My marinated and baked Cuban mojo chicken is so juicy and so tender! Made with fresh citrus, cilantro, garlic, and more, my mojo chicken marinade is packed with flavor. I top it off with a homemade pineapple, avocado, and tomato salsa to really highlight the bold, fresh ingredients. These marinated chicken legs are one of my favorite summery entrees for both parties and weeknight dinners!
Top Reader Reviews
This is a great recipe. Flavor is amazing. Loved the salsa. I made 2 changes: used chicken thighs, separated marinade b4 adding oil, then just added 1/4 c oil to marinade – no oil in salsa. Raving reviews from family. This is a keeper. Extra salsa (there’s a lot) used eaten with chips. Sharing this recipe with extended family.
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Very tasty and flavorful dish that was a hit! I used chicken tenders and marinated for 45 minutes. I baked on pizza sheet on parchment paper at 400 degrees for 10 minutes and then broiled for 10 minutes. Was perfect! I only used 1/4 marinade on salsa. I put 1 T of marinade in black beans. FYI, I used one tangelo (about 1/2 cup of juice) + zest, four limes + zest of 2, and fresh pineapple that I cubed. This is added to my recipe book!
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Mojo Marinated Chicken Legs
Traditionally, the base of a mojo sauce is a mix of citrus juice, garlic, and olive oil. For this recipe, I used delicious fresh oranges, together with a combination of herbs, and the outcome is so good! This Cuban marinade is perfect for fatty cuts like leg quarters or chicken thighs. The bright citrus flavor helps balance out the rich fattiness of the meat, creating the perfect blend of flavors for this mojo roasted chicken recipe.
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This zesty mojo marinade does all the work to create flavorful roast chicken legs.
Cuban Mojo Chicken Recipe
Ingredients
- 4 bone-in, skin-on chicken leg quarters (*)
- 1 onion (quartered)
For the Marinade:
- ½ cup orange juice (from 2 oranges)
- 1 tablespoon lime juice (from ½ lime)
- 3 cloves garlic
- ¼ cup fresh cilantro (**)
- 2 teaspoons lime zest (from 1 lime)
- ½ tablespoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- ½ cup olive oil
Pineapple-Avocado Salsa (Optional):
- ½ avocado
- 4 ounces fresh pineapple
- ½ cup cherry tomatoes
Instructions
For the Mojo Chicken:
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- Add to the orange juice, lime juice, garlic, cilantro, lime zest, cumin, oregano, salt, and black ground pepper to a food processor.½ cup orange juice, 1 tablespoon lime juice, 3 cloves garlic , ¼ cup fresh cilantro, 2 teaspoons lime zest, ½ tablespoon ground cumin, 1 teaspoon dried oregano, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- Process for 10 seconds, then add the olive oil.½ cup olive oil
- Process for 5 seconds, just to combine slightly.
- Add the chicken and chopped onion to a large bowl. Pour half of the mojo sauce over the chicken and onions. Cover with cling film, and marinate in the fridge for 3 hours.4 bone-in, skin-on chicken leg quarters, 1 onion
- Set aside the remaining half of the mojo sauce for later use.
- When the chicken is done marinating, add chicken and onions to the baking tray, together with the sauce it marinated in. Bake at 350°F for 45-60 minutes, or until cooked through to 165°F internally.
For the Pineapple-Avocado Salsa:
- Meanwhile, chop up the pineapple, avocado, and cherry tomatoes into small pieces and add them in a small bowl. Mix in the remaining half of Mojo sauce you saved earlier.½ avocado, 4 ounces fresh pineapple, ½ cup cherry tomatoes
- Drizzle pineapple-avocado salsa over baked mojo chicken, serve with steamed rice and beans, and enjoy!
Notes
- Pulse the sauce just until combined. Overprocessing turns it creamy and dulls that punchy, zesty texture you want.
- Mojo sauce varies by region. Taste before marinating and tweak the salt, garlic, or lime juice to your liking.
