Cuban Mojo Chicken
The secret to grilled Mojo Chicken Thighs is the perfectly balanced Orange Juice marinade that not only infuses flavor into the chicken, but also gets reduced as a drizzling sauce.
Prep Time10 minutes mins
Cook Time15 minutes mins
Marinating Time1 hour hr
Total Time1 hour hr 25 minutes mins
Course: Main Course, Dinner
Cuisine: Cuban
Servings: 6 people
Mojo Marinade
- 6 cloves garlic peeled
- 1 medium shallot roughly chopped
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 lime zested (approx. 2 teaspoons grated lime zest)
- 1½ teaspoons ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- ½ cup Orange Juice
- ⅓ cup freshly squeezed lime juice
- ⅓ cup extra virgin olive oil
- 3 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs
In a high-powered blender, combine all the marinade ingredients and blend until smooth. Pour ⅓ cup of marinade into a small bowl and reserve it for the dipping sauce.
Add the chicken to the remaining marinade. Marinate in the fridge for at least an hour and up to a day.
Prepare a grill for medium high heat, and lightly oil the grill grates. Place the chicken on the grates. Let the chicken char for 30-60 seconds and then immediately decrease the heat to medium low. Grill the chicken for approximately 10-15 minutes (or until the internal temperature reaches at least 165°F for thighs and 150°F to 155°F for breasts), turning every 5-7 minutes.
Transfer the reserved sauce to a non-stick skillet and reduce over medium high heat for 3-5 minutes until thickened. Drizzle over the grilled chicken and serve.
Most Mojo Chicken recipes don't have a dipping sauce - but because this marinade is so freaking delish, make sure to reserve some and then reduce it down over medium high heat so you can drizzle it on top!
Also - this is such a versatile recipe that you can add it to burrito bowls, rice bowls etc. It's one of my go-to ways to make chicken!
Calories: 403kcal | Carbohydrates: 7g | Protein: 44g | Fat: 22g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 12g | Trans Fat: 0.04g | Cholesterol: 215mg | Sodium: 1755mg | Potassium: 666mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 121IU | Vitamin C: 19mg | Calcium: 47mg | Iron: 3mg