Pollo Asado Recipe
Marinated chicken breast.
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Ingredients
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Marinade
To finish / serve
Method
Marinade
- 1
Prepare chicken
Trim any excess fat from the chicken breasts. If breasts are very thick, butterfly or pound them to an even thickness of about 1/2–3/4 inch so they cook evenly.
- 2
Make marinade
In a medium bowl or large zip-top bag combine orange juice, lime juice, olive oil, minced garlic, cumin, smoked paprika, oregano, coriander, chili powder, kosher salt, black pepper, honey, and chopped cilantro (if using). Whisk or shake until well combined.
- 3
Marinate chicken
Place the chicken breasts in the bowl or bag with the marinade, pressing to coat. Refrigerate at least 1 hour and up to 8 hours. For best flavor, marinate 3–6 hours. If you need to speed it up, 30 minutes will still add flavor.
Cook
- 4
Remove the chicken from the refrigerator 15–20 minutes before cooking to take the chill off. Reserve the marinade; if you want to use some for finishing, bring reserved marinade to a boil in a small saucepan for 2–3 minutes to kill raw-meat bacteria and reduce slightly.
- 5
Heat a large skillet or grill pan over medium-high heat. Add 1 tablespoon olive oil and swirl to coat. When the oil is hot and shimmering, add the chicken breasts, shaking off excess marinade so they sear rather than steam. Arrange breasts without crowding.
- 6
Cook undisturbed 4–6 minutes on the first side, until deeply browned. Flip and cook another 4–6 minutes until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part reads 165°F (74°C). Thinner pieces may take closer to 6–8 minutes total; thicker pieces may need a couple extra minutes.
- 7
- 8
Transfer cooked chicken to a cutting board and let rest 5 minutes. Resting allows juices to redistribute and keeps the meat moist.
Finish & serve
- 9
Slice the chicken across the grain into 1/4–1/2-inch slices. Spoon any boiled-and-reduced reserved marinade over the slices if desired (already boiled to be safe).
- 10
Garnish with fresh cilantro leaves and serve with lime wedges alongside tortillas or rice. Serve immediately.