• Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

La Piña en la Cocina

Embracing my Mexican heritage and sharing all the wonderful flavors, colors and foods I grew up with. Join me on this journey as I also learn new foods and cooking techniques. Dedicated to my parents Ramiro and Blanca.

  • Home
  • Recipes
  • About
    • Mexican at Heart
    • Media
  • Contact
  • Disclosure/Privacy Policy
Home » Sauces » Adobo » Adobo Rojo-Red Adobo

Adobo Rojo-Red Adobo

January 10, 20224 Comments

190 shares
  • Share
  • Tweet
  • Yummly
Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

What’s the difference between an adobo and a recado? For me, they are pretty much the same thing. Sometimes vinegar or citrus is added, but that depends on the cook. Recados and adobos are used to flavor different cuts of meat and seafood. The finish can be like a paste, marinade or even like a sauce. It really depends on the cook or the type of recipe that is being prepared.

red adobo in small bowl. Spices in small bowls, Roasted chicken in adobo

Make Something Old New Again!

This adobo rojo or recado recipe I developed originally for my oven roasted beer can chicken. It’s delicious! I found myself with this oversized roaster and decided to spatchcock(butterfly) the chicken for a faster roast time in the oven. My only suggestion would be that if you have time to brine the chicken for 24 hours, that will add a lot more flavor to the chicken all the way through. That’s what salsa is for though! Lol! You can prepare this recipe with individual chicken pieces as well.

adobo roasted chicken, plated

Keep A Well Stocked Pantry!

Not counting salt and pepper, the essential spices I have on hand at all times are, garlic powder, cumin seeds, oregano, thyme, marjoram, bay leaves, cinnamon sticks, cloves, anise and all kinds of dried chiles. Not in huge quantities, but enough.

ingredients for adobo on board
You can store achiote paste in the refrigerator or freezer for a year!
Opt for fresh citrus over bottled juice when possible!
Invest in an inexpensive mini blender for jobs like this. Good for small quantities of fresh salsa too!

Leg or Thigh?

adobo rojo-Red Adobo with roasted chicken and spices

Adobo Rojo-Red Adobo

A basic red adobo or recado for a tasty roasted chicken dinner.
No ratings yet
Print Pin Rate
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Mexican
Prep Time: 20 minutes minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour hour 10 minutes minutes
Bring Chicken To Room Temperature: 30 minutes minutes
Total Time: 2 hours hours
Servings: 6 Servings

Equipment

  • Baking sheet
  • wire rack to cover baking sheet
  • Blender

Ingredients

  • 2 large oranges juiced
  • 2 large limes juiced
  • 3-4 cloves of garlic peeled and roughly chopped
  • 2 1/2 oz achiote paste
  • 1 tsp cumin
  • 1 tsp oregano
  • 1 tsp chile de arbol powder, optional
  • 1 1/2 tsp fresh cracked pepper, plus more to season chicken
  • 1/3 cup olive oil, plus more to drizzle onto whole chicken
  • Salt to taste
  • 5 1/2-6 lbs roaster whole chicken

Instructions

  • Line a large baking sheet with foil paper then lay wire rack on top. Set aside.
  • To the blender, add orange juice, lime juice, garlic, achiote paste, cumin, oregano, chile de arbol powder, fresh cracked pepper, 1/3 c oil and salt to taste. Blend on high until smooth. Set aside.
  • After washing the chicken, transfer to a sturdy cutting board. You are going to spatchcock the chicken or butterfly it open. Using kitchen scissors, carefully cut the backbone from whole chicken. Place cut side down onto board and apply a good amount of pressure between the chicken breast to flatten the chicken further.
  • Drizzle entire chicken lightly with olive oil, then season(to taste) with salt and pepper on both sides. Generously coat chicken, on both sides with adobo(recado) and place cut side down onto a baking sheet lined with the wire rack. You may not need all of the adobo. It can be refrigerated or frozen for use in another recipe. Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.
  • When ready place seasoned chicken on middle rack in the oven. The chicken will roughly roast for 1 hour or until the internal temperature of the deepest part of the breast near the bone reaches 150 degrees F. Thigh meat should read 165 degrees F.
  • When ready, remove from oven and let chicken rest at least 20 minutes before transferring to cutting board to slice. Serve right away with your favorite salsa and warm tortillas!

