Pollo al Horno (Puerto Rican Baked Chicken)
Bone-in chicken marinated in garlic, adobo, sazón, and lime, then baked until golden and juicy — a simple, everyday Puerto Rican dinner.
Equipment
- Large mixing bowl
- Whisk
- Baking dish or rimmed sheet pan, large enough to hold chicken in a single layer
- Meat thermometer
- Tongs
Ingredients
Chicken
- 3.5 lbs 1.6 kg bone-in, skin-on chicken pieces (thighs and drumsticks), or a whole chicken cut into 8 pieces
Marinade
- 4 cloves garlic minced or 2 teaspoons garlic powder
- 2 tablespoons 30 ml olive oil
- 2 tablespoons 30 ml fresh lime juice about 1 lime
- 1 tablespoon 8 g adobo seasoning a salt-and-spice blend; use one with black pepper included
- 1 packet 0.16 oz / 4.5 g sazón with culantro y achiote
- 1 teaspoon 2 g dried oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon 1 g ground cumin optional
Optional Addition
- 1/4 cup 60 g sofrito homemade or store-bought
Instructions
Marinate
- Pat the chicken pieces dry with paper towels and place them in a large bowl.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the garlic, olive oil, lime juice, adobo seasoning, sazón packet, oregano, and cumin (if using) until combined into a paste-like marinade. Stir in the sofrito if using.
- Pour the marinade over the chicken. Using your hands, rub it thoroughly over every piece, gently lifting the skin where possible to work some marinade underneath.
- Cover the bowl and refrigerate for at least 1 hour, or up to overnight for deeper flavor.
Bake
- When ready to cook, preheat the oven to 400°F (205°C).
- Arrange the marinated chicken pieces skin-side up in a single layer in a baking dish or on a rimmed sheet pan, leaving space between pieces so the skin can crisp.
- Bake for 45 to 55 minutes, until the skin is deeply golden and a meat thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the largest piece (avoiding the bone) reads 165°F (74°C).
- If you’d like the skin more browned, switch the oven to broil for the final 2 to 3 minutes, watching closely to prevent burning.
Rest and Serve
- Remove the chicken from the oven and let it rest, loosely tented with foil, for 5 to 10 minutes before serving.
Notes
• Salt guidance: Adobo seasoning and sazón both contain salt, so this recipe does not call for additional salt. Taste your specific adobo brand if you’re unsure, since sodium levels vary between brands.
• Substitutions: No sazón on hand? You can leave it out; the chicken will taste slightly less colorful and a touch less earthy, but still good. No adobo seasoning? Use 1 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, and 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder in its place.
• Doneness: Chicken is safe to eat once it reaches an internal temperature of 165°F (74°C) at the thickest part. Juices should run clear, not pink.
• Family variations: Some households add sliced onions or bell peppers to the baking dish underneath the chicken. Others use a whole roasting chicken instead of pieces, which will need a longer cook time and should still be checked with a thermometer in the thickest part of the thigh.
• Storage: Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 4 days, or freeze for up to 3 months. Reheat in the oven at 350°F (175°C) until warmed through.
• Substitutions: No sazón on hand? You can leave it out; the chicken will taste slightly less colorful and a touch less earthy, but still good. No adobo seasoning? Use 1 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, and 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder in its place.
• Doneness: Chicken is safe to eat once it reaches an internal temperature of 165°F (74°C) at the thickest part. Juices should run clear, not pink.
• Family variations: Some households add sliced onions or bell peppers to the baking dish underneath the chicken. Others use a whole roasting chicken instead of pieces, which will need a longer cook time and should still be checked with a thermometer in the thickest part of the thigh.
• Storage: Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 4 days, or freeze for up to 3 months. Reheat in the oven at 350°F (175°C) until warmed through.