Add Some Mojo to Your Chicken Dinner

A zingy mojo marinade should be in your grilling repertoire—one that does double duty as both a marinade and a vibrant finishing sauce.
Add Some Mojo to Your Chicken Dinner
Mojo is built on a combination of garlic and citrus, creating a bright, punchy sauce and marinade that infuses and flavors grilled meats, seafood, and vegetables. Photo by Lynda Balslev for Tastefood
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A zingy mojo marinade should be in your grilling repertoire—one that does double duty as both a marinade and a vibrant finishing sauce. “Mojo” is the Spanish word for “sauce,” and it traces its roots to the Canary Islands before traveling to Cuba, Puerto Rico, and throughout the Caribbean, where each region developed its own distinctive iteration of the classic condiment.

Mojo is built on a combination of garlic and citrus, creating a bright, punchy sauce and marinade that infuses and flavors grilled meats, seafood, and vegetables. This version comes together with a quick blitz in a blender or food processor. Simply reserve a portion of the sauce for serving, then use the rest to marinate the chicken, allowing the flavors to soak in before the legs hit the grill.

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Lynda Balslev
Lynda Balslev
Author
Lynda Balslev is a cookbook author, food and travel writer, and recipe developer based in the San Francisco Bay Area, where she lives with her Danish husband, two children, a cat, and a dog. Balslev studied cooking at Le Cordon Bleu Ecole de Cuisine in Paris and worked as a personal chef, culinary instructor, and food writer in Switzerland and Denmark. Copyright 2026 Lynda Balslev. Distributed by Andrews McMeel Syndication.