Pollo Asado is a perfect blend of smoky, tangy, and savory flavors, and it can be served as the main course or as part of a bigger meal. It pairs perfectly in a bowl or on tacos, with Elote en Vaso used as a topping. So grab your apron, fire up the grill, and get ready to discover the delicious and timeless flavors of Pollo Asado.
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Why You'll Love This Recipe
Pollo Asado, or "grilled chicken" in English, is a popular dish enjoyed by many, both in Mexico and worldwide, and for a good reason. The chicken is marinated in a citrusy chipotle marinade, making it super flavorful, and then grilled to perfection. Resulting in a crispy, flavorful exterior and a juicy, tender interior. This recipe works perfectly in all dishes and pairs great with Freshly Made Pico de Gallo!
Ingredients
Chicken: I used Organic Chicken breasts that I butterflied for my Pollo Asado Recipe.
Liquids: Freshly Squeezed Lime Juice and fresh orange juice are all you will need here. This adds the perfect citrusy and tangy flavor to your pollo asado.
Seasonings and Spices: For the remaining ingredients, I used fresh cilantro, minced garlic, an onion, cumin, Mexican Oregano, Ground Coriander, Smoked Paprika, Kosher Salt, and Black Pepper.
See the recipe card below for full information on ingredients and quantities.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1: Combine all the ingredients except chicken in a high-powered food processor or blender.
Step 2: I am currently using the Instant Ace Nova and setting it to the smoothie setting. This gave me the perfect texture for the Pollo Asado marinade.
Step 3: Butterfly or Halve the chicken breasts to make them thinner and more even. See Notes Below
Step 4: Place the butterflied chicken breasts in a large plastic zipper bag.
Step 5: Pour the marinade over the chicken in the Ziploc bag and ensure all chicken is heaven coated. Squeeze the air out of the bag, seal it up, and stick it in the fridge to marinate for at least an hour, preferably overnight.
Step 6: Set your grill to 400°f. Once it has come to temp, add the chicken to the grate. Flip the chicken over once you see it's halfway cooked through and you have some nice blackened ends and grill marks. Grill to an internal temperature of 165°f, remove from grill, slice, and serve.
Expert Tips
- If you'd like, you can pound out the chicken using a kitchen mallet. This will ensure even grilling and make them even more tender. However, I don't find that to be necessary with this chicken.
- Serve this Pollo Asado with Cilantro Lime Rice and Charro Beans for a full meal.
- Be sure to have some extra condiments when serving, such as Lime Wedges, Homemade Guacamole, and Spicy Black Bean Dip.
Recipe FAQs
Pollo Asado is highly flavored grilled chicken marinated in a sauce of chipotles in adobo, orange juice, lime juice, and a blend of spices. Variations of this dish are found all over North and South America.
Chipotle Pollo Asado is no different than any other variation in the base ingredients of chipotle peppers in adobo, citrus juices, and a blend of spices such as paprika, oregano, cumin, etc.
Cilantro Lime Rice, Plain White Rice, Charro Beans, Black Beans, and Elote en Vaso are great side dishes that pair perfectly with Pollo Asado.
Chicken "Pollo" Asado is highly flavored grilled chicken marinated in a sauce of chipotles in adobo, orange juice, lime juice, and a blend of spices. Variations of this dish are found all over North and South America.
In general, Pollo Asado is not a spicy dish. However, there are many variations, and depending on the spices used and the amounts, it can be made to each person's preferred spice level.
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📖 Recipe
Pollo Asado
Ingredients
- 3 lbs Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts - butterflied
- 7 Oz Chipotle Chile Peppers in Adobo Sauce - canned
- ¼ Cup Fresh Lime Juice
- ¼ Cup Orange Juice
- ½ Cup Cilantro
- 2 tablespoon Minced Garlic
- 1 Yellow Onion - quartered
- 1 teaspoon Cumin
- 1 tablespoon Mexican Oregano - dried
- 1 teaspoon Coriander
- 1 teaspoon Smoked Paprika
- 1 teaspoon Kosher Salt
- 1 teaspoon Black Pepper
Instructions
- Begin by butterflying the chicken breasts to make them thinner and more even. If you'd like, you can take this further and pound them out using a chicken mallet. This will ensure even grilling and make them even more tender.
- Next, place your butterflied in a large plastic zipper bag and set them aside.
- Combine all the remaining ingredients in a high-powered food processor or blender and blend until a thick marinade has formed.
- Pour the marinade over the chicken in the Ziploc bag and ensure all chicken is heaven coated. Squeeze the air out of the bag, seal it up, and stick it in the fridge to marinate for at least an hour, preferably overnight.
- Once you are ready to start the grilling process, set your grill to 400°f. Once it has come to temp, add the chicken to the grate.
- Be sure to flip the chicken over once you see that it's about halfway cooked through and you have some nice blackened ends and grill marks.
- Grill to an internal temp of 165°f, remove it from the grill and serve it how you'd like.
Video
Notes
- If you'd like, you can pound out the chicken using a kitchen mallet. This will ensure even grilling and make them even more tender. However, I don't find that to be necessary with this chicken.
- Serve this Pollo Asado with Cilantro Lime Rice and Charro Beans for a full meal.
- Be sure to have some extra condiments when serving, such as Lime Wedges, Homemade Guacamole, and Spicy Black Bean Dip.
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