This is my simple Colombian Style Roasted Chicken Legs. Easy and quick recipe for a weeknight meal.

Asado or roasted, is one of my favorite ways to eat chicken. This is one of those dishes of which you’ll find many variations all over the world. In Colombia, we season the chicken with our traditional seasonings and let it sit in the fridge overnight which makes the meat moist and the skin very flavorful.
Pollo Asado is a Latin style roasted chicken full of flavor. Colombian restaurants cook this style of chicken on horizontal rotisseries that you can see through the windows while walking on the streets. The smell of pollo asado is like heaven to me.

Just writing this post makes me want to rush to the airport, travel to Medellín, and go to a restaurant called Kokoriko to eat a whole pollo asado with corn cakes(arepas) and salted potatoes(papa salada). I hope you enjoy this dish as much as I do.

Ingredients You'll Need
The printable recipe card with exact amounts and cooking directions is below.
Chicken: I like to use chicken legs to make this recipe, but feel free to use your favorite chicken part.
Vinegar: White vinegar helps the chicken to be tender.
Oil: I like to use olive oil, but you can use canola or corn oil if you prefer.
Vegetables: Scallions, onions and garlic to make the marinade.
Spices: Cumin, paprika, thyme, oregano, salt and black pepper.
Herbs: I love using fresh cilantro for this recipe, but you can replace it with parsley if you prefer.
How to Make Colombian Style Roasted Chicken
- In a food processor, place the scallions, garlic, onion, cilantro, thyme, oregano, vinegar, olive oil, cumin, paprika, salt and pepper. Process to a paste.
- Place the chicken in a zip -bag and add the marinade. Move around to cover evenly. Refrigerate the chicken overnight.
- Cover a baking sheet with foil and coat with cooking spray. Position an oven rack in the bottom of the oven and heat the broiler to high.
- Place the chicken legs on the baking sheet. Broil for about 15 minutes and turn the legs one time and cook for about 15 minutes more or until the chicken is cooked and the skin is browned. Let it rest for 5 minutes and transfer to a serving plate.
More Chicken Recipes to Try
Roasted Chicken Breast with Honey and Lime
Roasted Chicken Legs with Lime
Chicken and Rice (Arroz con Pollo)

Colombian-Style Roasted Chicken Legs Recipe
Ingredients
- 12 chicken drumsticks skin on
- Cooking spray To prepared the baking sheet
- 5 scallions chopped
- 3 cloves garlic
- ½ cup chopped white onion
- ½ cup fresh cilantro
- 1 tablespoon thyme
- 1 tablespoon ground cumin
- 1 tablespoon paprika
- 1 tablespoon dried oregano
- 2 tablespoons white vinegar
- Salt and pepper to your taste
- ¼ cup olive oil
Instructions
- In a food processor, place the scallions, garlic, onion, cilantro, thyme, oregano, vinegar, olive oil, cumin, paprika, salt and pepper. Process to a paste.
- Place the chicken in a zip -bag and add the marinade. Move around to cover evenly. Refrigerate the chicken overnight.
- Cover a baking sheet with foil and coat with cooking spray. Position an oven rack in the bottom of the oven and heat the broiler to high.
- Place the chicken legs on the baking sheet. Broil for about 15 minutes and turn the legs one time and cook for about 15 minutes more or until the chicken is cooked and the skin is browned. Let it rest for 5 minutes and transfer to a serving plate.



Teresita
Making this chicken for the second time. It was outstanding!! I am a gringa from Miami and LOVE Colombian food. Delicious!!! Thanks again!!!
Teresa
Just made this chicken after marinating 36 hour. Got rave reviews! I love the Comobian flavor, and this chicken was perfect! Gracias!
Leigh
Hi Erica,
Have you made these on an outdoor grill? If so, how? They look delicious!!
Thanks,
Leigh
Vanessa
I made this today,it's so delicious!! Thank you
Sherri
"Son" instead of "my", sorry!
Sherri
I just put this together to marinade! We met our adopted my from Colombia 6 years ago tomorrow (11/19/07). We're celebrating with yummy Colombian food, that we all miss. I noticed you originally posted it on November 19 :). Can't wait to dig in to this!
viviana
Oh My God I just found you while searching for a recipe for ajiaco, Yes I am from Bogota and I do not know how to make ajiaco but now I will thanks to you. I love kokoriko so I ll be trying this out. Quick question Is paprika spicy at all? I have always thought it was spicy ad my daughter and I can not stand any heat in our food I just can not take it, even pepper can be too spicy for me. Please let me know and btw we have kokorikos in Miami 🙂 🙂 Thanks!!!!
Erica
Paprika is not spicy and lucky you 🙂 I miss Kokoriko!
Diana
I made these on Saturday for my sister's birthday and not only were they easy to prepare and make but they were fantastic. Yes! These do taste like Kokoriko! =) I did make one small change and that was to use onion powder instead of the white onion and the scallions but that's only because I can't stand them. Other than that, I followed the recipe to a T and like I said, they were delicious!
valerie
OMG Kokoriko!!!! I am SO trying this !!!! Thanks!!!