This copycat Pollo Tropical chicken recipe checks all the boxes. Grilled. Juicy. Moist. And it’s incredibly popular with the younger generation.
The tropical name comes from the juicy marinade, which is a combination of common spices and the creative use of pineapple juice and orange juice. Let's take a look.
Ingredients
- Chicken breast — 2 pounds, skinned and deboned.
- Salt and pepper — to taste.
- Sour orange juice — 2 ½ cups.
- Pineapple juice — 1 ½ cups.
- Garlic powder — 1 tbsp.
- Ground cumin — 1 tsp.
- Oregano — 1 tsp.
- Cilantro — 1 tbsp., fresh.
Instructions
- Debone, deskin, and clean the chicken breast.
- Gently slice the chicken breast into pieces.
- Combine the cumin, garlic powder, cilantro, oregano, salt, and pepper in a bowl.
- Mix well until combined.
- Coat the chicken pieces with the spice mix, as evenly as possible.
- Combine the sour orange juice and pineapple juice in another bowl.
- Add the coated chicken breast pieces to the juice mix.
- Transfer the bowl to the fridge and marinate for 4-5 hours.
- Heat the grill.
- Remove the chicken breasts from the marinade, and drip the excess.
- Place the chicken on the grill.
- While the chicken is cooking, brush both sides of the pieces with the marinade.
Substitutions
- Chicken breast — The original Pollo Tropical chicken recipe uses skinless and boneless chicken breast. But your options are not limited to chicken breast. Not at all.
If you want to use Cornish hens, the texture will be noticeably more tender than chicken breast. It’s a fairly lean meat, certainly leaner than chicken breast. If you’ll be going with Cornish hens, 3-4 pieces would do the job. - Cumin — This one just might be the secret ingredient in this recipe. Not only that cumin gives a deep layer of flavor, but also it pairs incredibly well with the juices, thanks to the citrus edge it provides.
If you find yourself looking for an alternative, chili powder comes to mind, since chili powder is the main ingredient in the most common versions of cumin, you will have a similar taste. Use it sparingly as it has a dominant flavor.
Another good substitute for cumin in this recipe would probably be curry powder. Most curry powders will contain cumin, so you’ll be just fine. Use it sparingly too. - Oregano — Oregano fits in very well with this Pollo Tropical chicken recipe, with an earthy and mildly sweet flavor, but it doesn’t lack alternatives. Marjoram can be a good alternative, although it’s much milder than oregano’s dominant taste. If you go with marjoram, you probably ought to add a bit more.
Thyme is also a great alternative. We’d recommend going with fresh thyme, with a 1/1 ratio. Basil and parsley will work well too.
Variations
- Herbs and spices — For those with a taste for heat, you could add cayenne pepper, mustard powder, celery seed, or dried parsley. Try and incorporate some, if not all, and see how it works for you.
Equipment
- 2 mixing bowls.
- Measuring spoons and cups.
- Cutting knife.
- Grill.
Storage
- Transfer the leftover grilled chicken into an airtight container or a sealed bag.
- Store it in your refrigerator, where it will last for three-to-four days, at least according to the USDA.
Tips
- Marinating — Marinating is crucial for this Pollo Tropical chicken recipe. Though if you’re short on time you’ll be well off with a few hours of marinating. For the best results, we recommend marinating overnight.
- Pairings — Though this grilled chicken works great as the main dish, it’s also extremely well paired with Mediterranean rice, or with potatoes au gratin.
