid closed cranked to the maximum high temperature so it can achieve temperature more quickly and deliver a beautiful sear; plan on 10-15 minutes.  Once the grill is hot, you can adjust the temperature as needed. 

Don’t add the Pollo Asado until the grill is hot or it won’t sear as beautifully.  A hot grill also help the chicken easily release from the grill. Also, don’t grease the grill until ready to add the chicken or some of the oil will burn off.

STEP 3:  clean GRILL

Once the grill is fully heated, clean it thoroughly with a wire grill brush to remove any residue.  A clean grill ensures direct contact with the heat to create a beautiful sear and grill marks and helps prevent sticking. 

STEP 4: GREASE GRILL

Generously grease the CLEAN grill with a wad of oiled paper towels using tongs just before adding the chicken.  NEVER use spray oils once the grill is on.

It is important to grease your grill with a high smoking point oil such as vegetable oil. Do NOT use olive oil because it has a lower smoking point, which means that overheating will not only smoke you out but can adversely impact the oil’s flavor and produce low levels of harmful compounds due to the high antioxidant content in the oil.

STEP 5: COOK pollo asado

Add the bone-in chicken thighs, cover and grill for 5-7 minutes per side or until the thickest part of the chicken registers 175°F on an instant-read meat thermometer.  The grilling time will depend on how thick your bone-in-chicken thighs are and actual heat of our grill.  Resist the urge to flip the Pollo Asado more than once.  The chicken need constant direct heat to develop the intensely flavored, caramelized crust.  If you keep rotating the chicken, it will brown but won’t char.

If using a different cut of chicken, the temperature, method (lid open/closed) and duration will vary. I’ve included cooking times for different cuts of chicken in the recipe card.

an I cook Chicken Asado in the oven?

Absolutely!  I personally prefer the charred crust and smoky grilled flavor, but the oven method works great for year-round cooking. 

To cook Pollo Asado in the oven using chicken breasts or bone-in chicken thighs:

• Line a baking sheet with foil and spray with cooking spray. 
• Add chicken to baking sheet in a single layer so they aren’t touching. 
• Bake at 425 degrees F for 20-25 minutes or until an internal temperature reaches 165 for breasts, 175 degrees F.
• Transfer chicken to a cutting board and let rest 5 minutes before slicing.

Dark meat such has chicken thighs, chicken drumsticks and leg quarters (essentially everything but chicken breasts) are safe to eat when cooked to an internal temperature of 165 degrees F, but are more tender when cooked to 175 degrees. Cooking dark meat to only 165 F will yield chewy, rubbery meat because it contains more connective tissue. Cooking it to 175 F, will yield tender, juicy meat as the collagen melts at this higher temperature and turns to gelatin.

Chicken breasts are safe to eat when cooked to an internal temperature of 165 degrees F.  I don’t recommend cooking them a second longer because the light meat is temperamental and can easily dry out if overcooked.

How to serve Asado Chicken

This Pollo Asada recipe is tasty with warmed tortillas, beans, rice, salad and watermelon – but it really goes with anything! Here are some of particular favorite sides for Pollo Asado:

• Rice:  Cilantro Lime Rice, Mexican rice, Avocado Rice, or Coconut Rice. You can also go with low carb cauliflower rice or quinoa.
• Salsa:  Pollo Asado is extra tasty topped with salsa such as Avocado Corn Salsa, Corn Salsa, Mango Salsa, or Pineapple Salsa.
• Salads: you can serve Pollo Asada with Mexican inspired salads such as Mexican salad, Southwest salad, Corn Salad,  Mexican Pasta Salad or Mexican Street Corn Salad or you can go with more traditional potluck salads such as Broccoli Bacon Salad, Loaded Potato Salad, or Strawberry Spinach Salad.
• Veggies:  Elote (Mexican Street Corn) is always a favorite as is grilled bell peppers, asparagus and zucchini.
• Fruit: watermelon, cantaloupe,  Pina Colada Fruit Salad, Fruit Salad with Honey Lime Vinaigrette, Cheesecake Fruit Salad, Grape Salad, Summer Fruit Salad or Caramelized Grilled pineapple.
• Dessert: top off the feast with Lemon Cheesecake Bars, Tres leches cake, Strawberry Pie, Lemon Pound Cake, Strawberry Shortcakes or Blueberry Cheesecake.

Pollo Asado Recipe FAQs

This recipe is pretty straightforward, but here are some tips and tricks to guarantee the perfect chicken every time:

WHAT ELSE CAN I MAKE WITH pollo asado?

Pollo Asado is fabulous served with simple sides or is wonderfully versatile and can be served in tacos, burritos, quesadillas, etc.   Here are just a few ideas to serve Pollo Asado:   

• Pollo Asado Tacos: top warm tortillas with pepper Jack or Monterrey Jack cheese, chicken and desired toppings such as avocado crema, sour cream, corn salsa, pickled red onions, cotija cheese and hot sauce.
• Pollo Asado Salad: add lettuce, black beans, chicken, tomatoes, corn, bell peppers, cheese (pepper Jack, Mexican Cheese blend or cotija), pepitas or sunflower seeds to large bowl. Serve with Tomatillo Avocado Ranch or Cilantro Lime Dressing.
• Pollo Asado Burritos: layer a burrito size tortilla with cheese, cilantro lime rice or Mexican Rice, black or pinto beans, chicken, guacamole, sour cream and salsa.  
• Pollo Asado Burrito Bowls: layer cilantro lime rice or cauliflower rice with cheese, black beans or pinto beans, chicken, chopped lettuce, and your favorite toppings such as tomatoes, corn, and crushed tortilla chips. I also love adding roasted sweet potatoes and roasted cauliflower. Top the bowls off with sour cream/Greek yogurt, Avocado Crema, Tomatillo Avocado Ranch or Cilantro Lime Dressing.
• Pollo Asado Quesadillas:  layer a burrito size tortilla with cheese and chicken and grill until golden, cheesy perfection.  Top with guacamole, sour cream, chopped lettuce, hot sauce, etc.
• Pollo Asado Nachos:  pile thick restaurant style tortilla chips with cheese and beans and bake.  Top with chicken and toppings such as guacamole, sour cream, jalapenos, cream, hot sauce etc.
• Pollo Asado Fajitas:  sauté thinly sliced onions for 2 minutes, add sliced bell peppers and sauté until crisp tender, another 2 minutes. Pile chicken, peppers/onions in a tortilla and top with sour cream, lime juice and cilantro.

HOW TO Store and REHEAT Pollo Asado

• Storage: store cooked chicken in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
• Skillet:  reheat in a skillet over medium low heat until warmed through, adding a splash of water for added moisture.
• Microwave:  reheat in the microwave at 30 second intervals, taking care not to overcook.
• Oven:  reheat in the oven for 10 minutes at 350 degrees F or just until warmed through.

CAN I FREEZE pollo asado?

Yes!  You can freeze the uncooked marinating chicken or cooked chicken.

• To freeze chicken in marinade:  add the chicken to the marinade ingredients and freeze for up to 3 months.  When you’re ready to use, the chicken will marinate as you thaw the chicken in the refrigerator.
• To freeze cooked chicken:  let chicken cool completely then transfer it to an airtight container or plastic freezer bag and squeeze out any excess air. Freeze for 2 to 3 months.
• To thaw:  thaw cooked chicken in the refrigerator overnight.  You can also thaw in the microwave but take care to thaw slowly using the defrost setting so your chicken doesn’t become rubbery.  Use any of the below methods to reheat.