Cuban Mojo Chicken Thighs (Print Version)
Juicy chicken thighs in a vibrant citrus-garlic mojo marinade, roasted until golden and crispy.
# What You Need:
→ Chicken
01 - 8 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs
→ Mojo Marinade
02 - 1/3 cup fresh orange juice
03 - 1/4 cup fresh lime juice
04 - 1/4 cup olive oil
05 - 6 cloves garlic, minced
06 - 1 tablespoon fresh oregano, chopped (or 1 teaspoon dried)
07 - 1 teaspoon ground cumin
08 - 1 teaspoon salt
09 - 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
10 - 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
11 - Zest of 1 orange
→ Garnish
12 - Fresh cilantro or parsley, chopped
13 - Lime wedges
# How to Make It:
01 - In a large bowl, whisk together orange juice, lime juice, olive oil, minced garlic, oregano, cumin, salt, pepper, smoked paprika, and orange zest until thoroughly combined.
02 - Add chicken thighs to the marinade, turning to coat completely. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, up to 6 hours for optimal flavor penetration.
03 - Preheat oven to 425°F and arrange chicken thighs skin-side up on a baking sheet or roasting pan. Reserve any remaining marinade for basting.
04 - Roast for 30-35 minutes, basting once or twice with reserved marinade, until chicken is golden brown and reaches an internal temperature of 165°F.
05 - Remove from oven and let rest for 5 minutes. Garnish with chopped cilantro or parsley and serve with lime wedges.
# Expert Hints:
01 -
- The marinade does double duty, infusing meat while creating this incredible pan sauce that youll want to spoon over everything
- Crispy skin meets juicy, citrus-perfumed meat in a way that feels fancy but takes almost zero active cooking time
02 -
- Cold marinade on room temperature chicken lowers the meat temperature and affects even cooking, so let everything come to room temperature for about 20 minutes before roasting
- Patting the skin dry with paper towels before roasting helps achieve that restaurant-quality crispiness everyone loves
03 -
- Use a glass bowl for marinating since citrus can react with metal and create off flavors
- If the chicken is browning too quickly, loosely tent with foil for the remainder of cooking time