Description
Pollo loco chicken comes together when you marinate chicken in citrus and spices, then grill it until the outside chars beautifully while the inside stays juicy. Your family gets restaurant-quality flavor from simple ingredients you probably have on hand.
Ingredients
Scale
Proteins:
- 1 whole chicken (about 4–5 pounds)
Seasonings and spices:
- 4 cloves garlic (minced)
- 1 tablespoon cumin
- 1 tablespoon paprika
- 1 tablespoon oregano (dried)
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
Liquids and garnish:
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1/4 cup lime juice (freshly squeezed)
- 1/4 cup fresh cilantro (chopped, for garnish)
Instructions
- Mix together 1/4 cup olive oil, 1/4 cup fresh lime juice, 4 minced garlic cloves, 1 tablespoon cumin, 1 tablespoon paprika, 1 tablespoon dried oregano, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1 teaspoon black pepper in a bowl until everything combines evenly.
- Submerge your 4-5 lb whole chicken in this mixture, making sure the marinade coats every surface, then refrigerate it for at least 2 hours or overnight so the flavors really penetrate the meat.
- Heat your oven to 425°F about 15 minutes before you’re ready to roast.
- Take the chicken from the fridge and let excess marinade drip back into the container, then position it breast-side up in your roasting pan with the wing tips tucked underneath.
- Roast the chicken at 425°F for 1 hour and 15 minutes until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh registers 165°F.
- Pull the chicken from the oven and set it aside for 10 to 15 minutes so the juices redistribute throughout the meat and keep everything tender.
- Carve the chicken into pieces and transfer everything to your serving platter.
- Scatter 1/4 cup fresh chopped cilantro over the top and serve it while it’s still warm.
Notes
- Marinating overnight gives the chicken deeper flavor than the minimum two hours, so plan ahead if possible for the best results.
- Let your chicken rest for the full 10-15 minutes after roasting because this keeps the juices inside instead of running onto your plate when carving.
- Check the internal temperature at the thickest part of the thigh to ensure doneness, since that area takes longest to cook through.
- For a lighter version, remove the skin before marinating to reduce fat content while keeping all the citrus and spice flavors intact.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
- Category: Grilled Chicken
- Method: Roasting
- Cuisine: Mexican
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 6
- Calories: 298 kcal
- Sugar: 0.3 g
- Sodium: 376 mg
- Fat: 17 g
- Saturated Fat: 4.5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 11 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 1.5 g
- Fiber: 0.6 g
- Protein: 33 g
- Cholesterol: 95 mg