Mexican pollo al horno is a tasty traditional dish that will please your entire family. It's easy to make and only requires the use of one pan. You can serve it with rice or corn tortillas, but if you're looking for something fresh, try serving it with cilantro lime salad on top. So grab some garlic, lemon juice, fresh rosemary leaves, and a whole chicken because today we'll be cooking Mexican pollo al horno!
The holidays are always a good excuse to gather the family around and enjoy a great memorable meal together. In Mexico, most families prepare a roasted turkey or a roasted pork leg or shoulder. Some folks prefer a baked chicken because it is more affordable, their family may be small, or because they live on a farm and raise their own chickens.
Roast chicken is popular all over the country, and it has a few variations according to the region. Several prefer to add a dried pepper adobo, while others just season it with herbs, like in this recipe. Sometimes, the chicken is even stuffed in the same way a turkey would!
It's absolutely delicious!
Frequently Asked Questions About Pollo Al Horno
Before I share my chicken recipe, here are a few questions I’ve been asked about homemade pollo al horno.
Can you make this in the slow cooker?
You can cook a whole chicken in a slow cooker, but it won't have the same texture. The chicken will be softer, falling off the bone. If you want crispy outer skin, I suggest roasting it.
Should I marinate the chicken before I roast it?
Yes, you can choose to marinate the chicken before you roast it, but it isn't required. Marinating your chicken will allow the spices and seasoning to soak deeper into the meat. I think it tastes juicy and flavorful without marinating.
What is a safe cooking temperature for roasted chicken?
The safe cooking temperature of chicken breast is 180°F. Use an instant-read food thermometer to check the internal temperature of the chicken before you serve it.
Juicy Pollo Al Horno
Here is a list of ingredients you will need to make this dish…
- Roasting Chicken
- Salt and Pepper
- Fresh Rosemary
- Lemon or Lime
- Butter
- Garlic Cloves
- Carrots
- Potato
- Olive Oil
Please note: For exact measurements of the ingredients listed above, scroll down to the recipe card located at the bottom of this post!
How To Make Whole Roasted Chicken Recipe: Step By Step Tutorial
To make things easier for you, I am going to break down the directions to this recipe into sections.
Prepare the Chicken and Oven
- Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
- Clean chicken by rinsing it inside and out. If it has excess fat, remove it, and pat dry with paper towels. Tuck the wing tips under the body.
- Season the inside of the chicken well with salt and pepper.
Add Spices To The Chicken
- Mix rosemary, lime juice, lime zest, butter, and mashed garlic to form a paste.
- Brush the chicken with the butter-lime mix all over, then season the chicken with salt and pepper. Tie the legs together with a kitchen string.
- Place chicken in roasting pan.
Roast The Chicken
- Roast the chicken for 1 ½ hours; you can use a meat thermometer to check for doneness. The breast temperature should read 180 degrees.
Prepare Carrots and Potatoes (optional)
- Mix carrots and potatoes, then season with salt and pepper. Add the olive oil and 2 sprigs of rosemary.
- After the chicken has been in the oven for 45 minutes, add the potato/carrot mixture to the roasting pan, where they will cook with the chicken juices and flavors.
Keep Chicken Warm In Aluminum Tent
- Once the chicken is done, remove it from the oven, and cover with aluminum foil for about 10-15 minutes.
- Enjoy!
What To Serve With Pollo Al Horno
This roast chicken is the perfect main dish. Now, all you need are some authentic Mexican side dishes to go along with it!
This raw nopales salad is bursting with flavors and tastes amazing with the chicken. Pinto beans enchiladas are salty and creamy and add zest to your meal. My husband's favorite thing to eat with pollo al horno is creamy potatoes with poblano peppers. So yum!
To add more color and nutrition, make this fiber-rich hearts of palm salad. It has tomatoes, avocado, and a bright salad dressing!
More Authentic Mexican Recipes To Enjoy
If you enjoyed this recipe for pollo al horno, take a look at some of these other authentic Mexican recipes:
- Easy Chicken With Herbs
- Milanese Recipe
- Chicken Breast With Vegetable Stew
- Chicken With Creamy Poblano Sauce
- Creamy Chipotle Chicken Breast
I hope you make this pollo al horno! If this recipe was of any help to you, come back to let me know your experience. Please leave us a comment done below and tell us all about it!
¡Buen provecho!
