Cuban Air Fryer Mojo Chicken Recipe - Quick & Easy

Q: What Kind of Chicken Is Best For Mojo?

As the name suggests, I recommend using chicken thighs. Chicken thighs are my favourite cut of chicken because they are incredibly juicy and absorb marinade better, so I strongly suggest you go with chicken thighs. Additionally, since this recipe will provide instructions for cooking the chicken thighs, cook times will differ if you’re using chicken breast. Additionally, I will be using boneless, skinless chicken thighs. If you have bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs, then those would be even better! Bone-in chicken thighs will retain more moisture and flavour while cooking. Furthermore, the bone will protect against the chicken drying out. However, keep in mind that it will take longer for a bone-in chicken to cook. Be sure to check with a meat thermometer that the chicken is fully cooked, and that the internal temperature of the thickest part is 165 F.

This post may contain affiliate links. Read our disclosure policy

Watch the recipe

This Air Fryer Mojo Chicken will definitely take you on your next culinary adventure! This Cuban chicken thigh recipe in the air fryer combines vibrant flavors and simplicity, making it an excellent choice for busy weeks or special occasions. Perfectly marinated chicken thighs come together in an air fryer, ensuring a juicy texture and packed with refreshing flavors. With a blend of fresh herbs, citrus juices, and spices, you’ll have dinner on the table in no time!

Trying out this mojo chicken recipe was my first venture into Cuban cooking, and if Cuba is also a destination unseen for you, then I encourage you to make this recipe as part of your Live to Cook one-month challenge! Get started for free today by signing up to my email newsletter, plus all of my latest recipes will be delivered straight to your email inbox.

Man holding white plate of Cuban mojo chicken with black beans, rice, and lime wedges in kitchen.

Don’t forget to watch the video to follow along with all the steps on how to make this juicy and flavorful chicken thigh recipe! It would mean a lot to me if you could please subscribe to my YouTube channel, and be sure to hit the bell button to be notified when all my latest video recipes go live! Let’s get air frying!

Plated Cuban mojo chicken with rice, black beans, onions, cilantro, and lime wedge on white plate.

Why You’ll Love This Air Fryer Mojo Chicken Recipe!

Easy to make: This recipe is excellent for cooks of all levels, especially for beginners! All we need to do is marinate the chicken and then air fry, so you can prepare this delicious Cuban chicken for a weeknight dinner. Furthermore, the marinade is so fast to make since we’re just going to blending everything together and then pouring over the chicken. No excuses not to eat healthy when you’re short on time!
Ultra juicy chicken: I love chicken thighs because they are always so juicy, and this marinade will really make your chicken incredibly juicy, making it perfect to pair with some rice.
Fresh and flavorful:The mojo marinade is seriously packed with tremendous Caribbean flavours! You’ll love all the citrus goodness from the orange juice and the lime juice along with the freshness of cilantro. The aroma of this marinade is just out of this world!
Make-ahead friendly: This mojo chicken is excellent for meal prep! When recording this recipe, I had plenty leftover, and it was super convenient to store in the fridge and reheat later. Read on later in this post how to meal prep this incredible and easy Cuban chicken recipe in the air fryer!

Questions You May Have About This Mojo Chicken Recipe!

What is Mojo Marinade Made Of?▼

Mojo chicken is Cuban-style that is prepared with the Mojo marinade. Mojo marinade is made up of a blend of citrus juice, garlic cloves, oregano and olive oil. Mojo marinade is not only excellent for chicken, but can also be used with pork or shrimp.

What Kind of Chicken Is Best For Mojo?▼

As the name suggests, I recommend using chicken thighs. Chicken thighs are my favourite cut of chicken because they are incredibly juicy and absorb marinade better, so I strongly suggest you go with chicken thighs. Additionally, since this recipe will provide instructions for cooking the chicken thighs, cook times will differ if you’re using chicken breast.

Additionally, I will be using boneless, skinless chicken thighs. If you have bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs, then those would be even better! Bone-in chicken thighs will retain more moisture and flavour while cooking. Furthermore, the bone will protect against the chicken drying out. However, keep in mind that it will take longer for a bone-in chicken to cook. Be sure to check with a meat thermometer that the chicken is fully cooked, and that the internal temperature of the thickest part is 165 F.

