“Mojo” Chicken is bursting with zesty, infused flavors — your go-to marinade for intense grill results.
This Cuban-inspired marinade is bright, piquant, and layered with fresh flavors. Everything blends quickly in a blender to create a vibrant green base that doubles as both marinade and finishing sauce.
The chicken stays moist and fragrant with lemon and orange, while garlic, cumin, shallot, parsley, oregano, jalapeño, and extra virgin olive oil add depth. This versatile marinade works well on vegetables, poultry, red meat, and seafood (note: do not marinate seafood for long periods—high acid will “cook” delicate fish).
For even, quick cooking, try spatchcocking the bird: remove the backbone and flatten the chicken with kitchen shears or a sharp knife. This method exposes more surface area to the marinade and the heat, producing crispier skin and juicier meat.
Flavor tip: make several shallow slashes across the breast and thighs so the marinade penetrates deeper into the meat.
To cook: place the spatchcocked chicken skin-side down on the hot grill grates and sear until dark and slightly charred. Because the skin renders fat and can cause flare-ups, watch closely for a well-browned, crackly surface. Flip the chicken, move it to a lower heat zone, and continue cooking slowly until tender and juicy—usually about an hour depending on size and grill temperature.
I love to shred the tender meat and crisp skin off the bone to build a main-course salad that makes an easy weeknight dinner. While the chicken cooks, grill asparagus spears and red onion wedges alongside it—the onion skin left on during grilling preserves a brilliant pink color that looks beautiful when served (peel if desired after cooking).
Assemble the salad by layering torn lettuce leaves with the pulled mojo chicken, grilled vegetables, and a bright vinaigrette. Finish with sweet, crunchy cornbread croutons for texture and balance. See the recipe directions for quantities and steps.
About the name: “Mojo” traditionally refers to a charm or spell, a term rooted in African-American culture and popularized in blues music. It’s an apt name for a sauce that brings lively, enchanting flavor to simple ingredients.
Enjoy this recipe—I think it has a little magic.
— Karen
