If you’ve been around for any length of time, you know I’m obsessed with Mexican food. This Pollo Asado is one of those recipes that I find myself making on repeat because it’s packed with flavor, yet so simple to prepare. I love how the citrus marinade transforms the chicken into something incredibly juicy, tender, and full of bold, smoky flavor. It’s also one of my favorite meal prep recipes because it can be used in so many different ways throughout the week, and I know my kids will eat it. It’s not spicy and is super kid-friendly! Whenever I serve it, everyone goes back for seconds, and the leftovers never seem to last very long.
Table of Contents
Why You Will Love This
- The marinade does most of the work for you. Mix it up and wait for the magic.
- The vibrant tangy green sauce pairs incredibly well with the spicy chicken.
- It’s incredibly versatile and can be used in tacos, burritos, bowls, salads, and wraps.
- It works great for meal prep day because the flavors just get better with time.
Ingredients You Will Need
- Chicken Thighs: I prefer boneless, skinless chicken thighs because they’re deliciously juicy, but chicken breasts will also work.
- Orange Juice: The sweetness of the juice balances perfectly with the array of spices in this recipe.
- Fresh Lime Juice: Lime juice helps tenderize the chicken and adds brightness and zest.
- Onion: I used yellow onion for this recipe, but white onion will also work.
- Fresh Garlic: Finely mince the garlic cloves with a sharp knife, with a garlic press, or with a microplane grater.
- Spices: Salt, ground cumin, coriander, oregano, and black pepper give a full round of spice and flavor.
- Achiote paste: Achiote paste is a bold, earthy seasoning paste made from annatto seeds. You can also use achiote powder or paprika.
- Olive Oil: A great neutral oil to use. You can also use avocado oil.
- Mayonnaise: Use store-bought mayo or make homemade mayo; it’s simple and quick. You could also use Greek yogurt or sour cream.
- Fresh Cilantro: The key ingredient for the delicious green sauce drizzled on top.
- Green Onions: Mild, fresh onion flavor that adds brightness, color, and a subtle savory bite.
- Garnishes: Cilantro and lime wedges are classic garnishes for pollo asado.
Kitchen Tools You Will Need
- Blender or Nutribullet
- Outdoor Grill
- Grilling Tongs
- Large Bowl or Ziploc Bags
- Small Bowl
Tips for the Best Pollo Asado
- Don’t flip the chicken too soon. Let it cook undisturbed to develop caramelization and grill marks.
- A few hours is great, but overnight will give you the most flavorful, tender chicken.
How to Make Pollo Asado
- In a blender, combine the pollo asado marinade ingredients and blend until smooth. Pour marinade over the chicken and leave to marinate for at least 1 hour, ideally overnight.
- Preheat a grill or grill pan to medium-high heat and lightly oil the grate. Place the chicken on the hot grill and brush with any excess marinade. Flip and cook the chicken on the other side (be sure to check with a meat thermometer and cook to an internal temperature of 165 degrees F.).
- While the chicken is cooking, prepare the sauce by combining the green sauce ingredients in a blender and blending until completely smooth. Pour into a bowl and refrigerate.
- Serve the chicken thighs with garnishes and the green sauce over the top.
How to Modify
- Use different cuts of chicken like bone-in chicken thighs, chicken breast, drumsticks, wings, or even a whole chicken.
- Make it spicier and add jalapeños, chipotle pepper, cayenne, or chili powder to the marinade.
- Swap the protein and use the marinade on shrimp, pork tenderloin, steak, salmon, or tofu.
Serving Suggestions
Enjoy this in a grain bowl with Mexican rice, on a bed of greens, or as pollo asado tacos. Some recipes to add it to would be Mexican Couscous Salad or Mexican Cauliflower Rice.
If you want to do a taco night spread, try Spicy Shrimp Tacos, Shredded Pork Tacos, or a big bowl of The BEST Ground Taco Meat. Don’t forget a side of refried beans!
Common Questions
Pollo Asado is a vibrant, flavorful chicken dish marinated in a citrus-heavy blend and seasoned with earthy flavor from achiote, cumin, and Mexican oregano. It is often enjoyed either sliced in warm tortillas or as a main dish on its own.
Use a gas grill, smoker, or charcoal grill. If it’s not summer, roast the chicken in the oven for an easy year-round option, or use a grill pan and cook on the stovetop.
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Reheat on the stovetop over medium heat or in the microwave.
Yes! Pollo asado is excellent for meal prep and can be used throughout the week in tacos, bowls, salads, and wraps. You can make this 2-3 days in advance or marinade the night before.
You can find this paste at your local grocery store in the ethnic aisle or online at this Amazon link.
More Mexican Dishes You’ll Love
- Mexican Chicken Burger
- Shredded Beef Tacos with Honey Chipotle Sauce
- Beef Taco Salad
- Mexican Eggs Benedict
- Barbacoa Beef
If you make this Pollo Asado, let me know in the comments section below. I would love to hear what you think, or take a photo and tag me (@everylastbite_) on Instagram; I love seeing your photos!
Pollo Asado with Cilantro Lime Sauce
Ingredients
Chicken
- 3 lbs boneless skinless chicken thighs
- 1/2 cup orange juice
- ½ medium onion
- 4 cloves garlic
- ¼ cup lime juice
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon coriander
- 2 teaspoons oregano
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 tablespoon achiotte paste
- 1 teaspoons paprika
- ¼ cup olive oil
Cilantro Lime Sauce
- ⅓ cup mayonnaise
- 2 tbsp lime juice
- ¼ cup cilantro
- 3 scallions
- 1 clove garlic
Garnish
- 2 tbsp Cilantro
- Lime wedges
Instructions
- In a blender combine the marinade ingredients and blend until smooth. Place the chicken thighs in a ziploc bag, pour the marinade overtop and leave to marinate for a minimum of 1 hour but ideally overnight.
- Preheat a grill or grill pan to medium high heat and lightly oil the grate. Place the chicken on the grill and cook for 6 minutes minutes. Brush any of the excess marinade over the chicken as it cooks. Flip and cook the chicken for an additional 6 minutes on the other side (you can use a meat thermometer to check if the chicken is cooked through, look for an internal temp of 165° Fahrenheit).
- While the chicken is cooking prepare the sauce by combining the mayonnaise, lime juice, cilantro, scallions and garlic in a blender and blending until completely smooth. Pour into a bowl and place in the fridge until ready to serve.
- Serve the chicken thighs with lime wedges for garnish and the green sauce drizzled overtop.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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