Jonathan Zaragoza is a Chicago-based chef who got his start in professional kitchens working at the Michelin-starred Sepia and Sixteen, before becoming the chef of Masa Azul at 22. Jonathan’s path has taken him throughout Mexico, deep into its rich culinary heritage, to bring its traditions with him to London, Dubai, Paris, and the U.S.

Jonathan Zaragoza

Every cuisine has a bunch of different ways to cook pollo al carbon, which essentially translates to “charcoal chicken.”This recipe leans toward the pollo al carbon commonly served on the roadside in Sinaloa, Mexico. We spatchcock the chicken to promote even cooking and easy handling on the grill, then marinate it in a paste made from guajillo chiles, aromatics, spices, and citrus and pineapple juices. Cooking the bird on the cool side of a <a href="https://www.chefsteps.com/activities/two-zone-grilling-guide">two-zone grill setup</a> gives us precise control over the cook and gently tightens the skin. Transferring the chicken over to the hot side of the grill right at the end adds some beautiful char and crisps the skin nicely.Carve it up and set the platter down in the middle of a spread of <a href="https://www.chefsteps.com/activities/how-to-shape-your-homemade-masa-tortillas">warm tortillas</a>, rice and beans, <a href="https://www.chefsteps.com/gallery?generator=chefsteps&published_status=published&difficulty=any&sort=relevance&search_all=salsa&premium=everything">salsa</a> and hot sauce, and some chargrilled knob onions, and it’s a meal fit for a celebration. It’s the simplest of pleasures—a whole chicken, expertly grilled—but with all the flavor dials turned up for a bird with the juiciest meat and the most delicious skin.

Pollo al Carbon