Whole roast chicken marinated in garlic mojo and finished with a squeeze of broiler-charred lemon for extra depth.
Pollo asado is a Sunday-table staple in Cuban households, almost always built on mojo — a marinade of sour orange or lime juice, heaps of garlic, cumin and oregano that both flavors and tenderizes the chicken before it goes into the oven. This version adds a broiler-charred lemon squeezed over the finished bird, a modern touch that layers a smoky bitterness on top of the marinade's brightness without straying from mojo's core flavor logic. The chicken is marinated for several hours (overnight is better) so the citrus and garlic penetrate past the surface, then roasted at a high temperature to crisp the skin while basting periodically with the pan juices to keep the meat moist. Charring the lemon separately under the broiler right before serving, rather than roasting it with the bird, keeps its flavor concentrated and prevents it from turning bitter in a long cook. Served with white rice, black beans and fried plantains, this is the kind of centerpiece dish that anchors a Cuban family meal — straightforward technique, but built on a marinade with real depth.
Serves 6
Blend garlic, sour orange juice, 2 tablespoons olive oil, oregano, cumin, 1 teaspoon salt and pepper until smooth.
Pat the chicken dry and place in a large bag or dish. Pour the mojo over and under the skin where possible, and marinate refrigerated for at least 4 hours, ideally overnight.
Preheat oven to 220°C (425°F). Remove chicken from marinade, letting excess drip off, and stuff the cavity with onion quarters and one lemon half.
Rub the skin with remaining olive oil and remaining salt. Place chicken breast-side up in a roasting pan with chicken stock and remaining lemon halves scattered around it.
Roast 20 minutes at 220°C, then reduce heat to 190°C (375°F) and continue roasting 45-55 minutes, basting with pan juices every 20 minutes, until a thermometer in the thigh reads 74°C (165°F).
Tent with foil if the skin browns too fast before the interior is done — this keeps it from burning while the meat finishes cooking.
While the chicken rests, broil 2 fresh lemon halves cut-side up for 4-5 minutes until deeply browned.
Let the chicken rest 10 minutes before carving. Squeeze the charred lemon over the carved chicken just before serving.
Marinate overnight if possible — mojo's acid and garlic need time to work past the skin into the meat for full flavor.
Loosen the skin gently with your fingers before marinating and push some marinade directly against the flesh for deeper seasoning.
Use a meat thermometer rather than guessing by time — thigh temperature at 74°C is the only reliable doneness check.
Spatchcock the chicken (remove the backbone and flatten) to cut roasting time by about 20 minutes and get more even browning.
Use bone-in chicken thighs instead of a whole bird for a faster weeknight version, roasting about 35-40 minutes.
Add sliced sweet potato or yuca to the roasting pan in the last 40 minutes to cook alongside the chicken in the drippings.
Refrigerate carved chicken up to 4 days. Reheat gently covered in a 160°C oven with a splash of stock to keep it from drying out; avoid microwaving if possible since it toughens the skin.
Mojo-marinated roast chicken is one of the most recognizable dishes of Cuban home cooking, built on the sour orange, garlic and cumin marinade that defines much of the island's savory cuisine — a tradition carried into Cuban-American kitchens across South Florida as a Sunday dinner staple.
Yes, bottled mojo criollo (like Badia or Goya brand) works well and saves time — just add a little extra fresh garlic if you want a sharper flavor.
Mix 3 parts orange juice to 1 part lime juice as a close substitute for the tartness and bitterness sour orange provides.
This usually happens if the chicken goes into the oven still wet from the marinade — pat it dry before roasting, and make sure the oven is fully preheated to 220°C at the start.
Per serving (320g / 11.3 oz) · 6 servings total
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