These Cuban Grilled Mojo Chicken Legs are so incredibly juicy! The marinade is a summery mixture of citrus, fresh herbs, and loads of garlic.

I promise you that this chicken will never, ever feel boring and is perfect for your next backyard BBQ.

The Best Grilled Mojo Chicken

Welcome to Day 3 of the third annual So Much Food Grilling Week! For the next week, I’ll be sharing all my new favorite summer grilling recipes. They’ll be fresh, simple, and so delicious–I firmly believe anyone can grill these up. You’ll have a bunch of brand new grilling recipes just in time for Memorial day and the start of summer!

I am an absolute sucker for bone-in grilled chicken and this mojo marinade truly makes the best grilled chicken I’ve ever had! It’s perfect for backyard BBQs and we often make it for our weekly meal prep and use it in tacos and burrito bowls throughout the week.

Grilled chicken leg quarters was one of my favorite things that my dad always made while I was growing up and I’m using a technique he developed to make this mojo chicken extra special: while the chicken cooks, we use a fresh bunch mint as a basting brush. The heat from the grill warms up the mint and it adds the most incredible flavor!

Mojo is a Cuban marinade made with fresh citrus, garlic, and loads of fresh herbs like cilantro and oregano. It’s tangy and bright and is so great on grilled pork, fish, or chicken. If you’re looking to spice up your grilling game, this recipe is it!

How to Make Mojo Chicken

While I think this recipe is best on the grill, you can also bake or sear the chicken inside so that you can enjoy mojo chicken all year round.

Helpful Cooking Tools

• Outdoor Grill
• Microplane
• Food Processor
• Sharp Knife
• Grilling Tongs

Recipe Ingredients

full list of ingredients, quantities & method in the recipe card at the end of the page.

• chicken leg quarters (could substitute chicken thighs or drumsticks)
• olive oil
• garlic
• orange juice
• lime juice
• orange & lime zest
• cumin
• cilantro
• mint
• oregano
• serrano

Step-by-Step Photos & Ingredients

1. Prep the chicken. Trim the chicken leg quarters of any excess skin that’s hanging off. Pat the chicken quarters dry and place the chicken in a large ziplock bag or in a large baking dish.
2. Make the marinade. In a small food processor or blender, combine the olive oil, garlic, serrano, orange juice and zest, lime juice and zest, cumin, cilantro, mint, oregano, and kosher salt and blend until mostly smooth. Reserve 1/2 cup of marinade in a small bowl and pour the rest over the chicken, tossing it really well to coat. Transfer to the fridge for at least 4 hours, up to 24 hours.
3. Make the basting sauce. Before grilling, remove the chicken from the fridge for 30 minutes so it can come up to room temperature. Combine the reserved marinade with the orange juice and lime juice to make the basting sauce and set aside 1/4 cup of that for serving later.
4. Prep & preheat the grill. Preheat an outdoor grill over medium heat to 500 F. Let the grill preheat for a full 15 minutes. Make sure the grates are cleaned of any debris and lightly grease them with oil or nonstick cooking spray. After the grill is preheated, turn off one side of the grill. If you’re using a charcoal grill, make sure the lit charcoal are arranged only on one side of the grill.
5. Grill the chicken. Remove the chicken from the marinade and shake off any excess. Place the leg quarters, skin side up, on the cooler side of the grill, close the lid, and cook for 10 minutes. Use the bundle of mint leaves to brush the basting liquid onto the chicken, flip, and cook for another 10 minutes. Continue to baste and flip the chicken every 10 minutes or so, until the internal temperature reaches 185 F, about 45-55 minutes.
6. Finish the chicken. Transfer the chicken to the hotter side of the grill, skin side down, for 3-4 minutes, moving them as necessary to avoid flare ups, until the chicken skin is browned. Transfer the chicken to a plate and loosely tent them with foil for 10 minutes. Serve the chicken drizzled with more of the reserved mojo sauce.

Grilling 101 Tips

Grilling can feel intimidating, but it’s an easy skill to learn and will totally elevate your cooking game in the summer. Here are all my best tips for grilling like a pro!

Work with a clean grill. This is such an important step and makes all the difference when it comes to grilling. Make sure to clean your grill of any food or debris before you start cooking. This helps keep food from sticking.

Adequately preheat your grill. Making sure your grates are completely heated through is so important! Food sticks when the grates aren’t adequately heated. Make sure to let your grill preheat for at least 15 minutes. The best option is to preheat the grill over medium heat, not high heat.

Lightly grease your grill grates. You can use nonstick spray, but the best method is a rag lightly soaked with high-temperature oil. Use tongs to rub the cloth on the grates to give them a light coating of oil. This also helps when grilling foods with sticky marinades or fish, which can stick easily.

Embrace zone cooking. This isn’t necessarily true for all recipes, but especially when grilling up skin-on chicken. You’ll want to start the chicken on the cool side of the grill to help dry the skin out. Once the meat is cooked through, move it to the hot side of the grill to brown the skin.

Use a meat thermometer. I always give estimated cooking times, but every grill and piece of meat is different. I always recommend using a thermometer to determine doneness!

Cooking Mojo Chicken in the Oven

While I think that grilling the chicken yields the best results in flavor and texture, it’s not always feasible to grill and this recipe is really worth enjoying year round!

To make mojo chicken in the oven, set a wire rack over a foil-lined rimmed baking sheet. Remove the chicken from the marinade, shaking off any excess, and lay the chicken on the rack skin-side up. Transfer the chicken to a 425°F oven for 45-50 minutes, basting the chicken every 10 minutes or so. Cook the chicken legs until they register an internal temperature of about 185° F.

While chicken is safe to eat at 165°F, chicken legs and thighs benefit from a longer cooking time which makes them much more tender.

Serving Suggestions

I like to serve these grilled mojo chicken legs with either Mexican Rice or Arroz Verde plus some stewed blacks beans on the side for a complete meal.

You could also shred the meat off the bones and serve the chicken up with tortillas, onion, cilantro, and extra mojo sauce for simple, but really delicious tacos.

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If you’re in a boring chicken rut, I promise this Grilled Mojo Chicken recipe will break you out of it! The marinade is bright and flavorful and the chicken is so juicy–perfect for summer BBQs. If you do give this recipe a try, I love hearing about it! Leave a comment with a star rating below. Be sure to subscribe to my weekly newsletter and never miss a new recipe! You can also snap a photo & tag @JENNYGOYCOCHEA on Instagram.

More Grilling Recipes to Try

Grilled Tuscan Ribeyes
Grilled Lobster Tails with Spicy Garlic Butter
Grilled Hoisin Pork Chops
Classic Grilled Cheeseburgers

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