Best for: A whole grilled chicken with deep color and citrus bite.
Pollo asado — chicken marinated in achiote, sour citrus, and garlic — grills up burnished orange and juicy. Spatchcocking the bird helps it cook evenly over two-zone heat, and the leftovers make excellent tacos.
Grill: Two zones; 400°F with the lid closed. Equipment: Covered grill, kitchen shears, blender, tongs, thermometer.
Ingredients
Marinate: 4 hours. Rest: 10 minutes. Total: 5 hours 20 minutes.
Chicken and marinade
- 1 whole chicken, 3 1/2–4 lb, spatchcocked
- 1/2 cup fresh orange juice
- 1/4 cup fresh lime juice
- 2 tablespoons achiote paste
- 2 tablespoons neutral oil
- 4 garlic cloves
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 2 teaspoons fine table salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
To serve
- 2 limes, cut into wedges
- 1/2 cup chopped cilantro
Directions
Blend the orange juice, lime juice, achiote paste, oil, garlic, cumin, oregano, salt, and pepper until smooth. Coat the chicken all over, working some marinade under the skin; cover and refrigerate for 4 hours or overnight.
Heat a two-zone grill to 400°F. Lift the chicken from the marinade, wipe off the excess, and discard the marinade.
Place the chicken skin-side up over indirect heat, close the lid, and cook for about 35 minutes.
Move the chicken over direct heat, skin-side down, for 5–8 minutes to crisp the skin, watching for flare-ups; then finish over indirect heat until the breast and the thickest part of the thigh reach 165°F.
Rest the chicken, tented with foil, for 10 minutes.
Carve and serve with lime wedges and a scattering of cilantro.
Grilling tip: Achiote stains — marinate in a glass dish or zip-top bag, and wear gloves if your hands are headed somewhere nice.
