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Yucatecan Chicken in Annatto (Pollo en Achiote)

Name: Yucatecan Chicken in Annatto (Pollo en Achiote)
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 50 min
Total time: 70 min
Cuisine: Mexican
Ingredients: 1 grande Onion; 2 Sour orange; 3 tbsp Annatto paste; 3 cloves Garlic; 1 tsp Dried oregano; 1 kg Whole chicken or pieces; 0.5 tsp Cumin

70 min (20 prep + 50 cook) Easy 4 servings Yucatán

Edmond Bojalil

Recetas Mexas

Published: Mar 24, 2026 · Updated: May 12, 2026

Yucatecan chicken marinated in annatto paste and sour orange, roasted with spices.

About this recipe

Chicken marinated in annatto paste with sour orange, garlic and Yucatecan spices, roasted or grilled. Brilliant red-orange colour and deeply spiced flavour.

History & Origin

Pollo en achiote is one of the most direct expressions of Yucatecan cuisine, a direct heir to the Maya tradition of marinating meats in recados - spice pastes that the Maya prepared by grinding ingredients on a metate. Achiote (Bixa orellana) was a sacred plant for the Maya, used not only as a food colourant but in rituals, body paint and medicine. Before the Spanish arrived, the Maya used achiote to colour corn pozole, tamales and ritual drinks. With the arrival of European chicken, the achiote recado found in this white meat the perfect canvas: the chicken fat absorbs the annatto and spices, creating a brilliant red-orange crust that is visually striking. Sour orange - brought by the Spanish but perfectly adapted to the Yucatecan climate - replaced the acidic fruits the Maya used to tenderise meat. Today sour orange is inseparable from Yucatecan cookery: without its acidity, pollo en achiote would not be the same. In Yucatán, this dish is prepared for family celebrations, though it is also cooked daily. Pork and turkey in achiote are popular variants of the same culinary principle.

Estimated cost

$8.75

Total cost

$2.19

Per serving

* Approximate prices based on US supermarkets

Nutritional information per serving

420

Calories

38g

Protein

10g

Carbohydrates

24g

Fat

Fiber

580mg

Sodium

* Approximate values. May vary depending on ingredients used.

Method

1
Make the recado: dissolve 3 tablespoons annatto paste in the juice of 2 sour oranges (or 1 orange + 1 lemon). Add 3 crushed garlic cloves, 1 teaspoon dried oregano, half a teaspoon cumin, 4 ground cloves, salt and black pepper.
💡 If sour orange is unavailable, use equal parts orange and lemon juice.
2
Make deep cuts in the chicken (1kg pieces or butterflied whole). Rub the achiote recado all over, especially into the cuts. Marinate at least 2 hours in the fridge, or overnight.
💡 The longer it marinates, the more intense the flavour and colour.
3
Preheat oven to 200°C. Place the chicken in a roasting can on a bed of sliced onion and sour orange rounds. Cover with foil for the first 30 minutes.
4
Remove foil and roast a further 20 minutes until the skin is caramelised and crispy. The chicken should reach 75°C at the thickest point.
💡 In the last few minutes, switch to the grill setting to char the crust.
5
Rest 5 minutes. Serve with Yucatecan white rice, black beans, pickled red onions and warm tortillas.