Ingredients
5 lb whole chicken (, cut into 8 pieces)
1/2 cup olive oil
6 garlic cloves (minced)
2 tsp ground cumin
2 tsp salt
2 tsp ground black pepper
2 tsp Mexican oregano
2 oz achiote paste (optional (you will only use 2 oz. in this recipe. See Note 1))
1/2 cup fresh orange juice
1/2 cup fresh lime juice
Instructions
Heat oil in a skillet over medium-low heat. Add garlic, cumin, salt, pepper, oregano, and achiote paste (if using, See Note 1) and cook for several minutes, stirring. Remove from heat and allow to cool. Set aside.
Add cooled achiote garlic mixture, orange juice and lime juice to a bowl and whisk to combine. Reserve 1/4 cup of marinade in the bowl to use for basting the chicken as it grills. Add remaining marinade to a 1 or 2 gallon Ziploc freezer bag. Add chicken pieces, seal bag, and massage the bag, then transfer to a refrigerator to allow the chicken to marinate for one hour (4 hours tops). Any longer will break down the proteins in the chicken, making it mushy. (See Note 2)
Preheat grill to 350°F to 400°F. Remove chicken from marinade, then discard the bag of marinade (See step 5 below). We will be grilling with indirect heat.
For indirect cooking on a charcoal grill, place your lit charcoal across half of the grill and leave the other half empty. To indirect cook on a gas grill, only turn half of the burners on (for mine I keep the top Medium, middle Low and the bottom Medium).
Grill chicken, covered, until an instant-read thermometer registers 165°F when inserted into thickest portion of each piece, about 20 to 30 minutes. As chicken is cooking, use reserved marinade to baste the pieces every few minutes. I do not turn the chicken pieces over during cooking, as there is no need for grill marks.
When chicken is cooked, discard any leftover marinade.