Pollo Asado con Arroz Rojo y Frijoles (Mexican Grilled Citrus Chicken)
Bone in chicken glazed gold with orange, lime and achiote, charred under the grill and served with red rice and pot beans.
Made with Frijoles de la olla (pot beans) and Mexican red rice (arroz rojo) and Pollo asado marinade. Make a batch of the base first, then this takes minutes. Skip to the method
- Time1 hr 30
- LevelEasy
- Costabout £2.50 a head
Cost is worked out from Aldi and Tesco shelf prices in October 2026. Your shop and brands will differ.
Ingredients
Tick what you need to buy. It goes on your shopping list.
Method
- 1
Slash each chicken thigh and drumstick two or three times to the bone. Put them in a bowl and pour over 120 ml of your ready made pollo asado marinade (see the base recipe). Before it touches the raw chicken, spoon 2 tbsp from the base batch into a clean pot in the fridge for serving.
- 2
Turn the chicken until every piece is coated. Cover and chill for at least 4 hours, or up to 12 hours.
240 min - 3
Take the chicken out of the fridge 30 minutes before cooking. Heat the grill to high, or light a barbecue until the coals are white. Shake off the loose marinade.
- 4
Grill the chicken skin side down for 12 minutes, then turn and cook for 15 to 20 minutes more, turning now and then, until the skin is blistered and the thickest part reaches 75C with clear juices. Move it to a cooler spot if it chars too fast.
30 min - 5
Meanwhile, gently reheat your ready made red rice (see the base recipe) and pot beans (see the base recipe) in separate pans with a splash of water, until steaming hot all the way through.
8 min - 6
Brush the spring onions with the oil and grill for 3 minutes until charred. Rest the chicken for 5 minutes.
- 7
Serve the chicken on the rice with beans alongside, the charred spring onions, coriander, lime wedges and the clean spoonful of marinade warmed through as a sauce.
5 min
Tips
- Bone in thighs and drumsticks forgive a hot grill. Breast meat dries out, so only use it if you cut it into thick escalopes first.
- Never brush used marinade on cooked chicken. If you want it as a sauce, set a clean portion aside first or boil the leftover hard for 5 minutes.
- No grill? Roast on a rack over a tray at {t220} for 40 to 45 minutes, turning once, until the skin is deep gold.
Storing and freezing
Keeps in the fridge for 3 days once cooled within 2 hours. Reheat until steaming hot all the way through, and reheat the rice only once.
Questions
Can I cook pollo asado in the oven instead?
Yes. Roast on a rack over a tray at 220C for 40 to 45 minutes, turning once, then finish under the grill for 3 minutes to blister the skin. The thickest part must reach 75C.
What can I serve with pollo asado?
Red rice and pot beans are the classic pairing, with warm corn tortillas, pickled onions and a hot salsa on the table. A simple cabbage and lime salad cuts through the richness.
Is this dish gluten free and dairy free?
Yes, as long as your achiote paste, tinned goods and rice and bean bases are gluten free. There is no dairy, egg or nut in any of the three bases.
More made with frijoles de la olla (pot beans)
Milanesa de Pollo con Arroz Rojo y Frijoles (Breaded Chicken Plate)
DFNFHPCaldo de Frijol con Chochoyotes (Oaxacan Bean Soup with Masa Dumplings)
GFDFEFMemelas de Frijol con Quesillo (Oaxacan Bean Memelas)
GFEFNFTacos de Frijol con Rajas (Bean and Poblano Strip Tacos)
DFEFNFDouble check before you cook. Recipes can contain mistakes. Any diet labels come from the ingredients as written in this recipe and are a guide, not a guarantee. Always check every ingredient and the packet label for allergens and cross contamination, and ask your doctor or dietitian what is right for you, especially with coeliac disease, diabetes or a serious allergy. This is not medical advice.