El Pollo Loco Copycat Citrus Marinated Chicken
Jazz up plain, boring chicken with this el pollo loco citrus marinated chicken recipe! This delicious, zesty marinade is made with simple ingredients, and will instantly transport you to warm tropical sunshine - it's the perfect copycat recipe!
Servings: 8 Servings
Calories: 279kcal
Ingredients
- 1 Whole chicken cut into 8 pieces, bone-in & skin-on
- ½ cup Orange juice
- 3 cloves Garlic minced
- 2 Limes juiced
- ¼ teaspoon Dried oregano
- ¼ cup Vegetable oil
- 1 packet Sazon with azafran
- ½ tablespoon Kosher salt
Instructions
- Pat the chicken dry with paper towels to remove excess moisture.1 Whole chicken
- Add the marinade ingredients to a large bowl. Whisk well until combined.½ cup Orange juice, 3 cloves Garlic, 2 Limes, ¼ teaspoon Dried oregano, ¼ cup Vegetable oil, 1 packet Sazon with azafran, ½ tablespoon Kosher salt
- Transfer a quarter of the marinade to a small bowl and set aside.
- Add the cut chicken pieces to the large bowl of marinade. Toss well using tongs to cover each piece of chicken in the marinade. Cover with plastic wrap, and marinate in the fridge for 24 hours.
- Once ready to cook, preheat your air fryer to 400°F. Add the chicken pieces to the heated air fryer basket.
- Brush the chicken pieces with the reserved marinade constantly, while cooking. Continue basting the chicken until the reserved marinade is all used up.
- Cook the chicken for 25-30 minutes until the internal temperature of the chicken reads 165°F on an instant-read meat thermometer. The chicken skin should be crisp, and the chicken juices should run clear.
Notes
- Remove excess marinade: Before adding the chicken pieces to the air fryer, allow the excess marinade to drip off. This will help the skin crisp and will prevent quick burning.
- Cover with foil: If your chicken skin is burning too quickly, loosely cover with foil in the air fryer.
- Marinating time: You will get the best results from marinating this chicken for 24 hours. If you are in a rush, I recommend marinating the chicken for at least one hour.
- Do not overcrowd: To allow the hot air to circulate all sides of the chicken, do not overcrowd the air fryer. You may need to cook in two batches.
Nutrition
Calories: 279kcal | Carbohydrates: 4g | Protein: 18g | Fat: 21g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 7g | Monounsaturated Fat: 7g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 71mg | Sodium: 560mg | Potassium: 233mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 174IU | Vitamin C: 15mg | Calcium: 21mg | Iron: 1mg
