This Pollo Asado recipe is fast, simple, and extremely flavorful! It is stuffed with brilliant and zesty flavors and excellent for a straightforward weeknight dinner.
Desk of Contents
Pollo Asado (Rooster Asado)
This Mexican grilled hen recipe was impressed by Chipotle’s newest choices. After recreating each their carnitas and sofritas, I needed to do their pollo asado, and belief me, this one is a winner!
Pollo asado primarily means “roasted hen” or “barbequed hen.” It’s a Mexican twist on baked or grilled hen that’s marinated in citrus juice, spices, achiote paste, and garlic.
Why this recipe works
- It’s versatile. This hen is flavorful however comparatively delicate, so there’s no fear it’ll overpower your dinner. You’ll be able to add it to tacos, stuff them in quesadillas, or use it as the primary protein supply of your night meal.
- It options juicy and tender hen. Darkish meat hen is much less finicky than chicken, so it’s tougher to overcook and stays juicier longer. Secure to say, this dish could be very arduous to overcook!
- There may be little hands-on cooking. Make a fast marinade, refrigerate the hen, then pop it within the oven. You must solely should be lively within the kitchen for about 10 minutes.
- It’s wholesome. Filled with protein, wholesome fat, and a easy seasoning combine, it’s appropriate for many diets on the market!
- Oven or grill choice. You’ll be able to oven-bake the hen or use an indoor or out of doors grill!
Substances (and substitutions)
- Citrus. Juice of each a lime and an orange is required, ideally contemporary.
- Oil. Olive oil is greatest, although any cooking oil will work.
- Vinegar. For a delicate added zesty taste, use white vinegar or crimson wine vinegar.
- Achiote paste. Yow will discover this distinctive seasoning at most grocery shops (within the Mexican meals aisle), on-line, or in specialty grocery shops.
What’s achiote?
Achiote paste is a condiment made by mixing floor achiote seeds with different spices. Due to the vinegar and seeds, it has a candy, smoky, and peppery taste.
You’ll be able to substitute the achiote paste for Worcestershire sauce or soy sauce.
- Garlic. Crushed.
- Spices. Oregano, cumin, black pepper, onion powder, and salt.
- Rooster. Ideally boneless thighs, both skin-on or skinless.
How one can make pollo asado
Make the marinade. Mix the marinade substances (orange juice, lime juice, olive oil, vinegar, achiote paste, garlic, oregano, cumin, onion powder, salt, and pepper).
Marinate the hen. Whisk this with a fork to completely mix, then add the hen to a giant bowl and pour the marinade over it. Ensure that to completely coat the hen on all sides, then cowl and let the hen marinade for Half-hour or as much as 4 hours within the fridge.
Put together the hen. When the hen is sort of finished marinating, preheat the oven to 200C/400F and let the hen sit at room temperature earlier than cooking.
Bake the hen and serve. Prepare the hen on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and bake the hen for Half-hour.
Recipe suggestions and methods
- Marinate for longer. Whereas Half-hour is ample time for this hen to marinate, 4 hours or in a single day is preferable, because the hen absorbs extra of the flavour.
- Use a meat thermometer. Keep watch over the hen, as bone one-in hen thighs often require extra cooking time because the bone absorbs loads of warmth. To know in case you’re hen is totally cooked, check the thickest piece with a meat thermometer for an inner temperature of 74C/165F.
- Reserve some marinade. Baste the hen commonly all through the cooking course of with the leftover marinade, and this may assist add extra taste and moisture to the meat.
- Relaxation the hen. As with every hen recipe (particularly ones with darker meat), let the hen relaxation for 4-5 minutes earlier than serving. This permits the inner juices to re-distribute and yield extra flavorful and juicy hen.
Recipe variations
Use different cuts of hen. You need to use any lower of hen you need for this recipe, like hen breasts, hen wings, or perhaps a complete spatchcocked hen.
Grill the hen as an alternative of baking it. Clear the grill grates and flippantly grease them, then add the hen. Grill the hen for 5-7 minutes on one aspect, then flip and grill for an additional 4-5 minutes. Proceed grilling the hen, flipping it each couple of minutes till it’s totally cooked.
Add some warmth. Whereas the spice combine is general fairly delicate, you possibly can positively add some further warmth to it with the addition of chili flakes, sizzling sauce, or crimson pepper flakes.
Air fry it. In case you love air fryer hen thighs, you possibly can cook dinner these the identical manner. Basically, they’re the identical, however with a fiery marinade.
Storage directions
To retailer: Retailer leftovers in an hermetic container or wrapped in aluminum foil within the fridge. Saved this fashion, it can last as long as 4 days within the fridge.
To freeze: Retailer cooled leftover hen in an hermetic container or freezer-safe bag and freeze for as much as 3 months.
To reheat: Switch leftovers to a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and bake at 177C/350F for 10-12 minutes or till totally reheated. If the hen is wrapped in foil, don’t unwrap it and bake it within the foil.
Extra Mexican dinners to strive
Continuously requested questions
One of the best lower of hen to make use of for pollo asado is bone-in, skin-on hen thighs. They’re flavorful and juicy, and the pores and skin crisps up properly on the grill or within the oven. Nonetheless, you too can use hen quarters or perhaps a complete hen.
Sure, you need to use both a fuel or charcoal grill to cook dinner pollo asado. Charcoal grilling will impart a smoky taste to the hen, whereas fuel grilling will likely be faster and extra handy.
Sure, you need to use a store-bought marinade for this recipe, however it is suggested so as to add contemporary citrus juice and herbs to the marinade to boost the flavour.
No. Achiote paste combines achiote powder, oil, spices, and vinegar and is a thick paste, whereas the powder contains of dried and floor annatto seeds.
Forestall your display screen from going darkish
Whisk collectively all of the substances in a mixing bowl, aside from the hen, till mixed.
Cowl the bowl and refrigerate for at the very least Half-hour or as much as 4 hours.
Preheat the oven to 200C/400F and let the hen sit at room temperature.
Frivolously grease a big baking tray and organize the marinated hen thighs on it.
Bake the hen for 28-Half-hour, or till crispy on the skin.
Serving: 1servingEnergy: 306kcalCarbohydrates: 5gProtein: 19gFats: 24gSodium: 476mgPotassium: 296mgFiber: 1gVitamin A: 142IUVitamin C: 12mgCalcium: 33mgIron: 1mgNET CARBS: 4g
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