Cuban Mojo-Roasted Chicken Recipe

Even if you're not an expert on Cuban food, you've probably heard of Cuban sandwiches (and if you haven't, we highly recommend the movie "Chef"). An essential ingredient in Cubanos is mojo-roasted pork, a tender and flavorful pork shoulder marinated in zesty mojo sauce. Mojo sauce is a staple in Cuban cuisine, usually made with a combination of citrus, garlic, oregano, and olive oil, and is used beyond pork on vegetables, chicken, and beef. 

In this recipe written with developer Michelle McGlinn, a quick homemade mojo sauce is used to marinate chicken quarters that are later roasted in a hot oven until crispy. Unlike mojo pork, the chicken quarters cook quickly, making this an easy weeknight meal to pair with beans and rice. Better yet, the leftovers can be used between bread for a Cuban sandwich — so if you don't like pork, consider this recipe a good way to get your Cubano fix.

To begin you'll need chicken quarters, also known as whole chicken legs. For the mojo sauce, you'll need several cloves of garlic, a small onion, oregano, cumin, salt, pepper, Sazon, 1 orange, 1 lime, and olive oil. For an added fresh flavor, grab some cilantro and mix it into the marinade after blending. If you don't like cilantro, just leave it out.

Combine all ingredients but the chicken and cilantro in a blender.

Blend until smooth.

Pat the chicken quarters dry.

Add the chicken to a bowl or zip-top bag and pour the marinade over the chicken.

Add cilantro and rub mixture into chicken. Seal or cover tightly and marinade overnight.

To cook, preheat the oven to 400 F.

Arrange a baking sheet with a wire rack. Place the chicken onto the rack.

Roast the chicken for 45 minutes, until skin is crispy and chicken registers 165 F.

Remove from the oven and serve warm.

Chicken leg quarters are a particularly good choice for roasting because they become very tender without drying out. Not only that, but they are cheaper because they are less work for the butcher to cut down. Because of their larger size, the roasting time is nearly an hour — you can use that hour to cook the side dishes, but if you're in a hurry, we recommend using a smaller cut like thighs or breasts. You'll still want to cook these to an internal temperature of 165 F, but their smaller size means the chicken will cook a little faster than an entire quarter. Instead of 45 minutes, check on chicken thighs or breasts for around 20 minutes. If you don't have a thermometer, look for skin crispness: the chicken should be deeply golden brown and starting to get crispy.

If you're particularly ambitious, you could use the same mojo marinade on a whole chicken. This will take a little longer than quarters, but will yield several more servings as well. To ensure the chicken is perfectly juicy, make sure to pat the chicken completely dry before marinating and baste with the pan drippings while roasting.

For a full Cuban-inspired meal, we recommend serving the mojo chicken with rice and Cuban black beans. You can also serve with sides like fried yuca, plantains, or a simple avocado salad. To store leftovers, place the chicken quarters in airtight containers in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. To freeze, carve the chicken off of the bone and store it in Ziploc bags in the freezer for several months. You can also carve the chicken from the bone and mix it with mayonnaise for a Cuban-inspired chicken salad, stir it into soups, or press it between bread and cheese for a chicken Cubano. This easy roasted mojo chicken is versatile and can be enjoyed as-is or in a range of creative leftovers, making this the perfect thing for meal prepping. Our tip? Make a batch of roasted chicken, pull it from the bone, and use it for lunches throughout the week.