Easy Asado Chicken and Sauteed Lemon Zucchini Recipe

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This recipe for Asado Chicken and Sauteed Lemon Zucchini is an absolute breath of fresh air! The juicy, chicken thighs marinated in a rich, delicious blend of spices and then cooked to perfection, are a perfect compliment with the lighter and citrus-y sautéed lemon zucchini dish. 

What is Asado Chicken?

Asado chicken is a culinary gift from South America via the Spanish influence. Asado is actually more of a cultural event or gathering like a barbecue here in the states. It describes both the occasion, and the method of cooking over an open flame or grilling. Asado is not limited to chicken, but also beef, and pork. Different countries such as Peru, Uruguay, and Argentina have all developed their own versions and even differs whether you are in a rural or urban area.

Achiote powder is a common ingredient for seasoning the chicken or meat. It is made by grinding Annatto seeds, the main ingredient, and is also known as Annatto powder but is the same thing as Achiote. Achiote powder is primarily used as a dye or natural food coloring option. The seeds have a peppery smell to them but the spice itself has a mild taste. It is also used to make an Achiote paste, traditionally.

Top Tips for Easy Asado Chicken Recipe and Sauteed Lemon Zucchini

• Chicken thighs should have the bone-in to deliver the best flavor while cooking
• To cut back on prep time, make the Asado chicken marinade sauce the day before for maximum marination!

Equipment

•  Large mixing bowl
• Large baking sheet
• Blender
• Instant-Read Thermometer

Substitutions

• To substitute Achiote powder you can combine paprika with the sazon seasoning instead.
• Orange Juice and lime juice can be used instead of fresh fruit to save time squeezing the citrus juices by hand
• Boneless skinless chicken thighs can be used instead, it's just not as good in my opinion but if that's what you have, that's what you have. On a positive note, they won't take as long to cook.

Ingredients for Asado Chicken

• Achiote powder (Annatto powder) - This is the traditional spice used to provide the deep, vibrant red color
• Chicken thighs - Use bone-in chicken thighs preferably
• Sazon Seasoning packet - Great flavor, with added spices, I used coriander and Annatto flavor
• Citrus Juice - Orange and lime juice
• Cilantro - Fresh Cilantro is best
• Onion
• Garlic Cloves
• Olive Oil

Instructions

Roughly chop the onion and garlic cloves.

If using fresh oranges and limes, use a juicer or fork to extract the juices from the fruits.

Heat a large saucepan on medium-low heat and add the olive oil.

Once the pan is heated add the onion and saute for 5-7 minutes

Add the garlic and saute until fragrant, about a minute.

Next, put in the Sazon and achiote powders.

Stir together and then put your chicken stock in and de glaze the pan.

Bring the stock to a boil and then remove from the stove top and set aside.

Let the liquid mixture cool for 20 minutes and then pour it into your blender.

Then put the cilantro and citrus juice in and blend for 1-2 minutes until you have a smooth consistency with no major lumps.

Reserve about a half of a cup to brush on the chicken as it cooks.

Place the uncooked chicken into a large mixing bowl.

Pour the blender mixture over the chicken and cover the bowl with plastic wrap.

Marinate the chicken thighs in the refrigerator for 3 hours up to 24 hours.

Pre-heat your oven to Hi Broil setting.

After the chicken has marinated, remove it from the mixing bowl and wipe off the excess back into the bowl.

Take the chicken and spread it out on your baking sheet.

Put the chicken thighs into the oven and broil on the 3rd rack from the top for 20-25 minutes. 

Use a brush to apply the reserved marinade to the tops of the chicken about every 10 minutes.

After another 10 minutes, repeat.

Check the internal temperature of the chicken thighs and make sure that they are at least 165 degrees Fahrenheit.

Let the chicken cool on a serving plate for 5 minutes before ready to serve.

Ingredients for Sauteed Lemon Zucchini

• Zucchini
• Lemon
• Garlic
• Olive Oil
• Salt
• Black Pepper

Instructions

Dice a medium-sized zucchini into small pieces.

I used a french fry cutter that I have and it worked really well for a nice even dice.

Zest lemon, about a teaspoon.

Mince the garlic cloves as well if you haven't already.

Heat a large saucepan or large skillet using medium-high heat and add the olive oil.

Add the diced zucchini to the pan and saute

After the zucchini has cooked for a minute, add the salt and black pepper

Continue cooking, stirring occasionally for 2-3 minutes until you start to get some char marks on the sauteed zucchini pieces

Throw in the minced garlic cloves and and a squeeze of lemon and remove from heat.

Garnish with lemon zest and an extra splash of lemon juice before serving.

What to serve it with

For the people that are looking for a carb to go along with this low carb combo try:

• Rice
• Cornbread
• Potato Salad

A low carb option if you just want another side to go with this:

• Cauliflower rice

Storage

• Keeps in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
• Freeze in a freezer safe container for up to 1 month.

Asado chicken and sauteed lemon zucchini is a flavorful, vibrant dish. The deep flavors of the chicken thighs sync with the light lemon-y zucchini to create a balanced meal. This mild spice level chicken asado recipe and zucchini side dish is a great way to try out asado style chicken.