Pollo Asado is Mexican-style chicken that’s been marinated in an achiote paste marinade before being cooked on the grill. My easy recipe has you spatchcock a whole chicken for quicker, more even grilling. Trust me, once you prepare chicken with this marinade and cooking method, you’ll never go back!
Table of contents
What is Pollo Asado?
One of my favorite meals to order on a busy weeknight is pollo asado. It’s a huge thing here in Texas! Whole chickens are marinated and cooked over giant open-flame outdoor rotisseries served with salsas, tortillas, rice, and charro or borracho beans.
The Spanish word “pollo” in English means “chicken,” and asado means “roasted” or “barbecued” so pollo asado means roasted or barbecued chicken. But this isn’t any old roast chicken! It’s deeply flavorful chicken marinated in a mixture of citrus juices, cumin, oregano, and achiote paste.
Achiote gives the chicken its signature reddish color. You’ll find variations of Pollo Asado in Mexico, Puerto Rico, Cuba, and the Caribbean. The recipe I’m sharing today is Mexican inspired, and it’s flavorful and juicy, a little smokey, with a hint of spice.
It’s big on flavor with low effort — the perfect recipe for all your future cookouts!
Grab These Tools
- Poultry Shears (to spatchcock the chicken)
- Cutting Board
- 9×13 Dish
What You’ll Need for the Marinade
- Chicken. You will need a whole chicken for this recipe. For easy and even cooking, it’s best to spatchcock the chicken (instructions below!).
- Achiote Paste. Achiote paste is made from ground annatto seeds and is a staple in Mexican cooking. It’s slightly nutty, sweet, and peppery in flavor and is an absolute must when preparing the pollo asado marinade! You can find achiote most readily in paste form in the Hispanic section of most grocery stores.
- Citrus. A blend of orange and lime juice make this marinade zippy and fresh.
- Onion. 1/4 white onion adds lots of flavor.
- Garlic. Is it even a good recipe without garlic?
- Spices. Cumin, coriander, and oregano are traditional Mexican spices.
- Cilantro. Chopped cilantro stems add tons of freshness. Serve the chicken with the tops!
- Olive Oil. A bit of olive oil in the marinade helps the skin get nice and crispy!
How to Grill Pollo Asado So It Stays Juicy
Jenny’s Tip: I love using a whole chicken for pollo asado because you get all the best parts of dark and white meat and it’s easy to feed a family. However, this recipe is also great for chicken legs or thighs, both of which require zero prep. You can also use boneless skinless chicken thighs. (Adjust your cooking times accordingly!)
- Spatchcock the chicken. While it’s not necessary, spatchcocking the chicken makes it cook quickly and evenly. It’s a great technique to learn and easier than you think! Watch the helpful video below to learn how.
- Make the marinade. This marinade is so easy to throw together! Throw everything into a food processor or blender and blend til smooth. It’s that easy!
- Marinate the chicken for 4+ hours. I like to marinate my chicken in a glass or ceramic baking dish because the vibrant red marinade tends to stain plastic containers.
- Grill. To keep from burning the chicken, indirect heat cooking is best! You can grill the Mexican chicken on either a gas or charcoal grill, and instructions for both are included in the recipe card below.
- Rest before slicing. You can cover it lightly with foil to keep it warm as it rests.
How to Spatchcock a Chicken for Grilling (Video Tutorial)
I use this technique for all poultry! It takes a tiny bit of work, but it’s so worth it. You’ll never have a dry chicken or turkey again. Both my herb roasted chicken and my dry-brined turkey call for spatchcocking and you’ll never go back after you’ve tried it!
Watch this helpful video below to spatchcock like a pro! Remember to freeze the backbone and save it for homemade chicken stock.
Make-Ahead Tips
The best part of this recipe? You can freeze the chicken raw in the marinade or cooked!
To freeze: Place the chicken in the marinade in a freezer-safe ziplock bag, press as much of the air out as possible, and seal it. Freeze for up to 6 months.
To defrost: Transfer the frozen chicken to the refrigerator and defrost for 2 days. Prepare the chicken according to the recipe after defrosting.
Side Dishes for Pollo Asado
You’ll want to serve the Mexican grilled chicken with warm tortillas, salsa verde, refried beans or borracho beans, and Mexican rice for a traditional dinner. Or, pair it with one or more of the following sides:
- Street Corn Queso or White Queso
- Boiled Corn on the Cob
- Fresh Corn Salsa
- Grilled Veggie Pasta Salad
- Guacamole
If you do give this recipe a try, I love hearing about it! Leave a comment with a star rating below. Be sure to subscribe to my weekly newsletter and never miss a new recipe! You can also snap a photo & tag @JENNYGOYCOCHEA on Instagram.
More Easy Mexican Recipes Using Chicken
- Chicken Flautas
- Chicken Tinga Tacos
- Chipotle Chicken Burrito Bowls
- Red Chicken Enchiladas
- Crispy Baked Chicken Tacos
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Pollo Asado Recipe (Mexican Grilled Chicken)
Ingredients
Chicken and Marinade
- 3-4 lb. whole chicken, spatchcocked (see instructions above)
- 1/4 white onion, chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, chopped
- 1 orange, juiced
- 1 lime, juiced
- 2 tablespoons achiote paste
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1/4 cup chopped cilantro stems
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
For Serving
- Corn Tortillas, warmed
- Lime wedges
- Grilled Scallions
- Mexican Rice
- Refried Beans
- Salsa Verde
- Chopped cilantro
Instructions
- Place the chicken in a large glass or ceramic baking dish or a 2-gallon ziplock bag. Season all over with salt and pepper.
- Combine the marinade ingredients in a food processor or blender and blend until smooth. Pour the marinade over the chicken and really work the marinade into it all over. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 4 hours, up to 24 hours.
- Clean your grill grates and lightly grease them. If using a gas grill, preheat the burners on one side of the grill to medium heat for 15 minutes, so that the grill reaches 400 F.If using a charcoal grill, push the hot coals to one side of the grill.
- Remove the chicken from the marinade and shake off any excess. Place the chicken breast-side up on the unlit side of the grill as close to the fire as possible without being directly over it. Cover and grill in 15 minute increments, rotating the chicken 180 degrees each time. Grill for 1 hour or until the thickest part of the chicken registers 165 F on a meat thermometer. Flip the chicken skin-side down over the direct heat for 3-5 minutes to crisp up the skin.
- Remove the chicken from the grill and rest it for 10-15 minutes. Slice and serve.
Notes
Nutrition
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Excellent! I made this dish (but had to make my own achiote paste). This is likely to become a new staple. The flavors were delicious and a great way to make chicken exciting. Next time I will also make the salsa (I made on a weeknight and skip that step, using green salsa instead.) In the last 20 mins of cooking, the internal chicken temperature increased dramatically, so I skipped the final broil because I didn’t want it to dry out. Next time, I will check the temp sooner and likely reduce cooking time 10 or so minutes. I also cooked in the oven because it’s winter outside. But I can see getting 2 chickens for an outdoor dinner party. We spatchcocked the chicken which is pretty easy if you have a good pair of kitchen scissors. Thank you the recipe!
So happy you enjoyed it! Making your own achiote paste is a very boss move!
Better than what you can buy at a restaurant
The best compliment I could hope to receive! So happy you enjoyed it.