How to Make Smoked Citrus Chicken | Cook's Country

We were after a char-grilled chicken infused with citrus and spice inspired by the chicken made at El Pollo Loco, the restaurant chain founded by Juan Francisco “Pancho” Ochoa.
Get our Smoked Citrus Chicken recipe: bit.ly/3QKDStU
Buy our winning Grilling Tongs: bit.ly/44WEwdi
Buy our winning chefs knife: bit.ly/3KyZ02N
Buy our winning large saucepan: bit.ly/4aAlElR
Buy our winning non-stick skillet: bit.ly/44SXTUK
Buy our winning baking sheet: bit.ly/3URw8Hv
Buy our winning wire rack: bit.ly/3yF40zQ
Buy our winning whisk: bit.ly/4dUfDU0
ABOUT US: The mission of America’s Test Kitchen (ATK) is to empower and inspire confidence, community, and creativity in the kitchen. Founded in 1992, the company is the leading multimedia cooking resource serving millions of fans with TV shows (America’s Test Kitchen, Cook's Country, and America’s Test Kitchen: The Next Generation), magazines (Cook’s Illustrated and Cook’s Country), cookbooks, a podcast (Proof), FAST channels, short-form video series, and the ATK All-Access subscription for digital content. Based in a state-of-the-art 15,000-square-foot test kitchen in Boston’s Seaport District, ATK has earned the trust of home cooks and culinary experts alike thanks to its one-of-a-kind processes and best-in-class techniques. Fifty full-time (admittedly very meticulous) test cooks, editors, and product testers spend their days tweaking every variable to find the very best recipes, equipment, ingredients, and techniques. Learn more at www.americastestkitchen.com/.
If you like us, follow us:
cookscountry.com
/ cookscountry
/ testkitchen
/ cookscountry
/ testkitchen

[@cdawg_sf]

Morgan is awesome . Would love to see more from her

[@JamesHarris-]

I was just about to write the same thing. She's a cutie.

[@babyyodaking123]

Morgan’s the best! The chicken looks good

[@JerryGDawg56]

I always enjoy Morgan’s videos! This sounds delicious! 😋

[@kenmore01]

Me too. 😀

[@LOLCoolJ]

This young lady is a star

[@briannettles669]

Grill master Morgan! 🤩

[@MajorJJH]

Brilliant video. So helpful.

[@purleybaker]

This is a great way to make chicken. Thanks for the video and ideas.

[@tommyb1396]

Must try, looks delicious!

[@ShingInAction]

Is it only me... Morgan is like the alternative version of Lan. They have the same vibe ✨️

[@cesteves6882]

While both seem nice morgan is like talking to a friend while lan is like taking a calming meditation, hard to describe it well

[@beedonn9260]

Thank you Morgan for the recipe, I just made it and it was absolutely delicious good job on developing this recipe.❤😮

[@stuartstuart866]

Absolutely love El Pollo Loco, delicious open flame cooked ….. i’m salivating just thinking about it lol

[@DoughboyGod]

🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥

[@musicgirl8152]

Yum!! ❤😋

[@pjsbulldog67]

Morgan ❤❤

[@peterterry7918]

I believe I have seen Pollo Loco while riding on a bus in Honduras.

[@fredcostas1945]

Sour Orange is the key.....

[@patreagan1654]

Morgan is awesome

[@kenmore01]

This looks great. If i wasnt going to marinate it for as long, id add some juice. Sadly though, its next to impossible to get enough smoke from a gas grill.

[@eagletlonglegs5234]

With a pellet tube or wood chunks you do.

[@JoeHasGotToGo]

Did you soak the wood chips?

[@MannyFontes1968]

Hello Morgan, long time no see...

[@laraleepn]

El Pollo Loco is not just in Mexico and California btw.

[@lefty-bw1zp]

We have them in Florida.

[@chili-rye123]

@@lefty-bw1zpNo, there aren’t El Pollo Loco locations in Florida. There might be a different chain but not this one

[@kelgbrown007]

Are you speaking of pollo tropical?​@@lefty-bw1zp

[@ABRAHAMCHEBORYOT]

How do I make this in the oven?Dont have a grill

[@sdarms111doug9]

Now post the recipe for their avocado salsa please

[@guchieskitchen]

❤🎉❤

[@ulyssesmelendres504]

7! ;)😊

[@mrbear1302]

I'm surprised she didn't grill the oranges a bit?

