Pollo a la Brasa (Peruvian Chicken)
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The famous and incredibly finger-licking delicious Peruvian chicken known as Pollo a la Brasa! A variety of spices and ingredients come together to create a mouthwatering flavor combination. The skin is perfectly crispy and the chicken is served with an amazing homemade aji verde sauce. This Peruvian chicken recipe is a guaranteed winner!
Did you know that Peruvian cuisine was listed among the top 3 of the nation’s hottest foods this year? And did you know that Pollo a la Brasa was ranked #1 as the most popular dish in Peru? There is even a designated national day for it in July! Yes, Peruvians love their famous roast chicken, and so do we!!
What is Pollo a la Brasa?
Pollo a la brasa, or Peruvian chicken, is a dish of roast chicken commonly served with aji verde sauce. It was created back in the 1940’s when a Swiss immigrant to Peru named Roger Schuler started breeding chickens and in an effort to make extra money decided to start roasting some of them and selling them to the public at a low cost and on an all-you-can eat basis. Delicious food + low cost + all you can eat….it was bound to make him wildly popular! He eventually opened a restaurant at his farm and as far as I am aware it is still in operation today, either by his descendants or others.
My Peruvian chicken recipe came by way of special request years ago from one of my readers, Lajoiedu, who wanted a recipe that imitated the Pollo a la Brasa she and her husband enjoy at a local restaurant. Her description of this dish is beautiful:
“It is the most delicious chicken I have ever eaten…The marinade is full of spices and herbs. I can tell it’s been brined/marinated. The coating/marinade also seems to stick to the skin even through the roasting process. It is fragrant, too. I would loosely describe this as herbaceous, savory, well spiced (without being overly spicy from capsicum), somewhat salty, and just as juicy as one can imagine. The skin is beautifully crisp, too.”
Who wouldn’t want to eat that? With such detailed specifications – everything from flavor to texture to fragrance to appearance – I’ll admit I kind of gulped for a second at the thought of such an undertaking. But you know how I love challenges and this one left me feeling inspired! So with my two little ones running around me, finger-painting the kitchen window, squashing Play-Doh on the floor, and banging pots and pans, I got to work. I did a lot of research, consulted with two Peruvian friends, and experimented to ensure I got the most authentic flavor possible. The end result? It’s phenomenal! This Peruvian chicken recipe has become a favorite in our home and you’ve tasted it I’m confident you’ll feel the same.
Tips for Making Peruvian Chicken
Besides a great marinade, the key to great Pollo a la Brasa is the actual cooking method which involves a rotisserie over wood coals to give it that sublime smoky flavor. Most of us don’t have the equipment necessary for that, so this recipe uses a regular oven to achieve that perfectly crispy skin while leaving the meat delicately tender and juicy.
- Use the convection setting on your oven if you have one. It really made the skin crispy while leaving the meat tender and moist. Just be sure to keep an eye on the chicken because it cooks much faster using convection than the conventional setting.
- Use a roasting rack. That is an absolute must. That allows the air and heat to circulate under and around the chicken to prevent the chicken getting from soggy sitting in its juices and to produce that crispy skin and even cooking.
- Make the homemade Aji Verde Sauce, aka “Peruvian Green Sauce”, the traditional accompaniment.
Pollo a la Brasa Recipe
Let’s get started!
You’re going to need 3 key Peruvian ingredients (2 chili pastes and a black mint paste from an herb indigenous to Peru). I picked these up at a local Mexican grocery store. If you don’t have one, you can purchase them online here: Aji Panca Paste, Aji Amarillo Paste, Huacatay Paste. (You’ll need the aji amarillo paste to make the aji verde sauce for serving with the Peruvian chicken.)
Combine all of the marinade ingredients.
In a food processor, blend it to a smooth puree. Yes, this is the magical concoction here.
The marinade is enough for one whole chicken (you can either roast it whole or cut it in pieces). But you can use whatever bone-in/skin-on chicken pieces you want. This time I just used two leg quarters and a breast.
Loosen the skin and rub some of the marinade under the skin. Then put the chicken pieces in a large ziplock bag (or you may need to divide it in two bags) and pour the rest of the marinade over them. Swish around to coat. Marinate the chicken for at least 6 hours or overnight, turning it every now and then evenly marinate the chicken.
Place some foil under the rack of a roasting pan (this will make cleanup much easier!).
Lay the chicken pieces on it. Spoon some extra marinade over each piece.
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F (if using a convection oven, adjust the temperature and cooking time accordingly) and roast the chicken on the middle rack of the oven until the internal temperature of the chicken reads 165 degrees F on a meat thermometer, about an hour. If the skin begins to brown too much too fast, move the roasting pan to the bottom rack. You can also reduce the oven temperature.
Note: I used the convection setting on my oven. If you have one, use it. Preheat the oven to 475 degrees F and roast the chicken for 10 minutes. Reduce the heat to 325 degrees F and roast the chicken for another 15-20 minutes or until the internal temp reads 165 degrees F. I couldn’t believe how much faster the chicken cooked using the convection setting. And the results were fantastic.
It is recommended that you tent the chicken with foil for 10-15 minutes before serving. It’s not necessary but it’s often recommended.
Serve with our homemade Peruvian Aji Verde Sauce.
Traditional side dishes include a leafy green salad and thickly cut French fries.
Enjoy!
