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Two grilled mojo chicken leg quarters on a platter with fresh cilantro, lime and orange pieces with a bowl of rice, bowl of beans and bowl of marinade on the side.
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5 from 10 votes

Grilled Mojo Chicken Leg Quarters

Chicken leg quarters marinated in a fresh citrus, garlic and herb Cuban style mojo marinade and grilled to perfection.
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time45 minutes
Marinating time8 hours
Total Time8 hours 55 minutes
Course: Main, Main Course, Mains
Cuisine: American, Cuban, Latin
Servings: 4
Calories: 453kcal
Author: Jessica Lawson

Equipment

Ingredients

  • 4 chicken leg quarters
  • ½ cup fresh squeezed orange juice
  • zest of one orange
  • ⅓ cup fresh squeezed lime juice
  • zest of one lime
  • 8 cloves garlic
  • 1 small shallot
  • ½ cup fresh cilantro
  • 1 ½ teaspoons ground cumin
  • 1 ½ teaspoons dried oregano
  • 3 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon black pepper
  • extra cilantro, lime and orange wedges or slices for garnish

Instructions

Make the mojo marinade

  • Roughly chop garlic, shallot and cilantro. Add to a food processor or blender with the rest of the marinade ingredients and pulse until well combined.
  • Pat chicken leg quarters dry with a paper towel and place chicken in a zip top bag or shallow dish. Pour ⅔ of the marinade over the chicken and reserve the rest of the marinade for basting and dipping.
  • Squeeze out as much air as possible from the bag and make sure the chicken is thoroughly coated in the marinade. Marinate chicken in the refrigerator for 6-8 hours.

Grill the chicken

  • Remove chicken from marinade and discard.
  • Preheat gas or charcoal grill to about 350 degrees. See post about creating a direct and indirect heat zone on the grill.
  • Place leg quarters skin side down over direct heat and sear for 2-3 minutes. Flip and sear on other side for 2-3 minutes.
  • Move chicken to indirect heat, close lid and grill for 35-45 minutes until the internal temperature reaches at least 165 degrees. Use the reserved marinade to generously baste the chicken during the last 5 minutes of cooking time.
  • Remove chicken from grill and tent with foil. Rest for ten minutes before serving.

Notes

Grilled bone in chicken may look a little pink near the bone. Chicken is safe to eat when it reaches an internal temperature of at least 165 degrees. For best results, use a meat thermometer.

Nutrition

Calories: 453kcal | Carbohydrates: 10g | Protein: 25g | Fat: 35g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 6g | Monounsaturated Fat: 18g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 142mg | Sodium: 128mg | Potassium: 465mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 344IU | Vitamin C: 25mg | Calcium: 53mg | Iron: 2mg