Cuban mojo chicken with caramelized onions, cilantro rice, and lime wedge on white plate.

What Air Fryer Are You Using to Make this Mojo Chicken Recipe?▼

I’m using the Cosori 6 QT TurboBlaze 9-in1 air fryer. I previously had the Ninja Dual Basket 6-in-1 air fryer, but unfortunately one of the baskets stopped working soon after I purchased the air fryer, but after my warranty expired, which rendered the air fryer useless. If you would like more information on what happened to that air fryer, then check out this video. Earlier this year, I wanted to give air fryers another chance, so I went with the Cosori one I currently have as it had great reviews on Amazon. So far, so good! I use it for a variety of dishes, and I use it multiple times a day! For a full review of this air fryer’s settings and my thoughts after using it for one month, check out this video.

What If I Don’t Have an Air Fryer?▼

That’s no problem at all! You can definitely make this Mojo chicken in a traditional oven, or even better, on the grill!

To Cook in the Oven

Preheat to 400°F (200°C). Place the chicken, marinade and onions in a baking dish. Roast for about 35–40 minutes, flipping the chicken halfway through the cooking time.

For the Grill

Heat your grill on medium-high heat. Once hot, grill the chicken with the marinade and onions for 6–8 minutes per side until cooked through.

Plated Cuban mojo chicken with rice, black beans, grilled onions, cilantro, and lime wedge garnish.

Tools Needed To Make This Mojo Chicken Recipe

Ingredients for Cuban Mojo Chicken

To save the recipe for later and to see all mojo chicken marinade ingredients and their quantities, scroll to the bottom of this post for the FULL PRINTABLE RECIPE CARD, or press the “Jump to Recipe” button. By default, the quantities listed here are for 8 medium-sized chicken thighs.

Chicken: I’m using boneless, skinless chicken thighs.
Herbs and spices: Fresh cilantro leaves, ground cumin, dried oregano, salt and black pepper.
Onion: You can use any type of onion you want. I’m using a white onion, and it’ll be roughly chopped into chunks.
Olive oil: We’ll need some for the marinade and to spray onto the chicken while the thighs are air frying.
Citrus: As per the traditional mojo mixture, I’m using a combination of lime juice and orange juice. You can use both packaged, but it will really make a difference if you can freshly squeeze the juices from a whole lime and a whole orange! As I mention in my free motivational guide to explore your potential in the kitchen, Make Cooking Fun!!, if you have a suitable substitute on hand already, then go ahead and use it! This mojo chicken recipe is a fantastic opportunity for you to use that carton of orange juice that’s already open in your fridge! Of course if you want to go ahead and juice your own, then I encourage it, but I wouldn’t want your carton of juice to spoil, either!
Garlic: Freshly minced garlic cloves.
Thai green chili: This is absolutely not authentic at all, but I wanted to add some heat to my Mojo chicken, and Thai green chilies are my favourite hot pepper. With that being said, this is completely optional, but if you do want to use them, then go ahead!

How to Make Air Fried Mojo Chicken

For the Marinade

Slice the chicken thighs in half. In a large bowl, rub them with salt, oregano, cumin and black pepper.

Raw chicken thighs seasoned with salt, oregano, cumin and black pepper in a glass bowl.

Spoon holding a mixture of dried oregano and cumin over a wooden plate with ground spices for Cuban mojo chicken marinade.

Cumin and other dry spices being sprinkled into a glass bowl with raw chicken pieces for marinade preparation.

Hand holding glass bowl with chicken thigh coated in dry spice rub of oregano, cumin, and black pepper.

Whisk the minced garlic, orange juice, lime juice, olive oil and chopped cilantro in a separate bowl.

Olive oil-based mojo marinade being poured into a glass bowl with garlic and citrus marinade ingredients.

Pouring mojo marinade of garlic, citrus juice, and olive oil over chicken thighs in a glass bowl.

