Pollo Asado (Mexican Grilled Chicken)

This Pollo Asado is like Chipotle's Mexican grilled chicken but better and is so easy to recreate at home! Once it comes off the grill, you can slice it up and use it in tacos or burrito bowls or serve it with grilled veggies, beans, and rice!

Personally, I love serving Pollo Asado alongside a bowl of Mexican Cauliflower Rice and Quick Refried Beans. However, this healthy and delicious chicken entrée tastes great with just about anything!

Mexican food is something we love here at Slender Kitchen. Make sure not to miss this Pollo Ranchero, Pollo Pibil, Bistec Ranchero, Enfrijoladas, or Steak Tacos!

What is Pollo Asado?

Pollo Asado is a traditional grilled chicken dish from Mexico, meaning literally grilled (asado) chicken (pollo). The base for this dish is a marinade made with achiote paste, a popular dark red seasoning blend from Mexico made from ground annatto seeds and spices.

In Mexico, normally, a whole chicken is marinated, and then it is butterflied or spatchcocked and grilled on a charcoal grill until the skin is super crispy. It is often served with corn tortillas, salsa, rice, and beans.

Easy Swaps

Pollo Asado is beyond easy to make, and the ingredients can be interchanged, depending on what you have or can find.

• Chicken: For this recipe, you can use boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs. To ensure a uniform thickness, you might need to pound the chicken breasts down. Bone-in, skin-on chicken can also be used; just adjust the cooking time. The marinade also works with pork tenderloin, pork chops, or fish.
• Citrus juice. Fresh lime juice and orange juice are always best, but you can use orange juice from a carton if needed.
• Achiote paste: If you can't find any achiote paste, achiote powder will also do the trick. If you can't find either, there is a recipe for a substitute below.
• Oregano: If you can't find Mexican oregano, regular oregano will work fine as well.

How long does grilled chicken need to marinate?

Pollo Asado should be left to marinate for at least an hour to achieve maximum flavor, but feel free to let it sit for longer! Just don't let the chicken marinate for longer than 4 hours, as the citrus juice will start breaking down the chicken at that point.

If you are marinating the chicken for more than 30 minutes, marinate the chicken in the fridge. Then, let it come to room temperature before grilling.

How should I cook chicken with skin on the grill?

If you are cooking with bone-in chicken, it will take longer on the grill and comes out best over indirect heat. To do this, light only half the burners on a gas grill. Then start the chicken on the direct heat, cooking for about 5 minutes per side until it has nice grill marks. Start with the skin side down.

Then move it to the indirect heat and let cook for 20-30 minutes until cooked through to 165 degrees. The exact cooking time will depend on the thickness of the chicken.

Let rest for 10 minutes, tenting with foil so it stays warm. This same method works with a charcoal grill.

Cooking Pollo Asado in the Oven

Pollo Asado can be baked in the oven instead of on the grill. After the chicken marinates, remove it from the marinade, letting the excess drip off. Place it in a baking dish, making sure it is in a single layer. Bake at 425 degrees for about 20 minutes or until chicken is cooked to 165 degrees. Tent it with aluminum foil and let rest for 10 minutes.

It can also be cooked in a heavy cast-iron skillet. Once the pan is hot, add a touch of oil. Then, cook the chicken for 4-5 minutes per side. Make sure to cook the chicken in a single layer, not overcrowding the pan.

Pollo Asado Recipe Tips

Here are my top tips and tricks for making the best Pollo Asado:

• Make it spicy: Looking for a kick? Add some crushed red pepper, cayenne pepper, or a few dashes of hot sauce to the marinade.
• Add cilantro: Fresh herbs go a long way in brightening up a dish and adding tons of fresh flavor. To complement this dish, I recommend cilantro.
• Clean your grill: For best results, make sure to clean your grill before cooking the chicken. A clean grill ensures your chicken will have direct contact with the heat, giving this dish that beautiful, photo-worthy sear.
• Pound your chicken: For tender, juicy chicken, this step is essential. Pounding your chicken breasts helps to ensure that the chicken cooks evenly and will come out nice and tender.
• Let it rest: After your chicken is done cooking, it's important to let it rest for around 5-10 minutes. This allows the juices to redistribute throughout the chicken, ensuring that every bite is as juicy as possible.

Ways to Serve Grilled Mexican Chicken

Pollo asado is extremely versatile and can be served as the main dish or used in many different Mexican dishes. Here are some of the most popular ways to serve it.

• Tacos: Gran some warm tortillas and pile in chopped chicken, cilantro, diced white onion, and your favorite salsa. Try it with salsa verde, pineapple salsa, or even this mango black bean salsa. It's also delicious in a chicken taco bowl.
• Burritos: Grab a flour tortilla and add cooked rice, black beans, lettuce, tomatoes, cheese, and avocado for a filling and delicious burrito.
• Burrito Bowls: Copy Chipotle's famous dish and layer rice, beans, fajita vegetables, salsa, cheese, and sour cream in a hearty bowl.

What to Serve With Pollo Asado

This dish is inspired by one of my favorite Mexican entrées and tastes fantastic with just about anything. Not sure what to pair with it? Here are some of my favorite side dishes to serve with this grilled chicken recipe:

• Grains: You truly can't go wrong with serving Pollo Asado alongside a simple bowl of rice. I like to pair it with brown rice, quinoa, Mexican Cauliflower Rice, or Cilantro Rice Cauliflower Rice.
• Beans: For a hearty and satisfying meal, serve this dish alongside your favorite cooked beans. Pinto beans, refried beans, or black beans all work great.
• Veggies: For a low-carb meal, serve this dish alongside your favorite cooked vegetables. Personally, I'm a sucker for Grilled Peppers or these Easy Grilled Onions. This Grilled Avocado is also so good with chicken!
• Salad: Pollo Asado is a great protein source to use for topping off your favorite salads. I love serving it over a Mexican-inspired salad like this Black Bean and Corn Salad or this Southwest Quinoa Salad.

Leftovers & Storage Tips

Looking to save your leftovers for later? No problem! This dish is very storage-friendly. To store leftover chicken, allow it to cool to room temperature before transferring it to an airtight storage bag or container. Then, you can store it one of two ways:

• Fridge: For up to 5 days.
• Freezer: For up to 2-3 months.
• Marinated chicken: Leftover marinated chicken can also be stored in the freezer for up to 3 months. Store it in an airtight container. Let it defrost fully before grilling it or cooking it in the oven.
• Leftovers: If you are lucky enough to have leftovers, turn this into a Healthy Chicken Quesadilla!