Grilled Mojo Chicken

Main Dishes

5 from 1 vote

These Cuban Grilled Mojo Chicken Legs are so incredibly juicy! The marinade is a summery mixture of citrus, fresh herbs, and loads of garlic.

I promise you that this chicken will never, ever feel boring and is perfect for your next backyard BBQ.

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Prep Time: 20

Cook Time: 1

Total Time: 1 20

Makes: 6 - 8 servings

Ingredients

Mojo Chicken

6 chicken leg quarters (about 4 lbs)
1/2 cup olive oil
6 garlic cloves, peeled
1 serrano, stem removed
1/3 cup freshly squeezed orange juice
1 tablespoon orange zest
1 lime, zested and juiced
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 cup chopped cilantro leaves and tender stems
1/3 cup fresh mint leaves
1/4 cup fresh oregano leaves
2 teaspoons kosher salt

Mojo Basting Sauce

1/2 cup reserved marinade
3 tablespoons fresh orange juice
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
1 bunch fresh mint tied into a bundle with twine

Instructions

Prep the chicken. Trim the chicken leg quarters of any excess skin that's hanging off. Pat the chicken quarters dry and place the chicken in a large ziplock bag or in a large baking dish.
Make the marinade. In a small food processor or blender, combine the olive oil, garlic, serrano, orange juice and zest, lime juice and zest, cumin, cilantro, mint, oregano, and kosher salt and blend until mostly smooth. Reserve 1/2 cup of marinade in a small bowl and pour the rest over the chicken, tossing it really well to coat. Transfer to the fridge for at least 4 hours, up to 24 hours.
Make the basting sauce. Before grilling, remove the chicken from the fridge for 30 minutes so it can come up to room temperature. Combine the reserved marinade with the orange juice and lime juice to make the basting sauce and set aside 1/4 cup of that for serving later.
Prep & preheat the grill. Preheat an outdoor grill over medium heat to 500 F. Let the grill preheat for a full 15 minutes. Make sure the grates are cleaned of any debris and lightly grease them with oil or nonstick cooking spray. After the grill is preheated, turn off one side of the grill. If you're using a charcoal grill, make sure the lit charcoal are arranged only on one side of the grill.
Grill the chicken. Remove the chicken from the marinade and shake off any excess. Place the leg quarters, skin side up, on the cooler side of the grill, close the lid, and cook for 10 minutes. Use the bundle of mint leaves to brush the basting liquid onto the chicken, flip, and cook for another 10 minutes. Continue to baste and flip the chicken every 10 minutes or so, until the internal temperature reaches 185 F, about 45-55 minutes.
Finish the chicken. Transfer the chicken to the hotter side of the grill, skin side down, for 3-4 minutes, moving them as necessary to avoid flare ups, until the chicken skin is browned. Transfer the chicken to a plate and loosely tent them with foil for 10 minutes. Serve the chicken drizzled with more of the reserved mojo sauce.

Notes

While chicken is safe to eat at 165°F, I find that leg and thigh meat is so much more tender cooked closer to 185°F. If your chicken leg quarters are on the larger side, they may require more cooking time--visa versa if they're smaller.

Nutrition

Calories: 247kcalCarbohydrates: 2gProtein: 18gFat: 18gSaturated Fat: 5gPolyunsaturated Fat: 4gMonounsaturated Fat: 8gTrans Fat: 0.1gCholesterol: 106mgSodium: 667mgPotassium: 265mgFiber: 0.3gSugar: 1gVitamin A: 186IUVitamin C: 6mgCalcium: 23mgIron: 1mg