Cuban
Gluten freePollo asado cubano
Garlic citrus roast chicken
Pollo asado: Cuban roast chicken marinated overnight in garlicky sour-orange mojo
Cuban families from Camagüey to Hialeah roast pollo asado for Sunday lunch and Nochebuena, the night before Christmas, when there is too much else on the table for a whole pig. Chicken pieces soak overnight in mojo, a marinade of sour orange, crushed garlic, cumin and oregano, then roast until the skin is crackly and the juices run clear, with onion rings softening underneath. The usual mistake is marinating for days or in a metal bowl; the citrus turns the meat mushy and metallic, so keep it to 12–24 hours in the fridge in glass or a bag. It is done when the thickest part of the thigh reaches 74 °C. Serve with moros, yuca and maduros. Chef's tip: no sour oranges? Use two parts orange juice to one part lime juice.
- Prep
- 15 min
- Cook
- 55 min
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Serves
- 4
- Per serving
- 430 kcal
Ingredients
For the mojo
- 10 cloves garliccrushed to a paste
- 1 ½ tsp salt
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1 ½ tsp dried oregano
- ½ tsp black pepper
- ¾ cup orange juicefresh
- ¼ cup lime juice
- 3 tbsp olive oil
For the chicken
- 3 ⅛ lb chicken thighs and drumsticksskin on, bone in
- 2 onionssliced into rings
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Method
0/5 doneStep 1: Pound 10 cloves garlic with 1 ½ tsp salt into a paste, then stir in 1 tsp ground cumin, 1 ½ tsp dried oregano, ½ tsp black pepper, ¾ cup orange juice, ¼ cup lime juice and 3 tbsp olive oil.
Step 2: Slash each piece of 3 ⅛ lb chicken thighs and drumsticks twice to the bone, put it in a glass dish or food bag with the mojo and 2 onions, and turn to coat. Cover and marinate in the fridge for 12–24 hours, turning once.
Step 3: Heat the oven to 400°F (fan 350°F). Spread the onions in a roasting tin and sit the chicken on top, skin up. Spoon over half the marinade and throw the rest away.
Step 4: Roast for 45–55 minutes, basting once halfway, until the skin is deep golden and crisp and the thickest thigh reads 165°F, with clear juices.
50 minStep 5: Rest for 5 minutes, then serve with the soft onions and pan juices spooned over.
5 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 430 kcal
- Protein
- 38 g
- Carbs
- 8 g
- Fat
- 27 g
- Fibre
- 1 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does pollo asado cubano take?
- About 70 minutes in total: 15 minutes to prepare and 55 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 4 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- Can I make it ahead?
- Yes. It keeps well, so you can cook it earlier in the day or the day before and reheat it.
- What can I use instead of garlic?
- ½ tsp garlic paste or ⅛ tsp garlic powder per clove.
- What can I use instead of ground cumin?
- Cumin seeds, toasted and ground.
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