This Whole30 and paleo pollo asado is a delicious and authentic Mexican grilled chicken recipe with the most flavorful marinade. You can also bake in the oven if you don’t have a grill!
If you are looking for a delicious and authentic pollo asado recipe, you have come to the right place. This is a dish I’ve loved every time I go to a Mexican chicken restaurant, and the meat is always so juicy and packed with flavor. After testing out various homemade versions several times, I’m so excited that I can easily recreate this Mexican grilled chicken in my own kitchen.
Paleo Pollo Asado Recipe
This paleo and Whole30 pollo asado is actually very easy and it’s one of my favorite paleo Mexican chicken recipes. You’ll get the best and the most authentic flavor by cooking them on the grill, with char marks and all.
However, if you don’t have a grill, you can bake them in the oven as well. They’ll still turn out fantastic!
Ingredients in Paleo & Whole30 Pollo Asado Marinade Recipe
When it comes to creating an authentic pollo asado recipe, it’s ALL about the marinade. It’s what creates that delicious, citrusy flavor and also makes the meat so juicy. Here are the ingredients to making a delicious paleo pollo asado marinade recipe:
- Onion
- Garlic
- Freshly squeezed orange juice
- Freshly squeezed lime juice
- Avocado oil
- Cumin
- Sea salt
- Oregano
- Ground black pepper
You’ll find many variations of the marinade for this popular Mexican grilled chicken recipe, but this combination is my favorite after experimenting a few times.
All you have to do for the pollo asado marinade recipe is to blend all the ingredients together until smooth. You then marinate the chicken for at least 2 hours (preferably for the full 8 hours) before grilling or baking! So simple and easy.
Substitutions and Tips for Paleo and Whole30 Pollo Asado
- You can use your favorite cut of chicken for this paleo and Whole30 pollo asado recipe. I just love skin-on whole chicken legs because it’s the juiciest and the most flavorful cut, in my opinion. However, feel free to use breasts, thighs, or just drumsticks!
- The citrus in the marinade is what gives this delicious paleo Mexican chicken its distinct flavor. If you have other citrus fruits on hand, you can use different combinations with the same amount without affecting the flavors too much.
- I highly recommend marinating the chicken for the full 8 hours to get all the marinade ingredients infused into the meat. However, I’ve done it for just 2 hours when I was short on time and it was still delicious.
- Do not marinate for longer than 8 hours. The acidity of the citrus can toughen up the chicken meat if it’s sitting in the marinade for longer than that.
- For the most tender and perfectly cooked chicken, I highly recommend a probe thermometer because every grill and oven is different. I have this one, and I always use it when cooking meat.
- If you don’t have a grill, using the oven will work just fine and the instructions are included in the recipe box.
What to Serve with Pollo Asado
You can serve this dish with many various sides! Some of my favorites that are not necessarily paleo are:
- grilled corn on the cob
- corn tortillas or Siete Foods Tortillas
- beans
- cheese
- rice
- sour cream
To keep this pollo asado Whole30-friendly, you can serve it with:
- pico de gallo or your favorite salsa
- guacamole
- tostones
- cauliflower Mexican rice
- lettuce wrap
- cilantro
Other recipes you might love…
- Instant Pot Chicken Fajitas (Paleo, Whole30)
- 3-Ingredient Slow Cooker or Instant Pot Salsa Verde Chicken
- Paleo Chicken Yakitori aka Japanese Chicken Skewers (Whole30, Keto, AIP Option)
- Lemon Garlic Chicken Drumsticks (Paleo, Whole30, Keto, AIP Option)
- Paleo Huli Huli Chicken
Paleo Pollo Asado (Whole30, Keto)
Ingredients
- 4 whole chicken legs or 2-3 lbs of your favorite cut of chicken
- 1/2 onion roughly chopped
- 5 garlic cloves smashed and peeled
- 1/2 cup orange juice freshly squeezed
- 1/4 cup lime juice
- 2 tbsp avocado oil
- 2 tsp cumin
- 2 tsp sea salt
- 1 tsp oregano
- 1 tsp ground black pepper
Instructions
- Place the chicken in a large resealable bag.
- Combine the rest of the ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth to make a marinade.
- Pour the marinade over the chicken and seal.
- Marinate in the refrigerator for 2 to 8 hours, turning the bag once.
- When ready to cook, remove the chicken from the marinade and set the marinade aside.
Grill Method
- Preheat grill to 350 degrees F, and grease the grill grates to prevent from sticking.
- Place the chicken skin-side down over direct heat and cover for 10 minutes, until browned and crispy.
- Flip the chicken and place over indirect heat. Baste the skin with the marinade.
- Cover and grill for 25-30 minutes, basting with the marinade 2-3 more times. The chicken is done when the thickest part of the meat reaches 165 degrees F.
- Rest chicken for 5 minutes before serving.
Oven Method
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Place chicken on the baking sheet in a single layer.
- Bake for about 40 minutes with skin-side up. Baste with the marinade halfway through. The chicken is done when the thickest part of the meat reaches 165 degrees F.
- Rest chicken for 5 minutes before serving.
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Every bite of this chicken is so delicious! The spices, tender meat and that yummy char grilled flavor!
I love all the yummy citrus and garlic flavors in this grilled chicken. So good!