Puerto Rican Pollo al Horno Recipe | Baked Chicken
Looking for the easiest, most flavorful chicken ever? This Puerto Rican Pollo al Horno recipe will become one of your favorite recipes at home!
Equipment
- 1 Baking dish
- 1 Large bowl
Ingredients
- 2.5 lbs chicken drumsticks *
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 2 tsp dried oregano
- 1/2 packet sazon with annatto *
- 1/4 tsp ground black pepper or to taste
- 3-4 garlic cloves
- 1-2 oz homemade sofrito optional
- fresh parsley for garnish optional
Instructions
- Mix all the ingredients (except the chicken) with the oil in a small bowl to make a sauce.
- In a large bowl, add chicken and pour the sauce over the chicken. Coat well.
- Cover the bowl and marinate for a minimum of two hours or overnight.
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Move the chicken to a baking dish or tray and bake for 30 minutes.
- Flip over the chicken, then bake for an additional 20 minutes.
- Increase the heat to 400 degrees Fahrenheit and roast for 5-10 minutes, or until the internal temperature of the chicken is 165 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Top with freshly chopped parsley if desired, and serve hot with a side of white rice and pink beans, tostones, and some slices of avocado.
- ¡Buen provecho from The Happy Wookiee!
Notes
The chicken cut you choose will determine the baking time. Baking boneless, skinless chicken, takes less time than bone-in, dark meat. Be sure to adjust the time and keep an eye on the chicken’s internal temperature if choosing white meat as the star of your dish.
If you do not have sazon seasoning at hand, you can make your own. Mix salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, oregano, cumin, coriander, and achiote powder (ground annatto). Do not worry much about ratios as you can use the amounts you typically prefer in your dishes. You can also use some Adobo seasoning in place of the sazón.
If you do not have sofrito, you can easily make it at home with ingredients found at most grocery stores. It is one of Puerto Rico’s culinary secret weapons. Made with a blend of peppers, onion, garlic, and some seasonings, it is sure to bring out a big flavor in your dishes. For a quick version, see my Quick and Easy Puerto Rican Sofrito recipe.
If for some reason, the chicken begins to crips more than it should and it is still not done on the inside, place aluminum foil on top, as a tent, and continue baking. The only reason this would happen is if the rack where the baking dish was placed was too close to the top of the oven. It is best to ensure the rack is in the middle of the oven before baking.
You can use cilantro instead of parsley if you prefer, or nothing at all! It is only an optional last touch.