Achiote Chicken

If you've never cooked with achiote paste, you're in for a treat! This roasted achiote chicken is juicy, tender, citrusy and packed with rich Mexican flavours from a homemade achiote paste. You can easily purchase them online, but it is so much better when made at home, as you can use fresher ingredients and control everything that goes into it.
Achiote paste is a popular seasoning widely used in Mexican, Central American, and Caribbean cuisines. It’s made with annatto seeds, garlic, oregano, spices, optional chillies, and citrus juice. Known for their distinctive red colour, earthy, zesty flavour, they are excellent as a marinade for meat. Store the prepared paste in the fridge for up to 2 weeks or freeze for up to 3 months.

Achiote Paste	Chicken
30 g Annatto seeds ©angiesrecipes 1 tsp Cumin seeds 2 tsp Coriander seeds 3-4 Cloves 5 Allspice berries 1½ tsp Black peppercorns 2 tsp Dried oregano 5 Garlic cloves, peeled 1 Habanero chilli, optional 1 tsp Sea salt Juice of 1 orange Juice of 2 limes	1.5-1.8 kg Bone in skin on chicken legs, patted dry 500 g Green beans, trimmed 80 g Butter (or Chicken schmaltz), melted 1-2 Limes, sliced Fresh cilantro

For the achiote paste, add the annatto seeds, cumin, coriander, cloves, all-spice berries, and peppercorns to a large skillet and cook over low to medium heat for a few minutes until aromatic, stirring frequently. Transfer the spices to a spice grinder and grind them until they become powder. Transfer to a food processor and add the garlic, chilli if using, sea salt, juices and process until you have a thick paste. You can make this achiote paste up to 1-2 weeks ahead.
Rub the chicken legs evenly and thoroughly with the prepared achiote paste. Allow the chicken to marinate for at least a couple of hours or up to overnight in the fridge.
Preheat the oven to 220C/430F. Toss the green beans with half of melted butter or chicken schmaltz and season well. Spread the green beans in a large baking dish and top with chicken legs. Spoon the remaining butter or chicken schmaltz over the chicken. Roast for 40-50 minutes until deep golden and cooked through. Serve with slices of lime and fresh coriander.