Grill/Barbecue

Mojo Chicken

by:
July 11, 2016
4
3 Ratings
Mojo Chicken
Photo by Bobbi Lin
  • Serves 6
Author Notes

The citrus and spices in the mojo marinade make this chicken flavorful and tender. Grilling gives the skin a crispy exterior that pairs perfectly with the juicy chicken. —Cooks and Kid

Test Kitchen Notes

WHO: Cooksandkid is a third-time contest entrant and a first-time contest finalist!
WHAT: A grilled chicken surprisingly bright for its dead-simple ingredient list.
HOW: Marinate chicken and sliced onions in sauce made from what you probably already have: citrus juices, white vinegar, a handful of spices, garlic, a Serrano pepper, and olive oil. Forget it in the fridge for a few hours, then grill the chicken, basting it with a bit of reserved marinade.
WHY WE LOVE IT: Did we mention the dead-simple ingredient list? The unfussy white vinegar? The zinginess contributed by three different citrus fruits? Talk about a recipe that does a lot with a little, especially for a weeknight meal. —The Editors

What You'll Need
Ingredients
  • 1 orange, juiced
  • 1 lemon, juiced
  • 1 lime, juiced
  • 1 tablespoon white vinegar
  • 2 1/2 teaspoons salt
  • 1 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1 teaspoon cumin
  • 1 teaspoon Mexican oregano
  • 1 small Serrano, minced
  • 6 cloves of garlic, minced
  • 2/3 cup olive oil
  • 1 onion, sliced
  • 6 chicken leg quarters
Directions
  1. Whisk together the citrus juices, vinegar, salt, pepper, cumin, oregano, Serrano and garlic. Then whisk in olive oil.
  2. Place the onions and chicken quarters in a gallon freezer bag. Reserve a 1/2 cup of the marinade for basting the chicken. Pour the remainder of the marinade in the freezer bag with the chicken and onions. Place in the refrigerator and marinate for at least 6 hours or overnight.
  3. 30 minutes before grilling, remove the chicken from the refrigerator. This will help take the chill off and allow the chicken to cook more evenly.
  4. Preheat the grill to medium-high heat. Remove the chicken from the freezer bag and discard the used marinade and onions.
  5. Once the grill is hot, place the chicken on the grill and baste with the reserved 1/2 cup of marinade. Grill the chicken for 10 to 12 minutes on each side or until the internal temperature reaches 165° F.
Tags:
Contest Entries

See what other Food52ers are saying.

  • eatchimac
    eatchimac
  • msmely
    msmely
  • Greenstuff
    Greenstuff
  • Cooks and Kid
    Cooks and Kid
  • Tanya
    Tanya

Popular on Food52

10 Reviews

eatchimac
eatchimac March 30, 2021
Oh, I didn’t try Mojo Chicken Recipe. Now I can make it at home. So glad for sharing this recipe Now I can make it at home. It looks delicious. Now I can share your blog with my friend circle. I am so glad after seeing your recipe, Thanks for sharing this recipe. Food is one of the biggest topics of conversation online and offline. Keep it up, I am waiting for your next recipe!
https://eatchimac.com/
 
msmely
msmely February 2, 2018
Very delicious. I used it on a whole chicken that I spatchcocked and roasted at high heat. Went well with some black beans.
 
Katie A.
Katie A. February 22, 2017
I'm obsessed with this recipe. I doubled it and used as a marinade for 2 whole chickens cut up. It's a keeper!!
 
bellyrumbles
bellyrumbles August 20, 2016
This worked out so well. I marinaded the chicken overnight and just threw it all in the oven the next day. Moist with beautiful flavours and a little leftovers for lunch too :-)
 
Cooks A.
Cooks A. August 20, 2016
So happy you like it. Thank you for the kind words.

Phillip,
http://www.cooksandkid.com
 
Greenstuff
Greenstuff August 6, 2016
This recipe is great! So simple that when you've made it once, you'll remember it always. And delicious! I'd recommend making more than you'd thought you'd need, because it will all disappear. I quartered a whole chicken instead of going with all legs. The breasts stayed moist and we're just as popular as the legs.
 
Cooks A.
Cooks A. August 3, 2016
Thank you! We will have to try your kebabs recipe! Love kebabs!
 
Tanya
Tanya August 3, 2016
Congratulations! The recipe looks fantastic - definitely trying it the next time I'm at the grill!
 
Merrill S.
Merrill S. July 31, 2016
This sounds delicious. I've been using onion in my marinades recently instead of garlic, and I love the deep, sweet flavor it adds.
 
Cooks A.
Cooks A. July 31, 2016
Thank you! Yes, onions are a staple for meat marinades in our house. We love the flavor they provide.