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Top-down look at chicken pieces drizzled with orange-lime sauce, scattered garlic cloves, oregano, and cumin specks.

Cuban Mojo Roast Chicken

Roast a whole chicken marinated in citrus, garlic, and cumin for a flavorful Cuban mojo chicken. Serve with rice and beans.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour 15 minutes
Chill Time 10 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 40 minutes
Servings: 8 servings
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Cuban
Calories: 500
Ingredients Method

Ingredients
  

  • 1 (5 to 6 lb) roasting chicken
  • Salt and ground black pepper to taste
  • Zest of 1 orange
  • Zest of 1 lime
  • 1/2 cup orange juice, freshly squeezed
  • 1/4 cup lime juice, freshly squeezed
  • 4 tbsp butter, melted OR 1/4 cup olive oil
  • 8 cloves garlic, chopped finely
  • 1 tsp dried oregano
  • 1 tsp ground cumin
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1/4 tsp ground black pepper
  • 1/4 cup chopped cilantro (lightly packed)
  • Orange and lime slices for garnish (optional)

Method
 

  1. Prepare the Chicken:

    Take out the giblets from the chicken's cavity; either discard them or set aside for stock or gravy. Use paper towels to pat the chicken extremely dry, and trim off any excess fat. Sprinkle lightly with salt and pepper.

  2. Make Mojo Marinade:

    Combine the orange zest, lime zest, orange juice, lime juice, melted butter or olive oil, garlic, oregano, cumin, salt, pepper, and cilantro in a small bowl to create the Cuban Mojo marinade. Coat the chicken completely with this mixture. Wrap it in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 4 hours or up to overnight.

  3. Preheat Oven:

    Take the chicken out of the refrigerator 30 minutes prior to baking. Heat the oven to 425°F (220°C). Position a rack in the lower third of the oven.

  4. Truss the Chicken:

    Lift the chicken from the marinade and put it into a large roasting pan; discard the leftover marinade. Secure the legs together with kitchen twine and fold the wing tips beneath the body.

  5. Roast the Chicken:

    Roast the chicken for 60 minutes. If the breast begins to brown too much, cover it loosely with aluminum foil. Continue roasting for another 15 minutes, until a thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh (without hitting bone) reads 165°F (75°C).

  6. Rest and Garnish:

    Take the chicken out of the oven and cover it with foil. Allow it to rest for 10 minutes before carving. If desired, decorate with orange and lime slices.