Mojo marinade with garlic, citrus, olive oil, and cilantro whisked together in a glass bowl

Cilantro and garlic mojo marinade being whisked together in a glass bowl with citrus juice and olive oil.

Pour the marinade over the chicken thighs and mix well. Marinate at least 2 hours (overnight is best).

Chicken thighs marinating in mojo sauce with garlic, citrus, cilantro, and olive oil in a glass bowl.

To Air Fry And Serve

Preheat the air fryer to 385 F.

Drain the excess marinade before cooking so the chicken thighs get perfectly crisp. Arrange the chicken thighs in a single layer. If making a large portion of mojo chicken, ensure to work in batches.

Cuban mojo chicken thighs arranged in air fryer basket, topped with green onions and garlic, ready to cook.

Select the "Air Fry" setting at 385 F, and cook the chicken for 18–22 minutes, flipping halfway. Then, add your onion chunks, and continue cooking.

Cooked mojo chicken thighs with caramelized onions in an air fryer basket, being spooned with pan juices.

Cooked mojo chicken thighs with sliced onions in an air fryer basket, garnished with fresh cilantro.

Once finished cooking, spoon the pan juices over the chicken. Pair with rice and black beans and enjoy!

Plated Cuban mojo chicken with charred exterior served alongside white rice with herbs, tongs lifting a piece of chicken.

Plated Cuban mojo chicken with black beans, yellow rice, and sliced onions, fork cutting into the meat.

Tips for Super Juicy Mojo Chicken

Marinate the chicken for at least 4 hours if you have the time to do so. For the best flavour possible, marinate overnight for 8 to 12 hours if you can plan this meal well enough in advance!
Let the excess marinade drip before you start cooking to help the chicken get some char in the air fryer. Too much moisture will prevent the caramelizing from happening, and will cause the chicken to steam instead.
Simmer any leftover marinade for about a minute or two to kill any bacteria, and serve over the cooked chicken.

What to Serve with Mojo Chicken

As shown in the photos, I’ll be serving my Mojo Chicken with my Chipotle Cilantro-Lime Rice and some black beans. Since this was a last-minute decision, I did admittedly get some canned black beans, but if you do have the time to cook dried black beans, then check out how to make dried beans in the Instant Pot with my guide here. My black bean salsa would also be fantastic to serve with this Mojo Chicken! Additionally, you could also go with some simple steamed white rice if you would like.

I would also recommend you serve your chicken thighs with some fresh lime wedges and orange slices for extra freshness!

Storing And Reheating Instructions

How to Store Mojo Chicken▼

Simply store the prepared mojo chicken in an airtight container in the fridge. You can keep cooked chicken in the fridge for about 3 to 4 days.

If you would like to leave the raw chicken in the marinade and save it for when you’re ready to cook, then this can also be done! Be sure to leave the raw chicken in the fridge for no longer than 2 days.

On the other hand, if you would like to make prep easier, then you can certainly freeze the marinated chicken. This can freeze well because garlic, the lime and orange juices, and spices preserve well in the freezer. Make sure to add the meat in the marinade in a freezer-safe plastic bag, and squeeze out excess air. I would keep this in the freezer for no longer than 3 months to prevent freezer burn. Ensure to allow the chicken to thaw overnight in the fridge before cooking.

Reheating Mojo Chicken

The air fryer can easily help you reheat your Mojo Chicken. Place the chicken in the basket of your air fryer and select the “Reheat” for about 5 minutes, or until entirely warmed through.

Fork lifting a piece of moist, browned mojo chicken above a white plate with sides

Crispy air fryer jerk chicken wings cooling on a wire rack, golden-brown with caramelized seasoning.

Caribbean

Air Fryer Jerk Chicken Wings: Taste the Caribbean Heat!

Crispy Air Fryer Jerk Chicken Wings packed with bold Caribbean heat and smoky flavor. A quick, easy Jamaican classic that delivers restaurant-quality results right from your kitchen.

2 hr 50 minHard12 servings

Cuban Air Fryer Mojo Chicken Recipe - Quick & Easy

Why You’ll Love This Air Fryer Mojo Chicken Recipe!