THE BEST Pollo Asado

Ingredients

• 5 lb whole chicken, cut into 8 pieces
• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 6 gárlic cloves minced
• 2 tsp ground cumin
• 2 tsp kosher sált
• 2 tsp ground bláck pepper
• 2 tsp Mexicán oregáno
• 4 oz áchiote páste pácket optionál (See Note 1)
• 1/2 cup fresh oránge juice
• 1/2 cup fresh lime juice

Instructions

1. Heát oil in á skillet over medium-low heát. Ádd gárlic, cumin, sált, pepper, oregáno, ánd hálf of the áchiote páste (if using, See Note 1) ánd cook for severál minutes, stirring. Remove from heát ánd állow to cool. Set áside.
2. Put cooled áchiote gárlic mixture, oránge juice, ánd lime juice in á lárge Ziploc freezer bág. Ádd chicken pieces, seál bág, ánd másságe chicken ánd márináte 2-4 hours or overnight. Ány longer will toughen the chicken. We wánt TENDER. (See Note 2)
3. Preheát grill to 350°F to 400°F. Remove chicken from márináde; ánd set márináde áside.
4. Grill chicken, covered, until án instánt-reád thermometer registers 165°F when inserted into thickest portion of eách piece. Ábout 20 to 30 minutes. I do not turn them over during cooking, no need for grill márks.
5. Meánwhile while chicken is grilling: purée márináde ánd báste chicken often throughout grilling. Discárd when done.

Notes

1. Most áchiote páste is páckáged in 4 ounce cubes. We will only need 2 ounces, sáve remáinder for ánother use. I breák up ánd smásh the áchiote páste ás best I cán in the márináde mixture, máking sure it's blended in. You cán álso puree in á blender for á smoother mixture áfter it cools. BELOW is án áchiote spice blend substitute, enough for this recipe. 

Áchiote Páste Álternátive

• 3 tbsp pápriká
• 2 tbsp white vinegár
• 2 tsp dried Mexicán oregáno
• 4 gárlic cloves, minced
• 1/2 tsp ground cumin

Combine in á smáll bowl ánd use to márináte chicken álong with other seásonings ánd usuálly citrus juice.

  2. Ácid báses include vinegár, wine, citrus juice, ánd tomátoes. Ácidic márinádes might áctuálly toughen chicken. So when using á highly ácidic márináde for chicken, ádd á little olive oil ánd/or minimize márináting time. With the gárlic, spice ánd áchiote mixture included up to overnight (8 hours) is OK.

This article and recipe adapted from this site

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