Pollo al Horno
(Easy Oven-Baked Chicken with Sherry)
Pollo al Horno (oven-baked roast chicken) is one of those classic recipes that’s always a pleasure to enjoy. It’s comfort at its best and is one of those recipes that never disappoints! The recipe itself is delightfully simple and requires very little attention, and the result is a full-flavored, rich roasted chicken made in under an hour.
Our Pollo al Horno recipe is made in one pot and is ideal for feeding the masses, or lovingly made as an easy supper for 2 with plenty of leftovers. Served piping hot straight from the oven with some fresh greens or potatoes as a side, this oven-baked chicken recipe is one of our all-time favorites!
Serving:
4 servings
Ready in:
Under 1 Hour
Skill level:
Easy
Serve with:
Your fav side
Ingredients you’ll need
- 600-800g (1.3 – 1.8 lb) of chicken thigh or drumsticks (bone-in)
- 1 onion, sliced fine
- 1 head of garlic (around 12-15 cloves)
- ¼ cup (60ml) sweet Spanish Sherry (Pedro Ximénez)
- 2 tablespoons of Extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons of butter
- 2 sprigs of fresh rosemary
- 1 tablespoon of Dried Oregano
- 1 teaspoon of La Dalia Spanish Sweet smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon of Spanish La Vera smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon of ground cumin
- ½ teaspoon of coarse sea salt
- Cracked black pepper (to taste)
Equipment needed
- 1 large baking pan (10×14 inches/25x35cm) with sides at least 2-inches (5cm) deep
- Oven
- Basting brush
Watch step-by-step recipe video
If you’re looking for this recipe’s video and many other great recipe ideas, why not check out our Spanish Radish YouTube Channel? We’ve got everything from quick and easy tapas recipes, delicious main meals, and incredible Spanish dessert options too.
What is Pollo al Horno?
Pollo al Horno translates from Spanish to English as ‘baked chicken’, although there is far more to any Pollo al Horno recipe. Using either a whole chicken or chicken pieces, the chicken is marinated in a flurry of spices and usually accompanied by some garlic, or occasionally some onion.
This hearty and warming dish is all cooked in one pot, typically an earthenware dish or similar in Spain. It all comes together in well under an hour, allowing for plenty of time to prepare your choice of favorite sides. The result is a full-flavored baked chicken that’s cooked to perfection every time with minimal fuss.
How to make Pollo al Horno (2 Easy Steps!)
Step 1 – Season Chicken
- Preheat oven to 350°F/180°C
- Start by adding the chicken pieces to a large pan or baking tray with deep sides along with the garlic, onion, herbs and spices (except the fresh rosemary sprigs).
- Melt the butter and add that to the pan with the olive oil and sherry. Mix well.
- Season with freshly cracked black pepper and some sprigs of fresh rosemary.
Step 2 – Bake Chicken
- Add chicken to the oven and bake for 45 minutes.
- Every 10-15 minutes, baste your chicken to keep your chicken moist and let it absorb all the juices.
- (Optional) For the last 10 minutes, turn up the heat slightly if you want crispier skin.
- Remove from the oven and allow to stand for 5 minutes before serving.
What’s the difference between Pollo Asado and Pollo al Horno?
Pollo Asado is a Latin American chicken recipe where the chicken is roasted or barbequed. Pollo Asado is typically seasoned with spices (cumin, paprika, oregano, rosemary) and citrus fruit, usually lemon or lime. One distinctive spice also used is achiote powder, which gives the chicken flesh a reddish hue.
On the Spanish mainland, Pollo al Horno is a popular traditional oven-baked chicken recipe that varies in ingredients and flavoring from one household to the next. Perhaps the most celebrated recipes come from the southern city of Cádiz, where roast chicken recipes are handed down from one family member to the next.
Another recipe that immediately comes to mind with the mention of roast chicken is that from Penelope Casas in her acclaimed cookbook “1000 Spanish Recipes”.
Our roast chicken recipe draws on Penelope’s now-famous Pollo al Horno recipe and adds a few special touches to enhance the flavor even more.
Oven-Baked Chicken with Sherry
Sherry and chicken work incredibly well together. The alcohol dissolves during the cooking process and the sweetened flavors cook through and soften the meat, allowing subtle flavors to layer.
If you add onion and garlic (we recommend it), the sherry also works wonders and will caramelize the onion and garlic.
Best chicken pieces to use
We use chicken thighs and legs with the bone in (dark meat) as this holds the best flavor. Of course, you can opt for chicken breasts with the skin removed for a healthier option, just be sure to adjust the cooking time accordingly.
(Note: boneless breast meat will take less time to cook)
If you’re using a whole chicken, we suggest making chicken stuffing and adjusting the cooking time accordingly. See the note below on cooking times. If you love chicken thigh recipes, try this lemon and herb chicken thigh recipe, baked Mediterranean chicken thighs. or this roast chicken thighs with red wine and herbs recipe.
