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🍗 Chicken & poultry

El Pollo Loco style citrus BBQ chicken

Grilled bone-in chicken thighs with a bright smoky marinade

⏱️ Time estimate: about 1 hour, plus marinating time

Citrus, garlic, warm spices, and just enough smoke to make the grill smell outrageously good. This one is built for bone-in chicken thighs and a hot backyard barbecue.

Grilled citrus-marinated chicken with charred edges on a platter

Ingredients

For the marinade

  • 1/2 cup orange juice
  • 1/2 cup pineapple juice
  • 1/4 cup lime juice
  • 5 cloves garlic
  • 1 teaspoon peppercorns
  • 1/4 cup neutral oil
  • 2 teaspoons ground ancho chile
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons smoked paprika
  • 2 1/2 teaspoons onion powder
  • 1 teaspoon cumin
  • 1 teaspoon coriander
  • 1 teaspoon dry Mexican oregano
  • 1/2 teaspoon turmeric
  • 3 teaspoons salt

For the chicken

  • 8 bone-in chicken thighs
  • Neutral oil for oiling the grill grates, if needed
  • Lime wedges for serving, optional

Instructions

  1. Make the marinade. Add the orange juice, pineapple juice, lime juice, garlic, peppercorns, oil, ancho chile, smoked paprika, onion powder, cumin, coriander, oregano, turmeric, and salt to a blender. Blend until the garlic and peppercorns are broken down and the marinade is mostly smooth.
  2. Marinate the chicken. Put the chicken thighs in a large bowl, baking dish, or zip-top bag and pour the marinade over them. Turn well to coat, cover, and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or up to overnight.
  3. Heat the grill. Preheat a grill for two-zone cooking, with one medium-high heat side and one cooler side. Clean and lightly oil the grates if needed.
  4. Start over indirect heat. Remove the chicken from the marinade and let the excess drip off. Discard the used marinade. Place the thighs skin-side up on the cooler side of the grill, cover, and cook for 20 to 25 minutes, turning once or twice, until the chicken is mostly cooked through.
  5. Finish over the flames. Move the thighs to the hotter side of the grill and cook 3 to 5 minutes per side, until the skin is charred in spots and the internal temperature reaches 175°F to 185°F near the bone.
  6. Rest and serve. Let the chicken rest for 5 to 10 minutes before serving. Squeeze over fresh lime if you like.

A good target here is juicy thighs with dark grill marks and a little caramelized edge, not a thick sugary glaze. The citrus marinade does the heavy lifting.