Grilled Pollo Arizona
Grilled Pollo Arizona is a chile-forward grilled chicken built around a simple marinade that does a lot of work without getting heavy. V8 Spicy Hot brings tomato, vegetable flavor, acidity, and a little extra heat, while fresh lime and cilantro keep the chicken bright. Revolution Barbecue Pinche Gringo Adobo Rub handles the seasoning with layers of chile, cumin, garlic, oregano, citrus, and savory depth.
The real key to this recipe is the chicken itself. Large boneless breasts can be frustrating on the grill because the thick center and thin ends rarely finish at the same time. Pounding them to an even 1/2-inch thickness solves that problem and gives you a broad surface that browns quickly over medium-high heat.
Charcoal gives the chicken a little extra fire-kissed character, but a gas grill works just as well. Once the breasts are sliced, fresh lime juice goes over the top just before serving. That last squeeze cuts through the grilled edges and brings the chile and cilantro right back to the front.
Arizona-Style Grilled Adobo Chicken
Glenn Connaughton
4
4 hours 14 minutes
17 minutes
227
American
Main Dish
This recipe works because the chicken is thin enough to cook quickly but still substantial enough to stay juicy over direct heat. Pounding the breasts to an even 1/2-inch thickness gives you consistent cooking from edge to edge and creates more surface area for the marinade and grill to work on.
Revolution Barbecue Pinche Gringo Adobo Rub provides the chile, garlic, cumin, oregano, citrus, and savory seasoning, while V8 Spicy Hot adds a tomato-rich base with its own peppery character. The marinade gives the outside of the chicken plenty of color and seasoning without turning it into a sauced chicken dish.
Medium-high heat produces good browning and a little char in about 5 to 6 minutes per side. Pulling the chicken at 160°F and giving it a 5-minute rest allows carryover heat to finish the cook while protecting the moisture inside the breast. Once sliced, fresh lime juice adds acidity right where you want it, on the hot surface of the finished chicken.
Ingredients
- 2 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts, 1 1/2 pounds total
- 1/2 cup V8 Spicy Hot 100% Vegetable Juice
- 2 tablespoons finely chopped cilantro stems and leaves
- 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
- 1 tablespoon Revolution Barbecue Pinche Gringo Adobo Rub
- 1 lime, juiced, for finishing
Optional For Serving
- Grilled peppers and onions
- Warm tortillas
- Sliced avocado
- Lime wedges
Directions
- Pound The Chicken: Place the chicken breasts between sheets of plastic wrap or parchment paper and pound them to an even 1/2-inch thickness from end to end.
- Make The Marinade: Combine the V8 Spicy Hot, cilantro, fresh lime juice, and Revolution Barbecue Pinche Gringo Adobo Rub until evenly mixed.
- Marinate The Chicken: Place the chicken breasts in the marinade and turn to coat completely. Cover and refrigerate for 4 hours.
- Prepare The Grill: Prepare a charcoal grill for medium-high direct heat. A gas grill set for medium-high direct heat will also work.
- Grill The Chicken: Remove the chicken from the marinade and allow the excess to drip away. Discard the remaining marinade. Grill the chicken over direct heat for 5 to 6 minutes per side, until browned with light char around the edges and the thickest portion reaches 160°F.
- Rest The Chicken: Transfer the chicken from the grill and allow it to rest for 5 minutes. Carryover heat will continue cooking the meat during the rest.
- Slice And Finish: Slice the chicken across the grain and squeeze the juice of 1 lime evenly over the sliced chicken just before serving.
- Serve: Serve the Grilled Pollo Arizona on its own or with grilled peppers and onions, warm tortillas, sliced avocado, and additional lime.