[@gautamim920]

Ladies - The reason Mexicans put pineapple in chicken is because pineapple helps Chicken, marinate and soften. Pineapple is a natural meat tenderizer. Pineapple has an enzyme called bromelain that softens muscle fiber

[@imacanoli897]

She said tough, but I think she didn't want to over marinate and make the chicken too mushy. I've done that before on accident and it can digest the meat too much.

[@gautamim920]

You cannot mush chicken on a grill. Grill does not mush any meat. Infact pineapple juice marinade makes the chicken juicy inside and crispy outside on the grill.

[@poppavein1]

Why does juice make chicken tough?

[@heavyq]

Too long in the acidic juice and it'll start to "cook" the meat the same way that you would make ceviche with seafood.

[@jlastre]

Literally dozens if not hundreds of Mexicans and Mexican Americans have named their restaurants _El Pollo Loco._ You probably can’t just go by the name to find one of his restaurants. Granted if you Google your come up with the chain, but other than the southwest you find bunches of restaurants not with the chain.

[@Hobo_X]

Morgan is so beautiful 😍

[@roberttelarket4934]

I will never buy at Pollo Loco again since I got a meal consisting of nothing for almost $10 about 9 years ago. It was tasteless as well!

[@scottlathrop66]

I wonder if you could use manatee for this recipe.

[@JohnCipriano-nl8cp]

It’s not fair to have a recipe that needs to be Grilled, I live in a small apartment in a retirement complex .. I was a professional chef an instructor for many years, I can outcook most chefs, So I cook All my meals for myself.

[@kenmore01]

I hear ya. While I'm allowed to use a gas grill in my apartment complex, charcoal is strictly forbidden. Sometimes I sneak a charcoal meal in when I'm feeling risky. A man has to live!

[@sandrah7512]

As someone who claims to have been a professional chef/instructor who can outcook most chefs, one would expect that you could adapt this recipe to you own situation. But your response is "It's not fair"? Indoor/stovetop smoker? Liquid smoke? Tea leaves for smoke? Air fryer? Hot pan? Hot oven? Broiler? Granted, without a grilled example to taste and work from, you may be at a bit of disadvantage. But even Morgan, who gives credit to El Pollo Loco for the inspiration for the recipe, wasn't trying to duplicate it. She took the collection of flavours to create her own spin.

[@JusturAVGathlete]

Air fryer. Smaller than a microwave

[@JohnCipriano-nl8cp]

WHY IS IT THAT EVER TIME THERE ISA CHICKEN RECIPE, We get a demonstration on how to break down a Whole chicken ., Is it necessary or not, there are available chicken parts in the Market ready to purchase.

[@sandrah7512]

Because whole chickens tend to be cheaper and coming from the same bird, their breasts, thighs and drumsticks are each of similar size. Whereas picking up a package of individual parts, you may get pieces of wildly differing sizes. Having them close in size makes all the pieces more likely to finish cooking at around he same time.

[@yaksterIC]

Not to mention you can get 3 meals out of a chicken. Chicken broth and chicken noodle soup are great ways to use the unused parts.

[@RIPMrAlwaysFirst]

First

[@JohnCipriano-nl8cp]

This video recipe is not correct if you have a charcoal grill to use. 🤬😡😡😡😡😡

[@sandrah7512]

The written recipe (link in the video description) has instructions for a charcoal grill. 🙄

[@brigidmccrea2790]

For the first time ever, I am disappointed in these videos. I honestly never thought that I would have to be vigilant with regard to food safety with these videos, but I have been proven wrong. As a Poultry food microbiologist for the cooperative extension service I know that chicken must be cooked 165°F.

[@daltonbreeding6301]

Chicken is safe to eat after ~15 seconds at 160F. She put it back on high heat for 3 minutes- likely hitting 165F anyway, especially after carryover during the rest.

[@MeanderBot]

Per Kenji Lopez-Alt, 155°F (or thereabouts) is safe if you're letting it rest for five minutes. 165°F is only necessary (as I've been led to believe) if you intend to serve immediately.

[@letsdothisshelliesway1611]

Well ATK doesn't sign your pay check so no need for you to worry here. 🤦‍♀️🤷‍♀️ Chill out...

[@forgingstrength6119]

It has to be held so long at certain temps. Technically, if you can hold it below 160 for so many minutes, it should be safe to eat. I think it's just easier to tell people to cook it to a temp than to hold at a temp, and that means most people get dry chicken.

[@bobby_greene]

As a pasteurizer operator I know that a 5 log reduction is achieved by holding at temperature over time. 165 is safe at fairly short time, but 145 can be safe if held long enough.