I am finding some significant variation between El Pollo Loco copycat recipes. This one uses no pineapple juice but instead uses cumin, in addition to lime. The lime seems to be universal. Ingredients ¼ cup corn oil ¼ cup melted butter ½ tsp onion powder ½ tsp garlic powder ¼ tsp ground cumin 2 Tbsp lemon juice or lime juice 1 1/2 tsp kosher salt 3 lbs chicken breasts Instructions Combine oil, butter, onion powder, garlic powder, cumin, and lemon juice in large shallow pan. Add chicken halves, turning to coat well. Cover and marinate several hours or overnight. Remove chicken from marinade, cook over medium coals on barbeque grill, or 4- inches from source of heat under broiler, until browned on both side and meat is done, turning and basting frequently, about 30 minutes. Cut chicken halves into pieces to serve with beans and rice, corn or flour tortillas and salsa, if desired. Makes 6 servings. Family preference is bone-in chicken breasts. https://jonesinfortaste.com/loco-pollo-el-pollo-knock-off/ So now I guess I will have to try all of them and see which is the best! LOL!
Yesterday we tried making an alternative orange-pineapple-lime sauce using the following recipe. Alternative Sauce Method 2 tablespoon white vinegar 4 cloves garlic minced 1 teaspoon Kosher salt 1 teaspoon dried oregano 1/2 teaspoon ground pepper 1/8 jalapeno seeded and minced very finely 1 cup pineapple juice 1 cup orange juice 4 tablespoons lime juice 2 tablespoon canola oil Mix all ingredients in a pot and bring to a boil, then simmer until reduced. Added xanthan gum to the sauce, but can also use flour or corn flour to thicken. Alternative Chicken Method 8 pieces of chicken (thigh + breast) Orange juice Cumin Salt & Pepper Prepare high-sided baking dishes by pouring just enough orange juice in to cover the bottom. Lay the chicken pieces in the baking dishes. Pour orange juice over. Salt, pepper, and sprinkle with a little cumin. Roast in oven. 25 min at 400 F. Spoon orange juice over chicken, and continue cooking at 375 F until cooked. When removed from oven, spoon orange juice over chicken while still hot and let sit for 10 min. Spoon reduced sauce over chicken. Everyone agreed that the flavor was very nice and it is definitely a recipe worth making again. The sauce would be even nicer with shredded chicken or pulled pork. Below is an interesting video as to how marinades work.
