Mojo Roast Chicken Pollo Asado Food

MOJO ROAST CHICKEN (POLLO ASADO)

Steps:

• Heat the olive oil in a small saucepan over medium-high heat until very hot. While the oil heats, mash the cumin, salt, oregano, and garlic together into a paste in a heat-proof bowl; whisk the hot oil into the paste. Allow the mixture to cool slightly. Add the lime juice and orange juice; stir. Place the chicken in a large sealable bag; pour the marinade over the chicken and shake to assure an even coating. Refrigerate at least 4 hours, up to overnight.
• Preheat an oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Arrange the marinated chicken in a roasting pan.
• Bake the chicken in the preheated oven until no longer pink at the bone and the juices run clear, about 1 hour. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh, near the bone should read 180 degrees F (82 degrees C).

POLLO ASADA AL AJILLO: GARLIC ROASTED CHICKEN

Steps:

• Place the onion, half of the garlic/salt mixture, wine, olive oil, and vinegar in a blender and chop thoroughly. Pour marinade over the chicken and refrigerate, covered, for 2 to 4 hours. Drain marinade from chicken and pat chicken dry with a paper towel.
• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
• Rub the chicken halves on both sides with the rest of the mashed garlic/salt mixture. If you can get some of this underneath the skin without ripping, great. Sprinkle the chicken with lime juice and then black pepper and cumin on both sides. Dust chicken lightly with flour and brown chicken quickly on both sides with olive oil in a saute pan.
• Place chicken halves in a roasting pan, skin side up. Roast 30 to 45 minutes, or until juices run clear. Use a meat thermometer if you need to, or if your "significant other" gave you one for Christmas.

CUBAN ROASTED CHICKEN (POLLO ASADO CUBANO)

Steps:

• Rinse chicken, pat dry. Place chicken breast up in foil-lined shallow roasting pan. In mortar, place garlic, salt, oregano and black pepper, mash them well together. Mix garlic mixture with butter and lemon juice. With your fingers, carefully separate skin from breast, massage 1/2 of mixture gently between breast and skin, then spread the remaining mixture evenly over the whole chicken. Tuck wings under and tie legs together. The chicken will taste better if marinated overnight.
• Place pan in center of rack and cook for 55 minutes at 350° F, basting occasionally. Cook uncovered at 400° F for 5-7 minutes.

POLLO ASADO EN CAZUELA (ROASTED CHICKEN WITH SAUCE)

Steps:

• Marinate the chicken with salt, the citrus juice and the mashed garlic for several hours. Drain it but reserve the marinade and then sautée the chicken to golden in the oil or lard. Add the white dry wine, bay leaf, onion, pepper and the left over marinade.
• Cook at a lower temperature, turning over often to make sure all of the chicken cooks evenly, until done (Sonia's note: chicken will be done when no pink juices flow when pricked with a fork - but don't check too often or all juices will run out and leave meat too dry).
• For easier cooking and serving, you can cut chicken up in pieces.
• before marinating. You can add peeled and diced potatoes if you wish.