Looking to switch things up for Thanksgiving? This Roasted Turkey with Adobo Sauce brings serious flavour to the table, while delivering all the juiciness you desire. Think smoky, tangy, and slightly spicy—everything you didn’t know your turkey needed.
It’s a wonderful change from your traditional roasted bird, and trust me, once you try it, there’s no going back.
Perfect for impressing friends and family who are ready for something different but still want that cozy holiday vibe. Serve it up with a Mexican Macaroni Salad and Chili Honey Lime Roasted Brussels Sprouts and get ready for some “Wow, what’s in this?” moments.
Ingredients
Turkey
- Whole turkey
Adobo Sauce
- Guajillo peppers
- Black peppercorns
- Cumin seeds
- Dried oregano
- Garlic
- Cinnamon
- Bay leaves
- Yellow onion
- Chipotle peppers
- Paprika
- White vinegar
- Orange juice
- Butter
- Salt
See recipe card for quantites.
Instructions
Prepare the Adobo Sauce
Place the guajillo peppers in a small pot or loaf pan. Pour boiling water over the peppers until just barely covered. Do not overfill, as the water will become part of the sauce. Let the peppers soak for about 20 minutes or until softened.
In a blender, combine the peppercorns, cumin seeds, oregano, garlic, cinnamon, bay leaves and the chopped onion. Blitz to combine.
Next add the chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, paprika, the guajillo peppers with the soaking water, vinegar and orange juice. Blend until smooth. Season with salt to taste.
Strain the sauce through a fine mesh sieve to remove any solids, resulting in a silky-smooth adobo sauce.
Whisk in the melted butter.
Divide into 3 bowls (50% for marinating, 30% for basting, 20% for serving)
Marinate the Turkey
Pat the turkey dry with paper towels. Place the turkey, cavity side up, in a basting bag (or a large deep container that can be covered with foil)
Using a wooden spoon or your fingers, gently loosen the skin from the breast of the turkey (careful not to rip the skin). Using a baster (or spoon), pour some adobo sauce on the breast meat (under the skin) and in the cavity. Then pour the remaining sauce over the entire exterior of the turkey. Seal the bag or cover with foil and let marinate for 12-24 hours (rotating the bag every 6 to 8 hours).
Preheat the Oven
Preheat your oven to 400°F
Roast the Turkey
Remove the turkey from the bag and place on a rack in a roasting pan. Roast for 25 minutes to begin the browning process.
Turn the heat down to 325°F, and lightly cover the bird with foil.
Continue to roast for approximately 13-15 minutes per pound, or until a meat thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh reaches 165°F. During the roasting process, baste the turkey with the reserved adobo sauce every 30-40 minutes to keep it moist and flavourful.
Crisp the Skin
For the last 30-40 minutes of cooking, remove the foil to allow the skin to crisp up and turn golden brown.
Rest and Serve
Once the turkey is cooked, remove it from the oven and let it rest for 20 minutes before carving.
Serve the turkey with a Mexican Macaroni Salad and Chili Honey Lime Roasted Brussels Sprouts any remaining adobo sauce on the side for drizzling. Enjoy!
Watch how this recipe was made here.
Equipment
The turkey was roasted in the Hestan Culinary Provisions Stainless-Steel Nonstick Roaster with Rack. The sauce was mixed in the Stainless-Steel Mixing Bowl, and the butter was melted in the NanoBond Butter Warmer. Oh, and the chilies were hydrated in the OvenBond Loaf Pan.
Turkey was prepared in the Hestan Home Dual Fuel Range. Proud Hestan Culinary and Hestan Ambassador. Opinions in this post are my own.
Leave a Comment
If you get the chance to try this recipe for Roasted Turkey with Adobo Sauce please drop back and leave us a comment and rating here. Each review helps so much! Thank you! Elaine & James
📖 Recipe
Roasted Turkey with Adobo Sauce
Ingredients
Turkey
- 12-14 pound whole turkey fresh or thawed
Adobo Sauce
- 10 guajillo peppers stemmed and seeded
- 1 teaspoon black peppercorns
- ½ teaspoon cumin seeds
- 1 tablespoon dried oregano
- 6 cloves garlic
- ½ stick cinnamon
- 8 bay leaves
- 1 yellow onion chopped into 4 pieces
- 2 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce
- 1 ½ tablespoons paprika
- ½ cup white vinegar
- 3 cups orange juice
- ¾ cup melted butter
- Salt to taste
Instructions
Prepare the Adobo Sauce
- Place the guajillo peppers in a small pot or loaf pan. Pour boiling water over the peppers until just barely covered. Do not overfill, as the water will become part of the sauce. Let the peppers soak for about 20 minutes or until softened.
- In a blender, combine the peppercorns, cumin seeds, oregano, garlic, cinnamon, bay leaves and the chopped onion. Blitz to combine.
- Next add the chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, paprika, the guajillo peppers with the soaking water, vinegar and orange juice. Blend until smooth. Season with salt to taste.
- Strain the sauce through a fine mesh sieve to remove any solids, resulting in a silky-smooth adobo sauce.
- Whisk in the melted butter.
- Divide into 3 bowls (50% for marinating, 30% for basting, 20% for serving)
Marinate the Turkey
- Pat the turkey dry with paper towels. Place the turkey, cavity side up, in a basting bag (or a large deep container that can be covered with foil)
- Using a wooden spoon or your fingers, gently loosen the skin from the breast of the turkey (careful not to rip the skin). Using a baster (or spoon), pour some adobo sauce on the breast meat (under the skin) and in the cavity. Then pour the remaining sauce over the entire exterior of the turkey. Seal the bag or cover with foil and let marinate for 12-24 hours (rotating the bag every 6 to 8 hours).
Preheat the Oven
- Preheat your oven to 400°F
Roast the Turkey
- Remove the turkey from the bag and place on a rack in a roasting pan. Roast for 25 minutes to begin the browning process.
- Turn the heat down to 325°F, and lightly cover the bird with foil.
- Continue to roast for approximately 13-15 minutes per pound, or until a meat thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh reaches 165°F. During the roasting process, baste the turkey with the reserved adobo sauce every 30-40 minutes to keep it moist and flavourful.
Crisp the Skin
- For the last 30-40 minutes of cooking, remove the foil to allow the skin to crisp up and turn golden brown.
Rest and Serve
- Once the turkey is cooked, remove it from the oven and let it rest for 20 minutes before carving.
- Serve the turkey with a Mexican Macaroni Salad and Chili Honey Lime Roasted Brussels Sprouts any remaining adobo sauce on the side for drizzling. Enjoy!
Rate this Recipe
- If you make this, please leave a review letting us know how it was! Each review helps so much! Thank you!
This recipe looks amazing! Saving to use for thanksgiving 🦃
Thank you so much Dina! 😊 It’s a perfect choice for Thanksgiving!
Have a wonderful day!