Roast Chicken cooking times
- Cook whole chicken and chicken pieces in a preheated oven at 350°F/180°C.
- Whole chickens should be cooked for 20 minutes per pound (450 grams) + 15 minutes on top.
Cooking tips and Seasoning
Use plenty of seasoning, and we really mean plenty! We use a combination of fresh herbs and spices including;
- Sweet paprika
- Smoked paprika
- Oregano
- Romemary
- Onion powder
- Fresh garlic
- Salt and cracked black pepper
We also use plenty of extra virgin olive oil and around 60ml of sweet Spanish sherry. The liquid will simmer down on the bottom of the pan, so be sure to baste your chicken often (every 10-15 minutes).
If you use skin-on chicken pieces, you won’t need to cover the chicken with foil for this recipe. If using only chicken breasts, cover for the first half of the cooking time.
Ingredient substitutions
- This recipe works great with turkey come Thanksgiving or Christmas. Simply adjust cooking times to suit. Turkey cooking times at 350°F/180°C are around 13 minutes per pound (450g) for an unstuffed turkey.
- We always throw in some finely sliced white onion and at least a head of garlic, although these can be subbed for leek, radish, or any other root veg.
- Spices can easily be substituted to taste. When we don’t have fresh herbs available, dried herbs also work fine.
- Sherry can also be omitted. To sweeten instead, use 1 tablespoon of honey, or around 60ml (¼ cup) of juice from a can of peaches.
Nutrition facts
| Serving size: 150g | |
| Servings: 4 | |
| Amount per serving | |
| Calories | 424 |
| % Daily Value* | |
| Total Fat 25.2g | 32% |
| Saturated Fat 8g | 40% |
| Cholesterol 149mg | 50% |
| Sodium 414mg | 18% |
| Total Carbohydrate 6.3g | 2% |
| Dietary Fiber 1.7g | 6% |
| Total Sugars 1.3g | |
| Protein 39.5g | |
| Vitamin D 4mcg | 20% |
| Calcium 65mg | 5% |
| Iron 3mg | 18% |
| Potassium 451mg | 10% |
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Pollo al Horno (Easy Oven-Baked Chicken with Sherry)
Equipment
- 1 large baking pan (10x14 inches/25x35cm) with sides at least 2-inches (5cm) deep
- Oven
- Basting brush
Ingredients
- 600-800 g 1.3 - 1.8 lb of chicken thigh or drums sticks (bone-in)
- 1 onion sliced fine
- 1 head of garlic around 12-15 cloves
- ¼ cup 60ml sweet Spanish Sherry (Pedro Ximénez)
- 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons of butter
- 2 sprigs of fresh rosemary
- 1 tablespoon of oregano dried
- 1 teaspoon of sweet paprika
- 1 teaspoon of smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon of ground cumin
- ½ teaspoon of coarse sea salt
- Cracked black pepper to taste
Instructions
Step 1 - Season Chicken
- Preheat oven to 350°F/180°C
- Start by adding the chicken pieces to a large pan or baking tray with deep sides along with the garlic, onion, herbs and spices (except the fresh rosemary sprigs).600-800 g 1.3 - 1.8 lb of chicken thigh or drums sticks (bone-in), 1 onion, 1 head of garlic, 1 tablespoon of oregano, 1 teaspoon of sweet paprika, 1 teaspoon of smoked paprika, 1 teaspoon of ground cumin, ½ teaspoon of coarse sea salt
- Melt the butter and add that to the pan with the olive oil and sherry. Mix well.¼ cup 60ml sweet Spanish Sherry (Pedro Ximénez), 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil, 2 tablespoons of butter
- Season with freshly cracked black pepper and some sprigs of fresh rosemary.2 sprigs of fresh rosemary, Cracked black pepper
Step 2 - Bake chicken
- Add chicken to the oven and bake for 45 minutes.
- Every 10-15 minutes, baste your chicken to keep your chicken moist and let it absorb all the juices. (Optional) For the last 10 minutes, turn up the heat slightly if you want crispier skin.
- Remove from the oven and allow to stand for 5 minutes before serving.
Video
Cooking Tips and FAQs
How long does Pollo al Horno take to make?
- Prep time: 10 minutes
- Cook time: 45-50 minutes
- Total time: 1 hour
How long does it take to cook chicken in the oven?
Allow 20 minutes per pound (450 grams), plus 15 minutes on top, at 350°F/180°C.
Can I use a whole chicken instead of chicken pieces?
No problem, just adjust the cooking time to suit. If you’re cooking a stuffed chicken, check the weight before stuffing to gauge the best cooking time.
Is Pollo al Horno spicy?
No, this recipe is not spicy. There will be plenty of flavors from the spices (paprika, cumin) but no heat comes from the spice.
Can I use Turkey instead of chicken?
Absolutely! This is a great Thanksgiving or Christmas recipe. Just adjust the cooking time to suit the weight of the Turkey. Turkey cooks at 13-15 minutes per pound (450g).