Achiote Chicken
Posted: 03/16/23
Updated: 12/11/24
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This grilled achiote chicken is juicy, citrusy and packed with layers of Mexican flavors. Perfect to eat as-is, add on top of a salad, or use in chicken tacos or quesadillas.
What Makes This Recipe So Good
- Achiote chicken is a very easy recipe to make, and if you love Mexican flavors, you’re in for a treat. The chicken is super flavorful, tender, juicy, and a little tangy with citrus flavors undertones. And you probably already have most of the marinade ingredients in your pantry.
- It’s super versatile! Once cooked, you can simply slice it and have it with your favorite sides such as these slow cooker pinto beans, refried black beans, Mexican rice, street corn salad, and salsa. It’s also the perfect kind of grilled chicken to chop up and use in tacos and quesadillas, or throw on top of a mixed salad for tasty protein.
Chef’s Tips
- If you don’t love chicken thighs, you can totally use any other cuts from chicken breasts, tenders, even a whole chicken with this achiote marinade. Just make sure to marinade the meat refrigerated for at least 3 or 4 hours, and up to 24 hours. The combination of spices, herbs, orange and lime juice, and vinegar brings deep layers of amazing Mexican flavors.
- While achiote is very red, and could easily be assumed to be spicy, it’s not at all! If you’d like to add a little heat to your chicken, add a little cayenne pepper, or chili powder to the marinade.
- Let the chicken rest for 5 to 10 minutes before slicing or chopping it. It’s always an important step after cooking any meat. While resting, all the juices get locked in resulting in a very juicy and flavorful chicken.
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Achiote Chicken
This achiote chicken is marinated in a combination of spices, herbs, vinegar, orange and lime juice, then grilled to perfection.
servings
Ingredients
- 1 ½ pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs approximately 6 medium chicken thighs
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 teaspoon salt more or less to taste
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper more or less to taste
- 1 ½ tablespoon achiote paste
- ¼ cup apple cider vinegar
- ¼ cup orange juice
- 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice approximately 1 large lime
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon dried thyme
- ¼ teaspoon cumin
Equipment
- Small bowl
- whisk
- large food-safe zip-top bag
- Tongs
- grill or grill pan
- large plate
Instructions
- In small bowl, combine together all ingredients except chicken thighs, and whisk together until fully combined.
- Add chicken thighs to large zip-top bag, then pour marinade over chicken. Close bag, removing as much air as possible. Gently massage chicken thighs thru bag for 1 minute to ensure all are covered with marinade, then place bag in fridge and let marinate for at least 3 hours and up to 24 hours.
- Once chicken is ready to be cooked, preheat grill to medium-high heat, approximately 375° to 450° Fahrenheit. When grill is hot, remove chicken from marinade and place directly on grill grates with tongs.
- Grill chicken thighs with lid open for 7 to 8 minutes, then flip with tongs, and cook for another 7 to 8 minutes or until chicken is golden brown and internal temperature reached 160° Fahrenheit according to internal meat thermometer.
- Remove chicken thighs from grill and transfer to large plate. Let chicken rest 5 to 10 minutes, then slice or chop chicken and serve warm as desired.
Notes
- Cooking time will vary depending on the size and thickness of the chicken thighs. Use an internal meat thermometer to ensure the chicken reaches a food-safe temperature of 165° Fahrenheit before serving.
Nutrition Information
Serving: 1serving | Calories: 253kcal | Protein: 33g | Fat: 11g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 0.03g | Total Carbs: 4g | Fiber: 0.5g | Sugar: 2g | Net Carbs: 3.5g | Vitamin C: 11mg | Cholesterol: 162mg | Sodium: 735mg | Potassium: 492mg | Calcium: 38mg | Iron: 2mg
Number of total servings shown is approximate. Actual number of servings will depend on your preferred portion sizes.
Nutritional values shown are general guidelines and reflect information for 1 serving using the ingredients listed, not including any optional ingredients. Actual macros may vary slightly depending on specific brands and types of ingredients used.
To determine the weight of one serving, prepare the recipe as instructed. Weigh the finished recipe, then divide the weight of the finished recipe (not including the weight of the container the food is in) by the desired number of servings. Result will be the weight of one serving.
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