Pollo Pibil de Horno (Yucatan Style Slow Baked Achiote Chicken)
Chicken thighs baked slowly in foil with citrus and achiote until falling apart, served with bright pink pickled onions.
Made with Pickled red onions (cebollas encurtidas) and Corn tortillas from masa harina and Pollo asado marinade. Make a batch of the base first, then this takes minutes. Skip to the method
- Time3 hr 15
- LevelEasy
- Costabout £1.17 a head
- Oven160°C (140°C fan)
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
Put the chicken in a bowl with 180 ml of your ready made pollo asado marinade (see the base recipe). Turn to coat, cover and chill for 6 to 12 hours.
360 min - 2
Heat the oven to 160°C (140°C fan). Line a deep roasting tin with a double layer of foil, leaving plenty hanging over the sides.
- 3
Spread the sliced onion and bay leaves in the tin. Add the chicken and all of the marinade, with the habanero chillies if using. Fold the foil over and seal tightly, with a second sheet on top.
- 4
Bake for 2 hours 30 minutes until the meat pulls off the bone with no resistance and reaches at least 75C throughout.
150 min - 5
Rest for 15 minutes with the foil still closed, then lift out the bay leaves and chillies. Shred the chicken in its juices with two forks.
- 6
Warm your ready made corn tortillas (see the base recipe) in a dry pan. Fill with chicken, spoon over some of the juices and top with your ready made pickled red onions (see the base recipe). Serve with lime.
Tips
- The habanero is for perfume as much as heat. Keep it whole and pricked, and the dish stays mild. Remove it before shredding.
- Authentic pibil is wrapped in banana leaf. Many world food shops sell it frozen, and it gives a lovely tea like fragrance.
- Marinate overnight for the deepest colour and flavour. This marinade is already acid heavy, so do not go past 24 hours.
Storing and freezing
Keeps in the fridge for up to 3 days in its juices. Freeze in portions for up to 2 months. Reheat until steaming hot all the way through.
Questions
What does pibil mean?
Pibil comes from the Yucatan Peninsula and describes food cooked in an underground pit. Cochinita pibil is the best known version, using pork, and chicken pibil follows the same method.
Can I cook it in a slow cooker?
Yes. Put everything in a slow cooker and cook on low for 6 to 7 hours until the chicken shreds easily. Skip the foil.
Is it hot?
Not unless you add the habanero and break it. Left whole, the chilli adds fragrance and only a gentle warmth.
More made with pickled red onions (cebollas encurtidas)
Poc Chuc (Yucatecan Grilled Pork with Sour Orange)
DFEFNFBBQ King Oyster Mushroom Tacos
VGVGFCochinita Pibil (Yucatan Slow Roast Pork)
DFEFNFTorta de Pollo con Elote (Chicken Torta with Street Corn Sauce)
NFSee every dish made with pickled red onions (cebollas encurtidas)
Double 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.