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Monterrey-Style Grilled Chicken (Pollo Asado Norteño)

Name: Monterrey-Style Grilled Chicken (Pollo Asado Norteño)
Prep time: 240 min
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 285 min
Cuisine: Mexican
Ingredients: 3 cdas Olive oil; 5 cloves Garlic; 1 cdta Ground cumin; 120 ml Sour orange juice (or a mix of orange and lime); 60 g Achiote paste; 1 cdta Ground black pepper; 1500 g Whole chicken, butterflied

4.0(1 rating)

285 min (240 prep + 45 cook) Easy 4 servings Nuevo León

Edmond Bojalil

Recetas Mexas

Published: 26 Mar 2026 · Updated: 22 Jun 2026

Chicken marinated in achiote and sour orange, grilled over charcoal in the style of Monterrey.

About this recipe

Monterrey-style grilled chicken is marinated in achiote, sour orange, oregano and garlic, then charcoal-grilled until it has a reddish, juicy crust. This is the chicken of Monterrey's street pollo restaurants, served with flour tortillas, beans and a good salsa verde. Simple, powerful and addictive.

History & Origin

Pollerías are an institution in Monterrey. Every neighbourhood has at least one, with its spit of chickens turning in front of the fire and its aroma of achiote and orange filling the street. Northern grilled chicken owes its deep red colour to achiote, the pre-Hispanic seed that the Maya and later northeastern cooks adopted as a natural colouring and flavouring. Sour orange - or a mix of sweet orange and lime - provides the acidity that tenderises the meat fibres and balances the richness of the fat. The northern oregano, more intense and aromatic than its Mediterranean counterpart, completes the flavour profile. Today northern-style grilled chicken is one of the most replicated Mexican dishes abroad: in Mexican communities across Texas, California and Chicago, it is the flavour that Monterrey migrants miss the most.

Estimated cost

£8.84

Total cost

£2.21

Per serving

* Approximate prices based on UK supermarkets

Nutritional information per serving

380

Calories

38g

Protein

Carbohydrates

20g

Fat

Fibre

620mg

Sodium

* Approximate values. May vary depending on ingredients used.

Method

1
Dissolve the achiote paste in the sour orange juice. Blend with garlic, cumin, pepper and oil until you have a smooth marinade.
2
Score the thickest parts of the chicken. Rub the marinade all over the surface, under the skin and into the cuts. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours, ideally overnight.
3
Prepare medium coals. Take the chicken out of the fridge 30 minutes before grilling.
4
Grill the chicken breast-side down for 20 minutes. Flip and cook for a further 20–25 minutes until the juices run clear and the internal temperature reaches 74°C.
5
Rest for 10 minutes. Serve with flour tortillas, charro beans and charred salsa verde.

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Edmond Bojalil

Founder, Recetas Mexas

Mexican from Puebla, IT professional and foodie. Author of 1000+ authentic Mexican recipes adapted for home kitchens worldwide. Based in Madrid since 2018.