Pollo Asado with Citrus and Chile Marinade | CookOS

Pollo Asado

Name: Pollo Asado with Citrus and Chile Marinade
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 14 min
Total time: 1 h 24 min
Yield: 7 servings
Cuisine: Mexican
Ingredients: 1/2 cup orange juice; 4 tbsp soy sauce; 2 tbsp lime juice; 6 cloves garlic; 2 tsp cumin; 1 tsp coarse salt; 1 tsp black pepper; 1 green onion; 3 dried ancho chiles, de-stemmed and de-seeded; 3 chipotle peppers in adobo; 20g honey; 1/2 cup cilantro; 28 oz boneless skinless chicken thighs

Pollo Asado is a Mexican grilled chicken marinated in citrus juice, ancho chiles, and chipotle peppers for deep, smoky flavor. It's a low-calorie, versatile protein that holds up well for meal prepping and works across tacos, bowls, and burritos.

⚡Air Fryer

🌍Mexican 🏷️Pollo asado 🏷️Chicken thighs 🏷️Meal prep 🏷️Air fryer chicken Low-calorie

About·Privacy·Terms

🏷️

0:00

-0:00

Disabled

Auto

0.25x

0.5x

0.75x

Normal

1.25x

1.5x

1.75x

TikTok

Total

1h 24m

Servings

Difficulty

Easy

Est. Cost

$25–$41

Recipe Source

View original recipe

From TikTok

0:00

-0:00

Disabled

Auto

0.25x

0.5x

0.75x

Normal

1.25x

1.5x

1.75x

TikTok

Ingredients

1/2 cup orange juice
4 tbsp soy sauce
2 tbsp lime juice
6 cloves garlic
2 tsp cumin
1 tsp coarse salt
1 tsp black pepper
1 green onion
3 dried ancho chiles, de-stemmed and de-seeded
3 chipotle peppers in adobo
20g honey
1/2 cup cilantro
28 oz boneless skinless chicken thighs

13 Ingredients

Delivery in as fast as one hour.^*

Prices vary by store

^*Service fees apply. Instacart^® and the Instacart logo are registered trademarks of Maplebear Inc. d/b/a Instacart.

Instructions

1
To prepare the ancho chiles, microwave them covered with a moist paper towel for 1 minute before adding to the blender.
2
In a blender, combine orange juice, soy sauce, lime juice, garlic, cumin, coarse salt, black pepper, green onion, prepared ancho chiles, chipotle peppers, honey, and cilantro.
3
Blend all marinade ingredients until completely smooth.
4
Place the boneless skinless chicken thighs in a large bowl.
5
Pour the blended marinade over the chicken and mix thoroughly to ensure all pieces are coated.
6
Let the chicken marinate for at least one hour.
7
Place the marinated chicken thighs in an air fryer basket in a single layer.
8
Air fry at 400°F (200°C) for 14 minutes, or until cooked through and charred in spots.

Was this recipe helpful?

Tips & Notes

Pro tips

Toast dried ancho and chipotle chiles lightly in a dry skillet before blending to deepen their flavor and reduce bitterness.
Pat chicken dry before grilling to achieve better browning and char; marinate in a sealed bag lying flat for even coating.
Use a meat thermometer to check doneness at 165°F—chicken thighs stay moister than breasts when cooked to this temperature.
Reserve a portion of the raw marinade before adding raw chicken, then use it as a finishing sauce or for serving.

Substitutions

Orange juice → grapefruit or tangerine juice (adjust tartness with extra lime if needed)
Soy sauce → tamari or coconut aminos (maintains umami, supports gluten-free)
Ancho chiles → guajillo or pasilla chiles (slightly less smoky, comparable heat)
Chipotle peppers in adobo → 1–2 tsp chipotle powder + 1 tbsp tomato paste (less wet, same smoky heat)

Storage & make-ahead

Refrigerate cooked pollo asado up to 4 days in an airtight container. Reheat gently on the stovetop or in a 325°F oven for 8–10 minutes to preserve moisture. Freezes well for up to 3 months.