Cuban Mojo Chicken Thighs (Printable)
Juicy chicken thighs in a vibrant garlic-citrus Cuban mojo marinade, roasted to golden perfection with fresh herbs.
# What You'll Need:
→ Chicken
01 - 8 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs (about 3½ lb total)
→ Mojo Marinade
02 - ½ cup fresh orange juice
03 - ¼ cup fresh lime juice
04 - 6 garlic cloves, minced
05 - ¼ cup olive oil
06 - 2 teaspoons dried oregano
07 - 1 teaspoon ground cumin
08 - 1½ teaspoons kosher salt
09 - ½ teaspoon black pepper
10 - ¼ cup fresh cilantro, chopped
11 - 2 tablespoons fresh mint, chopped
→ Garnish
12 - Fresh cilantro, chopped
13 - Lime wedges
# Directions:
01 - In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the orange juice, lime juice, minced garlic, olive oil, dried oregano, ground cumin, kosher salt, black pepper, chopped cilantro, and mint until fully combined.
02 - Place the chicken thighs in a large resealable plastic bag or shallow dish. Pour the mojo marinade over the chicken, ensuring each piece is thoroughly coated. Seal the bag or cover the dish and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or ideally overnight for maximum flavor penetration.
03 - Preheat the oven to 425°F. Remove the chicken from the marinade, allowing any excess to drip off, and arrange the thighs skin-side up on a rimmed baking sheet. Discard the remaining used marinade.
04 - Roast the chicken in the center of the oven for 35 minutes, or until the skin is deeply golden and an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of a thigh registers 165°F.
05 - Remove the baking sheet from the oven and let the chicken rest for 5 minutes. Garnish with freshly chopped cilantro and serve alongside lime wedges for squeezing.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- The mojo marinade doubles as a flavor bomb for rice, beans, or roasted vegetables, so nothing goes to waste.
- It requires almost zero hands on effort but tastes like you spent all day cooking, which is the best kind of trick.
02 -
- Do not skip the resting step or you will lose every bit of juiciness you worked so hard to build up during the marinade and roasting.
- A quick two minute blast under the broiler after roasting transforms good crispy skin into extraordinary crispy skin.
03 -
- Pat the chicken skin dry before roasting because moisture is the enemy of crispiness, no matter how good your marinade is.
- Marinate overnight in the coldest part of your refrigerator, not the door, for the safest and most even flavor penetration.