- If you have the time, marinate the chicken overnight. The citrus and garlic tenderize the meat beautifully and infuse it with authentic Cuban flavor.
- Use a meat thermometer and insert it into the thickest part of the meat. Cooked chicken should reach an internal temperature of 165ºF.
- The acid in the mojo can slightly soften the avocado if it sits too long, so don’t make it too early!
- Add diced jalapeño or red pepper flakes for heat, or leave it out for a kid-friendly version.
- Serve your mojo chicken with white rice, black beans, and fried plantains for a full Cuban-inspired meal.
Note: Water, salt, pepper, oil, and broth are not counted as ingredients on this site.
Foolproof Tips
- Don’t over-process the mojo sauce. Too much blending will leave you with a thin, runny, foamy consistency. Instead, pulse for just a few seconds to combine ingredients. This ensures it maintains its punchy flavor and a little bit of texture.
- Split the marinade in half. The mojo sauce is used to marinate the chicken and the salsa. In order to avoid cross-contamination, it’s important to portion it out before using it on the chicken. Do not use any leftover portion that has come into contact with raw meat.
- Don’t marinate for too long. I do recommend marinating the chicken for at least 3 hours, or even overnight in the fridge. But the acids in the marinade can make the chicken gummy or mushy if it sits longer than 24 hours.
- Marinate the salsa too. The acidity lightly “cooks” the pineapple and deepens the flavor, almost like a quick ceviche-style salsa. Just don’t make it too early! Once again, those acids can turn the ingredients (particularly the avocado) mushy. Mixing it together while the chicken bakes is the perfect amount of time.
How to Make Mojo Chicken Step By Step
Prep: Gather up everything you need to make this Cuban chicken recipe. Preheat your oven to 350°F. Juice the oranges; juice and zest the lime; and quarter the onion.
Prep the Sauce: Add ½ cup of orange juice, 1 tablespoon of lime juice, 3 garlic cloves, ¼ cup of fresh cilantro, 2 teaspoons of lime zest, ½ tablespoon of ground cumin, 1 teaspoon of dried oregano, 1 teaspoon of kosher salt, and ½ teaspoon of ground black pepper to a food processor.
Blend the Sauce: Process for 10 seconds. Then add ½ cup of olive oil and process for 5 seconds, just to combine slightly. Don’t overdo it, as overprocessing turns the sauce creamy and dulls that punchy, zesty texture we want. Taste before marinating and tweak the salt, garlic, or lime juice to your liking.
Marinate the Chicken: Add 3 bone-in chicken leg quarters and 1 chopped onion to a large bowl. Pour half of the mojo sauce over the chicken and onions. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap, and let it marinate the fridge for 3 hours; or up to overnight. The citrus and garlic tenderize the meat beautifully and infuse it with authentic Cuban flavor. Set aside the remaining half of the mojo sauce for later use (don’t contaminate it with any raw chicken juices!).
Arrange the Chicken: When the chicken is done marinating, add the chicken and onions to the baking tray, together with the sauce it was marinated in.
Bake the Chicken: Bake your mojo chicken at 350°F for 45-60 minutes; or until cooked through to 165°F internally. Meanwhile, mix ½ of a chopped avocado, 4 ounces of chopped fresh pineapple, and ½ cup of chopped cherry tomatoes. Stir in the reserved mojo sauce, and let it all marinate together while the chicken roasts.
Serve: Once it’s done in the oven, serve each leg quarter with a heaping scoop of the salsa. Or if you skip the salsa, simply drizzle the remaining mojo sauce over each piece of chicken. I love to serve this dish with rice, black beans, and fried plantains on the side!
How to Store, Freeze, and Reheat
Once cooled to room temperature, leftover Cuban chicken can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months. Let thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating in a 325°F oven, covered with foil, until warmed through. This keeps the chicken moist and flavorful!
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