Mely
📖 Recipe
Pollo Al Horno (Whole Roasted Chicken)
Ingredients
- 1 roasting chicken about 4-5 pounds
- Salt and pepper to season
- 2 tablespoons of fresh rosemary finely chopped*
- 1 lemon or lime halved
- Zest of lemon
- 4 tablespoons ½ stick of butter, melted or room temperature
- 4 garlic cloves mashed
- ½ head of garlic
OPTIONAL TO SERVE WITH THE CHICKEN
- 2 carrots cut into cubes
- 1 large potato cut into cubes
- 4 tablespoons of olive oil
- 4-6 sprigs of rosemary
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
- Clean chicken by rinsing it inside and out. If it has excess fat, remove it, and pat dry with paper towels. Tuck the wing tips under the body. Season the inside of the chicken well with salt and pepper. Place the half head of garlic inside the chicken cavity.
- Mix rosemary, lime juice, lime zest, butter and mashed garlic to form a paste.
- Brush the chicken with the butter-lime mix all over, then season the chicken with salt and pepper. Tie the legs together with a kitchen string. Place chicken in roasting pan.
- Roast the chicken for 1 ½ hours; you can use a meat thermometer to check for doneness. The breast temperature should read 180 degrees. (If adding the carrots and potatoes, continue to step 5.)
- Mix carrots and potatoes, then season with salt and pepper. Add the olive oil and 2 sprigs of rosemary. After the chicken has been in the oven for 45 minutes, add the potato/carrot mixture to the roasting pan, where they will cook with the chicken juices and flavors.
- Once the chicken is done, remove from oven, and cover with aluminum foil for about 10-15 minutes. Serve with the vegetables.
Valeria Cervantes
Can I use olive oil instead of the butter?
Mely Martínez
Hello Valeria,
Yes, you can use olive oil instead of butter.
Marta
Hola Mely,
Would like to try this but not sure about something. Ingredients include
1/2 head of garlic but isn't included in the instructions. Help por favor :o)
Mely Martínez
Hello Martha,
You are right, it goes inside the chicken cavity. And remove after roasting. Happy cooking!
Jessica
Me encanto esta receta. En vez de pavo voy a cocinar este pollito para Thanksgiving ♥️
Pattie Vazquez
The only thing I can say about this chicken is it’s out of this world, awesome awesome awesome. This is my fourth time making it. Thank you.
Mely Martínez
Hello Pattie,
I'm so glad you like the Pollo al Horno recipe, it is tasty!
Carlo
I stumbled on this recipe as a last minute to-do for chicken. This is perhaps the best baked chicken recipe we have ever tried. The seasoning mixture was tremendous, the color of the chicken was wonderful and while I like my meat a little drier and my wife a little more moist, we were both completely satisfied with how this turned out. Also our three year old daughter had such a big portion for a fussy eater. I never write reviews, but the simplicity and flavour of such a wonderful meal warranted a review. Thank you very, very much for sharing :)!
mmartinez
Hello Carlo,
Thank you for your kind comment about the Roast Chicken recipe, I really appreciate it.
Anonymous
We are having this again tonight, everyone is hungry for it since the first time I made it. Thank you for the recipe
Chris
That is a beautiful bird! It looks just perfect and makes me want a bite right now.
As far as multi-cultural, I agree. My wife and I come from very typical American, white bread, Christian, conservative, Republican families. But we raised our kids think for themselves and see people as people. Our oldest child married a person who immigrated from African (Senegal), second oldest is dating a young black woman, and our youngest is dating someone that immigrated from South American. I think that it is so cool, that they can do that without facing a lot of judgement (especially since we live in the South of the US where many people think everyone is racist and a redneck).
mmartinez
Wow! Chris, you had done a great job with your kids. Thank you for your kind comment and sharing you family experience.
Anonymous
Mely,This was delicioso! Thank you for sharing, it was so pretty I took a picture of it:) I made it with fresh rosemary, and the potatoes with carrots. The whole house smells wonderful and my family loved it.
mmartinez
Hello,
Please, if you still have the picture send it to me. i would love to share on our Facebook page. Thank you for trying the recipe. 😉
Teresa
This looks delicious. And so simple. The last time I made a baked chicken was when I was married to my ex husband (from El Salvador) and it came out great. I just haven't made another one....don't know why but I will now. My teen son is half black and half Salvadoran and although to me he looks black outwardly, I feel its better that people just come out and ask him questions they may have about him rather than assume. To me curiosity is an innate human trait but ignorance can be corrected. I'm glad I started following you.
mmartinez
Thank you for your comment. I hope you try to make the recipe and enjoy it with your son. 🙂
Dayzee
Looks delicious and I'll be trying it! I think the Judgement Free generation has arrived:) My teen and my toddler don't think in terms of colors because they have interacted with many other cultures and have friends with different cultural backgrounds. My teens friends are the same way, sometimes shaming grandparents for bad comments.
mmartinez
So nice to hear about this new young generation has a new point of view of the world. 😉