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This Cuban butter roast chicken aka pollo asado is tender, juicy, and super flavorful. It’s my Cuban grandmother’s recipe, and it comes out perfect every single time!
I love serving it with rice and black beans for a complete authentic Cuban dinner meal.
If you love roasted chicken and Cuban food, then I just know you’re going to love this recipe. It’s super easy to make and perfect for the holidays and cold winter evenings.
INGREDIENT NOTES
See the recipe card below for ingredient quantities and complete instructions.
- Whole Chicken – I used a 5 lb whole chicken. Make sure to take it out of the fridge about an hour before cooking it. This will ensure that the chicken cooks evenly and the butter mixture spreads easily.
- Spices – I used a combination of sazon, adobo, cumin, oregano, salt, and pepper but you can of course omit a certain spice you dislike or don’t have on hand.
- Butter – Make sure you use unsalted softened butter.
HOW TO MAKE IT
- Preheat your oven to 400 degrees F.
- Tie the chicken legs together with kitchen twine and tuck the wings underneath the breast.
- In a small bowl, combine the softened butter, garlic, cilantro, lemon, oregano, cumin, sazon, adobo, salt, and pepper. Mix until well combined.
- Spread the butter mixture all over the chicken. Underneath the skin as well.
- Sprinkle a little extra salt over the chicken and bake uncovered for 1 hour and 10 minutes or until a thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh registers 165 degrees F.
- Once the chicken is done cooking, allow it to sit for 8-10 minutes before slicing into it. Serve it with the pan drippings, and enjoy!
TOP TIPS
- Don’t feel like cooking a whole chicken? Use chicken thighs or the cut of your choice. Just keep in mind that cooking time will vary.
- It is crucial that you use a meat thermometer otherwise you may overcook or undercook your chicken. For a perfect juicy chicken, cook it until it reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees F.
- Spread the butter mixture under the skin of the chicken as well.
- For extra flavor, sprinkle a little Kosher salt on top of the chicken right before placing it in the oven.
- Once the chicken is done cooking, let it sit for 8-10 minutes before slicing into it. For best results, serve it with the pan drippings.
STORAGE & REHEATING
If you have any leftovers, allow them to cool completely then transfer to an air-tight container and refrigerate for up to 4 days. Simply reheat in the microwave, oven, or air fryer until heated through.
MORE RECIPES YOU MIGHT ENJOY…
Tried this Cuban butter roast chicken recipe? Please leave a star ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating in the recipe card below and/or a review in the comments section further down the page. And consider following me on Facebook or Pinterest!
Cuban Butter Roast Chicken
Ingredients
- 5 lb whole chicken
- ½ cup unsalted butter , softened
- 2 teaspoons Kosher salt , or to taste
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon sazon
- 1 teaspoon adobo
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon oregano
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice or lemon zest , optional
- 2 garlic cloves, finely minced
- 1 teaspoon fresh cilantro , optional
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 400 degrees F.
- Tie the chicken legs together with kitchen twine and tuck the wings underneath the breast.
- In a small bowl, combine the softened butter, garlic, cilantro, lemon, oregano, cumin, sazon, adobo, salt, and pepper. Mix until well combined.
- Spread the butter mixture all over the chicken. Underneath the skin as well.
- Sprinkle a little extra salt over the chicken and bake uncovered for 1 hour and 10 minutes or until a thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh registers 165 degrees F.
- Once the chicken is done cooking, allow it to sit for 8-10 minutes before slicing into it. Serve it with the pan drippings, and enjoy!
Notes
- Don’t feel like cooking a whole chicken? Use chicken thighs or the cut of your choice. Just keep in mind that cooking time will vary.
- It is crucial that you use a meat thermometer otherwise you may overcook or undercook your chicken. For a perfect juicy chicken, cook it until it reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees F.
- Spread the butter mixture under the skin of the chicken as well.
- For extra flavor, sprinkle a little Kosher salt on top of the chicken right before placing it in the oven.
- Once the chicken is done cooking, let it sit for 8-10 minutes before slicing into it. For best results, serve it with the pan drippings.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
