Achiote paste is a flavorful blend of spices and ingredients, primarily made from annatto seeds, which give it a distinctive reddish-orange color. It’s commonly used in Mexican and Central American cuisines. Along with annatto, the paste typically includes ingredients like garlic, cumin, oregano, and vinegar, which contribute to its complex, slightly earthy flavor profile. Achiote paste is often used as a marinade for meats, particularly in dishes like cochinita pibil (a slow-roasted pork dish) and for adding color and flavor to rice and stews. It’s a versatile ingredient that can enhance a variety of dishes!
What is the best way to dissolve achiote paste?
The paste is dissolved in either lemon juice, water, oil, or vinegar, used as a marinade for meat, or rubbed directly upon it. The meat is then grilled, baked, barbecued, or broiled. Sometimes, it is added to corn dough to create a zesty flavor and color in empanadas and red tamales.
Yucatan grilled chicken tastes of summer on the grill. It comes together in no time flat and may be some of the best grilling you will ever try.
Ingredients
6-7 cloves garlic
2 Tbsp yellow prepared mustard
1 Tbsp achiote paste
Juice of a large lime
2 Tbsp mild pure chili powder – like New Mexican or Ancho
1 Tbsp salt
enough water to make a smooth paste – roughly 3/4-1 cup
1 chicken – cut into 8-10 pieces (or individual parts to your taste)
Instructions
Prepare the chicken
Combine all the ingredients except the chicken in a blender. Puree until smooth.
Place the chicken and marinade in a non-reactive dish and let stand 1-3 hours.
Grill the chicken
Prepare your grill for medium-high indirect heat. Place a drip pan over the portion of the grill not heated to catch the drippings. If you are using a gas grill, place some pre-soaked wood chips in a foil packet and pierce. Place the foil packet over a lit burner.
If using charcoal build a banked fire on one side of the grill. Place the drip pan on the other side.
Grill, indirect, until an instant read thermometer reads about 155-160F.
Start rotating pieces over the direct heat (2 or 3 pieces at a time) to get a bit of colour or char. Once they have coloured up, return them to the indirect area. Repeat until all the pieces are done. Pay close attention when you do this.
Continue cooking until an instant read thermometer reads 165F in the thickest part of the chicken pieces.
Serve with pinto beans, tortillas, and pico.