Cilantro & Lime Chicken
This is one of my favorite recipes! I usually make it in my rotisserie oven, but it may also be made in a regular oven, if you wish. The smell in the house as it is cooking is fantastic!
This is one of my favorite recipes! I usually make it in my rotisserie oven, but it may also be made in a regular oven, if you wish. The smell in the house as it is cooking is fantastic!
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 6 cloves garlic minced
- 0.25 cup fresh lime juice
- 5 pound whole chicken
- 1 1 -- cilantro lime marinade --
- 2 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 0.25 cup red onion chopped
- 0.25 cup fresh cilantro chopped
- 0.5 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
- 1 tablespoon hot sauce
- 1 1 -- garnish --
- 0.25 cup fresh cilantro chopped
- 1 1 --extra ingredients for conventional oven meth
- 1 onion quartered
- 2 ribs celery chopped
- Carbohydrate 5.6530475 g
- Cholesterol 280 mg
- Fat 61.162865 g
- Fiber 1.0753416737467 g
- Protein 70.3078258333333 g
- Saturated Fat 16.472362 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (437g)
- Sodium 338.4985 mg
- Sugar 4.5777058262533 g
- Trans Fat 4.88789816666667 g
- Calories 869 calories
Step-by-step
- Prepare cilantro lime marinade:
- In a medium size bowl, combine oil, lime juice, garlic, onion, cumin, 1st cilantro, salt, pepper and hot sauce. Mix well and set aside.
- Wash whole chicken under cold water, remove neck & giblets and pat dry inside and out. Salt inside of the body cavity. Place chicken in a 2 gallon plastic bag. Wash hands thoroughly with hot, soapy water after handling poultry. Pour cilantro lime marinade over chicken and seal bag tightly. Massage chicken through bag, distributing the marinade all over chicken. Set in refrigerator to marinate for 4 to 6 hours. After marinating, truss chicken with string on both ends to tie the legs together and wings tight to the body cavity, so that they do not move around during cooking. Wash hands again thoroughly with hot, soapy water after handling poultry.
- Follow cooking directions below, according to your cooking method.
- Rotisserie Oven Directions: Place chicken on rod assembly and cook for 20 minutes per pound. For a 5 pound bird, you will set your rotisserie for 1 hr and 40 minutes, or until juices are running clear. When done, let chicken sit out for 10 minutes to rest, to redistribute the juices before carving. Garnish with chopped fresh cilantro, if desired.
- Conventional Oven Directions: Place a rack inside a large roasting pan and place the chicken on top of the rack. For this method, you will use the additional onion and celery, shown on the bottom of the list of ingredients. Add 1/2 " of water to the bottom of the roasting pan. Add the celery and onion to the pan. Roast in oven at 400 for 1 1/2 - 2 hours, basting every 20 minutes. Chicken is done when juices are running clear. When done, let chicken sit out for 10 minutes to rest, to redistribute the juices before carving. Garnish with chopped fresh cilantro, if desired.
The Citrus Tradition
Unlike standard herb-roasted poultry that relies on heavy fats, citrus-marinated birds draw inspiration from Mexican and Southwestern asada preparations. Acidic lime juice breaks down outer surface proteins while garlic and cumin infuse the meat. Fresh cilantro supplies herbaceous notes that balance the tart profile.
Acid and Penetration
Acid alters meat proteins through mild denaturation. Limit marinating time to between four and six hours to prevent the exterior from becoming mealy. Whole birds require thorough internal salting before sealing in a bag to ensure seasoning reaches the bone. Massage the liquid through the plastic to coat every surface evenly.
Thermal Control
Rotisserie cooking keeps the bird self-basting through rotation, requiring twenty minutes per pound at steady heat. Conventional roasting demands a 400-degree environment with celery and quartered onion in the base of the pan to build aromatics. Assess doneness by piercing the thickest part of the thigh and checking that juices run completely clear rather than pink. Allow the cooked bird to rest for ten minutes before slicing so moisture redistributes throughout the muscle fibers.
