Homemade Pollo Loco Recipe | Mexican Grilled Chicken
Growing up in Mexico, I loved it when my mom had no time to cook, as she would bring El Pollo Loco chicken to eat. Pollo asado is one of my favorite meals, and this traditional chicken recipe from Sinaloa holds a special place in my corazón.
So get ready to grill some homemade Pollo Loco Recipe. The combination of flavorful chicken, Mexican rice, fresh salsa, and cebollitas makes this recipe perfect for lunch or dinner.
There were several Pollo Loco Restaurants in Chihuahua, my hometown, which became Pollo Feliz when the franchise was sold in the United States. So, while we went from Crazy Chicken to Happy Chicken, the flavors remained the same.
I’ve been grilling chicken for years, and since we got a gas grill, I’ve been grilling even more often. The Pollo Loco copycat recipe is the one I’ve been perfecting the most to replicate the authentic flavor of the marinade.
Here are some of my discoveries:
El Pollo Loco marinade recipe is mainly made with fruits. Pineapple is one of the most essential ingredients for flavor, tenderization, and moisture. Did you know that pineapple is a natural tenderizer? However, be careful not to marinate the chicken for more than 4 hours with pineapple, or it will turn mushy.
El Pollo Loco Chicken Ingredients. When I started experimenting with this recipe, I used orange juice, which adds great flavor. But if you really want to take this to another level, I suggest substituting orange juice for orange soda! The sugar in the soda helps caramelize the chicken, giving it that special flavor of Mexican grilled chicken, and the orange taste adds tons of flavor. You might be surprised, but some Mexican recipes, like Pollo al Achiote and even carnitas, call for orange soda.
I’ve also tried adding annatto paste, known as achiote, but traditional Pollo Loco has no red color. Although it brings tons of flavor, I don’t think the original recipe calls for it, so I left it out. After much experimenting, this is my closest and most delicious homemade Pollo Loco recipe.
Maximizing Flavor with Marination
For the most flavorful results, follow these steps:
- Blend all the ingredients except the pineapple and marinate the chicken in this mixture overnight.
- Four hours before grilling, blend the marinade with the pineapple until smooth.
- Add this pineapple-infused marinade back to the chicken and let it marinate for an additional four hours.
Marinating overnight allows the flavors to penetrate deeply, enhancing the taste. However, it’s crucial to limit the pineapple marination to four hours, as its powerful tenderizing properties can compromise the chicken’s texture if used for too long.
Note. You can marinate all together for only four hours and still turn out delicious.
I like to get under the chicken skin with a spoon and add marinade on the inside, adding more flavor. I love to place chicken in ziplock bags and add the marinade because they are mess-free, and I flip them occasionally in the fridge to ensure even marination. Still, you can use a container, cover it, and baste the chicken occasionally.
Perfect Side Dishes for Pollo Loco:
- Mexican Rice, arroz rojo.
- Arroz con Vegetales (Mexican white rice with veggies)
- Salsa Taquera
- Remember to make it a taco! You can use corn or flour tortillas. Here’s how to heat tortillas.
As you can see, this is a very easy recipe for Pollo Asado. So next time you light up the grill, make this Pollo Loco copycat recipe and come back to tell me how it turned out! Buen Provecho amigos! Do you follow me on Instagram? I have new recipes every week.
Homemade Pollo Loco Recipe | Mexican Grilled Chicken
Equipment
- 1 Blender
- 1 container or ziploc for marinating
Ingredients
- 2 pounds chicken
- 3 tablespoons cooking oil would not recommend olive oil as it has a low smoking point and is not the best option for grilling.
- 1 tablespoons white vinegar you can substitute for apple vinegar
- 10 peppercorns black pepper
- 2 tablespoons lime juice
- 3/4 cup pineapple substitute for pineapple juice if you don't have fresh pineapple
- 1 tablespoon Paprika
- 3/4 cup orange soda or use orane juice
- 5 cloves garlic
- 1/2 tablespoon salt
- 1 teaspoon Lawry's mesquite marinade or taco seasoning (only if you have it around it turns out great without it anyway)
Instructions
- Place all ingredients except the chicken in a blender and liquify until smooth.
- Marinate the chicken pieces in the fridge for at least 4 hours.
For the most flavorful results, follow these steps:
- Blend all the ingredients except the pineapple and marinate the chicken in this mixture overnight.
- Four hours before grilling, blend the marinade with the pineapple until smooth.
- Add this pineapple-infused marinade back to the chicken and let it marinate for an additional four hours.
Grilling Chicken
- For gas grills, turn one set of burners to high and the other set to low. The high-heat zone is perfect for charring and crisping the skin for that delicious golden brown finish, while the low-heat zone ensures the chicken cooks through without burning.
- Cover the grill with the lid vents open and preheat for about 15 minutes until it reaches approximately 500°F.
- Place the chicken skin-side up on the cooler side of the grill. Arrange the thighs and drumsticks closer to the heat source, while keeping the wings and breasts further away, as they cook faster and can dry out or burn easily. Close the lid and cook for about 15 minutes.
- Check the chicken occasionally. If it starts to burn on the outside before cooking through, move it to the cooler zone.
- Before flipping, brush some marinade onto the chicken with a cooking brush. Then, flip the chicken using tongs.
- Cover and cook for another 15 minutes or until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the center of a chicken breast (without touching the bone) reads 150°F.
