This Venezuelan Roasted Chicken is juicy, tender and so easy to make! Every single bite will be a flavor bomb explosion in your mouth.
Venezuelan Roasted Chicken Recipe – Pollo a la Brasa Venezolano
This Venezuelan Roasted Chicken tastes just as good as it looks! It’s zesty, garlicky and makes a perfect weeknight or weekend dinners.
I love that it delivers crispy skin, juicy meat and a nice dinner to go with my super popular yucca fries and guasacaca.
You will be blown away by how much you love the Venezuelan Roasted Chicken! It feeds a small crowd, looks impressive and tastes amazing.
VENEZUELAN ROASTED CHICKEN INGREDIENTS
You’ll need:
- A whole chicken
- Fresh lime juice
- Vinegar
- Canola or vegetable oil
- Garlic cloves
- Green bell pepper
- Red onion
- Salt and black pepper
- Sweet paprika (pimento dulce)
- Sugar
- Cumin
Please check the recipe card at the bottom of the post for exact quantities and instructions (scroll down).
HOW TO MAKE ROASTED CHICKEN VENEZUELAN STYLE
- Prepare the marinade.
- Pat dry the chicken and place it in a gallon zip-top freezer bag.
- Add the marinade to the chicken and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or up to overnight.
- Place chicken in a roasting pan.
- Roast.
Please check the recipe card at the bottom of the post for exact quantities and instructions (scroll down).
ROASTED CHICKEN INTERNAL TEMPERATURE
Roast the chicken until reaches an internal temperature of 165º F. This is the meat termomether I used while roasting in the oven.
CAN I MAKE THIS RECIPE IN THE AIR FRYER?
Yes! preheat the air fryer 350 for 5 minutes. Transfer the chicken to the air fryer basket breast-side up. Air fry about 25 minutes, until the top of the chicken is browned, then flip over, and cook 25 minutes, until golden and crisp and brown all over and it reaches an internal temperature of 165º F.
VENEZUELAN MOJO FOR ROASTED CHICKEN
Venezuelan chicken restaurants drizzle the chicken with a mojo, just before serving, that is SO refreshing and SO delicious.
I tried my best to replicate the mojo and I think I came very close!
This is what you’ll need to make the mojo:
- Vinegar
- Fresh lime juice
- Salt and black pepper
- Dry oregano
- Garlic
- Fresh cilantro
It’s super easy to make! You don’t even need to peel the garlic, just crush them lightly with the flat of a knife and the heel of your hand. Then place all the ingredients in a small bowl and mix to combine.
You can make the mojo ahead since it get better with time!
WHAT TO SERVE WITH ROASTED CHICKEN?
The best way to complete this chicken is to add some yucca and guasacaca to the side. Of course, white rice, black bean, and plantains would be a wonderful combination too.
LOOKING FOR MORE VENEZUELAN RECIPES?
- Venezuelan Asado Negro
- Venezuelan Pabellon Bowl [Video]
- Eggless Venezuelan Tequeños
- Venezuelan Flan Quesillo
- Venezuelan Polvorosas Cookies
- more
Easy Venezuelan Roasted Chicken
Ingredients
- ¼ cup fresh lime juice
- 2 tablespoons vinegar (I use white vinegar)
- 4 tablespoons canola or vegetable oil
- 8 – 10 garlic cloves, minced
- ½ cup green bell pepper (about half medium pepper)
- 1 small red onion, peeled and quartered
- 1 tablespoon salt
- 1 tablespoon sweet paprika (pimento dulce)
- 2 teaspoons sugar
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 3 – 4 lb (2-3 kg) whole chicken, giblets and neck removed from the cavity
Mojo:
- 4 tablespoons vinegar
- 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon dry oregano
- 4 – 5 garlic cloves (see notes)
- 2 tablespoons fresh parsley or cilantro finely chopped
Instructions
- Place lime juice, vinegar, oil, garlic, bell pepper, onion, salt sweet paprika, sugar, cumin and black pepper in a small food processor or blender; blend until smooth.
- Remove any excess fat and leftover pin feathers and pat the outside of the chicken dry. Slightly loose the skin of the chicken with a spoon, if desired. Place chicken a gallon zip-top freezer bag.
- Add marinade to the chicken in the bag. Seal the bag and massage the chicken to coat in the marinade. Refrigerate at least 2 hour or up to overnight.
- Remove the chicken from the fridge 30 minutes before you want to cook it, to let it come up to room temperature.
- Preheat oven to 475º F/ 240°C.
- Remove chicken from the marinade, shaking excess and discarding the marinade. Optional: use kitchen string to tie the drumsticks together. Place breast-side up into baking tray or roasting pan.
- Roast in the preheated oven for 20 minutes. After 20 minutes, reduce temperature to 350º F/ 180º C and continue roasting until chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165º F, about 1 hour, 10 minutes. Baste the chicken halfway through cooking. NOTE: If the chicken is getting too brown to your taste cover the top with foil, leaving space between the top of chicken and foil tent for heat circulation.
- When the chicken is cooked, take the tray out of the oven and transfer the chicken to a board or plate to rest for 10 minutes or so. Cover it with a layer of tin foil and a tea towel to keep it warm.
- Drizzle the chicken with the mojo, if desire. Serve.
Make the mojo (optional):
- Place all the ingredients for the mojo in a small bowl and mix to combine. This can be made ahead of time since it gets better with time.
- Venezuelan Asado Negro
- Venezuelan Pabellon Bowl [Video]
- Eggless Venezuelan Tequeños
- Venezuelan Flan Quesillo
- Venezuelan Polvorosas Cookies
- more
Nutrition
The Ultimate Guide to Eggless Baking!
Includes more than 70 easy-to-make recipes along with full-color photos, detailed instructions, and helpful tips for spectacular results.
Order Now!- Roasting Pan with Rack
- Mini Food Processor
- Magnetic Measuring Spoons Set
- Nesting Measuring Beaker Set
Love what you see? Subscribe to Mommy’s Home Cooking so you’ll never miss a recipe! Follow along on Instagram, Pinterest, Twitter, and Facebook for more fun!
When you make this recipe, be sure to snap a photo and hashtag it #MommysHomeCooking. I’d love to see what you cook!
* This post contains affiliate links, thank you for the support in keeping Mommy’s Home Cooking up and running!
This is probably a silly question. But is the mojo sauce supposed to have the oil in it or is it truly acide-based? Thanks!
Hello Ryan! It’s not a silly question. I guess some mojos are acid-based, but after several testing, I found that the addition of oil in this recipe, really helps with the flavor and texture. Thanks for your interest in my recipe. Please come back and let me know how you like it =)