Pollo Asado
Smoky chicken thighs marinated in achiote, chipotle adobo, fresh citrus, and garlic. Mandarin and lime brighten the paste, rice bran oil carries the achiote into the meat, and a finishing salt dust seasons the char straight off the grill.
Ingredients
- 2 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, from the can
- 4 garlic cloves, peeled and trimmed
- 1 tbsp juice from 1 mandarin orange, fresh squeezed
- 2 tsp juice from 1 lime, fresh squeezed
- 3 tbsp rice bran oil (or any neutral oil)
- 1½ tsp salt, plus more for dusting after grilling
- boneless skinless chicken thighs
Instructions
Blend the marinade: Add the achiote paste, chipotle peppers in adobo, garlic, mandarin and lime juice, rice bran oil, and salt to a blender. Blend until smooth, about 30 seconds, scraping down as needed. The paste should be thick and stain everything it touches a deep red-orange.
Marinate the chicken: Place the chicken thighs in a zip-top bag or shallow dish. Pour the marinade over and massage to coat every piece. Refrigerate overnight (8-24 hours).
Bring to room temp: Pull the chicken from the fridge 20-30 minutes before cooking so it cooks evenly.
Cook the chicken: Grill over the hottest part of the grill at 500-525°F. About 5 minutes per side until 175°F internal — the achiote and adobo will char and bloom but won't burn the way a sugar-loaded marinade would.
Rest, dust, and serve: Let the thighs rest 5 minutes, then dust with flaky or kosher salt while still hot so it sticks to the char. Slice and serve with rice, charred tortillas, slaw, or pickled onions.
Tips & Notes
Fresh-squeeze the citrus right before blending — the orange and lime brighten the paste and the volatile aromatics fade fast in the fridge.
Notes
Marinade keeps in the fridge up to 5 days or freezes well.
Save the leftover chipotle peppers in adobo in a small container in the fridge or freeze in tablespoon portions.
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