Mexican Roasted Chicken

If you've ever wandered the streets of any city in Mexico, you know what this recipe is and your mouth is already watering. Hang on to your sombrero because this tender juicy chicken explodes with flavor.

This is the baked version of the spicy chicken you'll find on roasting on spits in every large market from Cancun to TJ.

Course dinner

Cuisine Mexican

Keyword chicken, gluten free

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 1 30

Total Time 1 45

Servings Servings

Calories 364kcal

Author Brandy

Equipment

Ingredients

1 whole chicken *about five pounds is perfect
1 onion
1 Ancho chile
1 serrano chile
2 tsp cumin
1 tsp cinnamon
½ tsp onion powder
3 tablespoons oil divided
1 garlic bulb
salt to taste
freshly ground pepper to taste

Garnish

lime wedges

Instructions

De-stem and de-seed the chiles if you want a mild heat. If you like a lot of heat leave the seeds in tact. Flash cook them in a hot dry skillet so that they are just slightly charred.
Blend the chiles, ½ of the oil, cumin and onion powder on high until smooth.
Slice the onion in rings and line the bottom of a large cast iron skillet with them. It needs to be large enough to cook your chicken. I used a 12 inch skillet for a 5.5 pound bird. But you can use a roasting pan if your skillet isnt large enough.
Slice an entire garlic bulb across the middle and place inside the cavity of the chicken. Confirm that there are no giblets in the chicken.
Pat it dry with paper towels and place it on top of the onions. Drizzle with ½ of the oil and salt and pepper generously. Thoroughly rub the chili paste into the chicken, getting under the skin when possible. Wear latex gloves if your skin is sensitive. Tie the legs together with butchers twine to keep them from splaying out.
Roast at 350F or 177C for about 90 minutes until inner thigh temp reads 160F or 71C and the juices of the inner thigh run clear when pierced.
If your chicken is larger or smaller than 5 pounds, start with about 20 minutes per pound to determine the cooking time.
When done, let rest on counter for at least 10 minutes before slicing and serving.

Notes

The nutrition info for this chicken is based on making 6 servings and consuming the garlic and onions. You don't have to of course but you can if you want to.

Nutrition