Notes

If you decide not to spatchcock the roaster chicken, you can still roast whole chicken. The roasting times may vary and be slightly a little longer. I would suggest adding some seasoning, cut lemons and sliced onions to the inside of the chicken cavity before roasting. 
In the adobo recipe, you can incorporate vinegar into the recipe instead of lime if you prefer. Or you can eliminate the citrus if you don’t prefer the acidity. Substitute with broth.
Tried this recipe?Mention @pinaenlacocina or tag #pinaenlacocina!

Like this:

Like Loading...

Filed Under: Adobo, Chicken~Pollo, Recados Tagged With: Adobo, Adobo Rojo, Pollo, Recado, Roasted Chicken

Previous Post: « Cantaritos!
Next Post: Serrano Lime Salsa »

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Marta

    January 12, 2022 at 10:10 am

    Ojos de aguila here….I noticed in the last pic lower right corner some cilantro on a cutting board. Is that just for serving or an ingredient in the adobo? Sorry I can’t unsee it….it’s just the way I am! LOL
    The chicken looks absolutely delish & will definitely make this. I am a huge fan! Gracias y Brazos, Sonia!

    Reply
    • Sonia

      January 13, 2022 at 10:04 am

      The cilantro was just to add some color to the photos I was taking that day. Good eye!

      Reply
  2. Michael Blough

    July 7, 2022 at 3:13 pm

    My adobe does not appear to be as thick as what you coated your chicken with. I followed the recipe closely, and actually did a dry brine overnight prior to applying the adobe and roasting. The sauce was running off of the chicken into the baking sheet/foil. Could I have done something wrong? Thank you for the recipe.

    Reply
    • Sonia

      July 7, 2022 at 4:19 pm

      I am not sure why it would run off. That’s funny. I even coated mine with seasonings and olive oil. If it’s too runny, I would just add less fresh juice from the citrus. The only thing I could think of is that maybe your citrus had more juice than the ones I used in my recipe that day. Technically, since I didn’t measure out the amount of juice that was actually added. I would just squeeze the citrus separately and gradually mix in enough until it was easy to blend. Thank you for your feedback.

      Reply

Would Love to Hear From YouCancel reply

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Primary Sidebar

Welcome!

Hi, my name is Sonia Mendez Garcia. My parents Ramiro and Blanca Mendez moved to the United States from Monterrey, Mexico in 1963. I am first generation Mexican American born in Los Angeles, California. Cooking has always been one of my passions in life. This is my journey and I can't wait to see what the future holds. Read More…

Never Miss a Recipe

Get all the latest directly to your inbox

View Privacy Policy Before Subscribing

View our privacy policy

Mariscos-Seafood

Crispy Masa Crusted Shrimp and Poppers

popper with cheese and bacon filling

More Ceviche & Aguachile!

aguachile verde in a heart shaped cazuela

Filetes de Pescado al Ajillo-Garlic Butter & Lime Cod

Tacos Dorados! Cuatro Vientos!

crunchy tacos

You might also like…

Surf and Turf~ Shrimp and Chicken Grilled in a Spicy Mexican Mole Sauce

Mexican Style Sweet Empanadas~ Pineapple Apple- Toasted Coconut

Gorditas de Azucar (Sweet Griddle Cakes)

Copyright © 2025 LA PIÑA EN LA COCINA

190 shares
MENU & SEARCH
  • Home
  • Recipes
  • About
    • Mexican at Heart
    • Media
  • Contact
  • Disclosure/Privacy Policy
We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. By clicking “Accept”, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies.
Do not sell my personal information.
Cookie Settings Accept
Manage consent

Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
Necessary
Always Enabled
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously.
CookieDurationDescription
cookielawinfo-checkbox-analytics11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-functional11 monthsThe cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-necessary11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-others11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other.
cookielawinfo-checkbox-performance11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance".
viewed_cookie_policy11 monthsThe cookie is set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin and is used to store whether or not user has consented to the use of cookies. It does not store any personal data.
Functional
Functional cookies help to perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collect feedbacks, and other third-party features.
Performance
Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors.
Analytics
Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc.
Advertisement
Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads.
Others
Other uncategorized cookies are those that are being analyzed and have not been classified into a category as yet.
Save & Accept
 

Loading Comments...
 

    %d

      Rate This Recipe

      Your vote:




      A rating is required
      A name is required
      An email is required