Six Pollo Asado Marinades

An image collage of 6 pollo asado marinades.

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Take your roast chicken to the next level with these six delicious Pollo Asado Marinades inspired by Puerto Rico, Mexico, Cuba, Peru, Colombia, and Honduras. Each one brings its own unique Latin flair to the table.

Prep Time10

Cook Time1 15

Marinade Time4

Total Time5 25

Course: Dinner

Cuisine: Columbian, Cuban, Honduran, Mexican, Peruvian, Puerto Rican

Servings:

Calories: 746kcal

Author: Catherine Arena

Ingredients

Puerto Rican Pollo Asado Marinade

8 cloves garlic peeled
1 tablespoon dry oregano
1 packet sazon with annatto
3 tablespoons vegetable or corn oil
adobo sprinkled

Mexican Pollo Asado Marinade

1 tablespoon annatto powder for color
¼ cup orange juice
2 tablespoons lime juice
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon white vinegar
1 tablespoon dry oregano
1 teaspoon cumin
5 cloves garlic peeled
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon black pepper

Peruvian Pollo Asado Marinade

5 cloves garlic peeled
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 teaspoon aji panca paste
1 tablespoon aji amarillo paste
1 teaspoon paprika
1 tablespoon honey
1 teaspoon dry oregano
1 teaspoon cumin
1 lime juiced
salt and pepper to taste
3 tablespoons olive oil

Cuban Pollo Asado Marinade

5 cloves garlic peeled
1 teaspoon dry oregano
½ teaspoon cumin
1½ teaspoons annatto powder
2 tablespoons complete seasoning
⅓ cup vegetable or corn oil
1 cup sour orange juice see notes for substitute
½ teaspoon ground pepper

Honduran Pollo Asado Marinade

5 cloves garlic
1 tablespoon powdered chicken bouillon
1 tablespoon cumin
1 teaspoon dry oregano
4 tablespoons mustard
½ teaspoon black pepper
3 tablespoons liquid smoke optional
3 tablespoons vegetable or corn oil
2 packets sazon with annatto
1 teaspoon salt

Colombian Pollo Asado Marinade

2 scallions rinsed and coarsely chopped
5 cloves garlic peeled
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon dry oregano
1 tablespoon mustard
¼ cup cilantro
½ teaspoon thyme
2 tablespoons vegetable or corn oil
salt and pepper to taste
1 cup beer

Instructions

Prepare the Chicken

Remove any giblets from inside the chickens cavity and set aside or discard.
Note: You can save the giblets for future use to make broth or gravy.
Rinse the chicken, including cavity under cool water. Set on a cutting board to season. Using your fingers, gently loosen skin over the breast and thighs.

Marinade

Prepare the marinade of your choice.

Marinate the Chicken

For the Puerto Rican marinade, place all the ingredients except the adobo to a blender and blend until smooth.
Rub the marinade all over the chicken, under the skin and inside the cavity. Sprinkle the chicken with the adobo all over including the cavity. Cover with plastic wrap or aluminum foil and refrigerate for 4 hours or overnight.
For all of the other marinades, add all the ingredients called for in each recipe to a blender and blend until smooth. Rub the marinade all over the chicken, under the skin and inside the cavity. Cover with plastic wrap or aluminum foil and refrigerate for 4 hours or overnight.

Roasting the Chicken

Remove the chicken from the refrigerator 20 minutes before you’re ready to cook it.
Preheat oven to 425°F
Place the chicken on a roasting pan breast side up. Roast the chicken for 15 minutes and then lower heat to 375°F. Continue cooking for 1½ hours or until the thickest part of the thigh reaches 165°F.
Note: For extra tender chicken, cook for an additional 15 minutes.
Remove the chicken from the oven and allow the chicken to rest for 15 minutes before carving.

Notes

Recipe Notes:

Cooking times: Depending on the size of your chicken, a good rule of thumb to follow is to cook it for 15 to 20 minutes per pound.

Cuban marinade: If you cannot find a sour orange, you can mix ½ cup orange juice, ¼ cup lime juice and a ¼ cup lemon juice.

Nutrition