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4.5 from 156 votes

Cuban Mojo Chicken Thighs

Cuban Mojo Chicken is full of sweet, savory, delicious citrusy flavor! Serve this versatile chicken dinner with your choice of sides like rice, beans, avocado, tomatoes, and more!

Prep Time
10 mins
Cook Time
10 mins
Additional Time
1 hr
Total Time
1 hr 30 mins
Servings: 10 Servings
Calories: 224 kcal
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Cuban

Ingredients

  • 3 lbs boneless skinless chicken thighs*
  • 1/2 cup orange juice
  • 1 teaspoon lime zest or lemon zest
  • 2 Tbsp fresh lime juice or lemon juice
  • 1/4 cup avocado oil or olive oil
  • 2 teaspoons pure maple syrup
  • 2 cloves garlic minced
  • 1/2 tsp onion powder
  • 1/2 tsp ground ginger optional
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
  • ½ teaspoon sea salt to taste
  • 1/4 tsp black pepper

Instructions

    Cup of Yum
  1. Add the ingredients for the mojo marinade to a small blender or a food processor and blend until everything is well combined (orange juice, lime zest, lime juice, avocado oil, pure maple syrup, garlic, onion powder, ground ginger, ground cumin, and sea salt).
  2. Transfer the raw boneless skinless chicken thighs to a large zip lock bag and pour in all of the marinade. Tightly seal the bag and move everything around until all of the chicken pieces are covered in mojo marinade. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour for the best results, and up to 24 hours.
  3. When you’re ready to bake the chicken, preheat the oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit.
  4. Transfer the marinated chicken to a large casserole dish or baking dish, including all of the marinade. Arrange the chicken in a single layer. It’s fine if the chicken thighs touch each other, but try to keep them from overlapping.
  5. Bake on the center rack of the preheated oven for 20 minutes, or until the internal temperature of the chicken reaches 165 degrees Fahrenheit. To verify the temperature, insert a meat thermometer into the thickest part of the largest thigh and wait until the number stop moving to get an accurate read. Note: if you're making skin-on chicken thighs or boneless skinless chicken breasts, adjust the bake time accordingly. Chicken breasts, for instance, can be baked at 350 for 20 to 30 minutes.
  6. For a caramelized glazed chicken, baste the chicken with the juices (you can do so by spooning the juices over the cooked chicken thighs) and place them back into the oven under the high broil setting.
  7. Broil for 5 to 8 minutes, or until the chicken is golden brown and crispy. Note that chicken thighs tend to have the best texture when the internal temperature is closer to 200 degrees F, so don't worry if the temperature far exceeds 165. For chicken breasts, however, try to bake as close to 165 as possible to achieve juicy chicken.
  8. Let chicken rest at least 10 minutes before serving.
  9. Serve Cuban mojo chicken with your choice of side dishes such as steamed rice, black beans, avocado, fresh tomatoes and fried plantains.

Notes

  • *3 lbs of chicken thighs is equivalent to about 8 to 12 chicken thighs. You can halve the recipe and use approximately 1.5 lbs of chicken thighs (4-6 thighs). If you do so, also halve the mojo marinade ingredients.

Nutrition Information

Serving 1Thigh (of 10) Calories 224kcal (11%) Carbohydrates 5g (2%) Protein 27g (54%) Fat 10g (15%) Saturated Fat 2g (10%) Polyunsaturated Fat 3g Cholesterol 126mg (42%) Sodium 243mg (10%) Sugar 4g (8%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 10Servings

Amount Per Serving

Calories 224

% Daily Value*

Serving 1Thigh (of 10)
Calories 224kcal 11%
Carbohydrates 5g 2%
Protein 27g 54%
Fat 10g 15%
Saturated Fat 2g 10%
Polyunsaturated Fat 3g 18%
Cholesterol 126mg 42%
Sodium 243mg 10%
Sugar 4g 8%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.