For more delicious chicken dishes from around the world be sure to try our:
- Chicken Paprikash
- Chicken Piccata
- Doro Wat
- Jerk Chicken
- Chicken Marsala
- Mongolian Chicken
Chicken Stroganoff - Tandoori Chicken
- Thai Peanut Chicken
- Chicken Teriyaki
- Chicken Machboos
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Pollo a la Brasa (Peruvian Chicken)
Ingredients
- 1 whole broiler/fryer chicken , 2-3 pounds, or bone-in/skin-on chicken pieces of your choice
- For the marinade:
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce or tamari (GF: use tamari)
- Juice of 2 limes
- 5 cloves garlic
- 1 teaspoon fresh ginger , minced
- 1/4 cup dark beer
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
- 1 tablespoons huacatay paste
- 1 tablespoon aji panca paste
- 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 3/4 teaspoon ground annatto , for the red color
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon dried rosemary
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper , more or less according to heat preference
- Aji Verde Sauce , for serving
Instructions
- Combine all the marinade ingredients in a food processor and blend until smooth.
- Loosen the skin on the chicken and rub some marinade under the skin. Place the chicken or chicken pieces in a large ziplock bag and pour the marinade over. Swish around to even coat the pieces. Marinate for at least 6 hours or overnight.
- If using a convection oven (that's what I use for crispier skin): Preheat the oven to 475 degrees F and roast the chicken for 10 minutes. Reduce the heat to 325 degrees F and roast the chicken for another 15-20 minutes or until the internal temp reads 165 degrees F.If using a conventional oven: Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F and roast the chicken pieces on the middle rack of the oven until the internal temperature of the chicken reads 160 degrees F, about an 45 minutes. If the skin begins to brown too much, move the roasting pan to the bottom rack. You can also reduce the oven temperature.Remove the chicken from the oven. It is recommended that you tent the chicken with foil for 10-15 minutes before serving. If using a whole chicken, cut the chicken into serving pieces.
- Serve the chicken with our homemade Aji Verde Sauce. Traditional sides include thickly cut French fries and a leafy green salad.
Notes
* The oven-roasting instructions are for chicken pieces. If using a whole chicken, increase cooking time until internal temperature of chicken reaches 160 degrees F.
Nutrition
Originally published on The Daring Gourmet September 26, 2013
Hi, I’m Kimberly Killebrew and welcome to Daring Gourmet where you'll find delicious originals, revitalized classics, and simply downright good eats from around the world! Originally from Germany, later raised in England, world-traveled, and now living in the U.S., from my globally-influenced kitchen I invite you to tour the world through your taste buds!
I have eaten a lot of different Peruvian roasted
chicken a la brasa. This recipe is Grrrrrrrrrreat.
I would recommend one minor addition that I
developed via roasting turkeys. Normally, the
wings of the chicken become almost BURNT
and exceptionally DRY because the wing volume
is so small for the amount of given heat. So, I
cover the “wings” only with aluminum foil for about
the first 2/3 ‘s of the cooking time and then take the
foil off. Wings, then, are not as BURNT and DRY.
Jun 22, 2018.
I’m so glad you enjoyed this, Roger, thank you and thanks also for the tip!
This was incredible chicken! I followed your recipe, used organic thighs & marinated them about 5 hrs. Also made the aji dip…awesome! Thank you for a wonderful experience into Peruvian cooking.
I’m so happy to hear that, Nanette, thank you!
One of my favorite food carts in Portland, OR is called chicken and guns, they serve chicken roasted over an open fire along with crusty lemon potatoes. Since the first time I’ve been obsessed with finding a recipe for Ahi Verde sauce, and this is the best I’ve tried. I’m making it again tonight!
Fantastic, Vaughn, I’m so happy to hear it, thank you!
Thank you for your response. What type and brand is to be used?
Hi Tina, no not really. I don’t drink beer, I just use it in cooking so I’m not terribly familiar with a lot of the brands. My only recommendation though is to use one that has a good flavor and that just comes down to personal preference.
Hello,
I just came across your recipe after having some of this chicken at a church gathering. I was wondering if you have to use the alcohol that is mentioned. Is it necessary to use? Also, would it be possible for it to be left out and still have a great taste and or substitute it with something else of the non alcohol beverage arena. If so, I would greatly appreciate the name of what to use.
Hi Tina, the beer is an integral ingredient in Pollo a la Brasa and contributes a distinctive flavor for which there really is no comparable substitute (incidentally, the alcohol does largely burn off in the cooking process). While the chicken will still taste good without it, it obviously won’t taste quite the same and for anyone familiar with this dish there will be something “missing.”
Tina, if you can’t cook with alcohol (I can’t either), see if you can find a Russian store and use wheat Kvass instead. It’s like wheat soda, ever so slightly sweet, but very grainy like the flavor you’d get from beer. I use it in place of beer for batters all the time. My Peruvian son-in-law is allergic to alcohol, and he said the kvass worked well.
I leave out the huacatay as I’ve had sone weird allergies to mint. Son-in-law said he’s not used to having it in there anyway. As has been said, there are regional variations.
Emilia, huacatay is actually a type of marigold, not a mint. So, you might try it. If you have a green thumb, I suggest you get some seeds and grow. You will only actually need 1 plant as it gets pretty big (up to 6 feet!). Not sure where you live, but they LOVE the heat, too. I cannot tell you how much BETTER fresh tastes when you make the sauce! The jarred stuff just does NOT compare to the fresh stuff. And, you only need a few leaves to make the sauce. You can find seeds on Etsy – Tagetes minuta/huacatay. They weren’t hard to start in small pots and they took off when I planted them outside.
Hello dear. Thank you for this recipe, I’m going to try, but as I’m living in Egypt, I can’t get black beer. How I can to replace it? Thanks a lot in advance.
Hi Mikaela, I would just use whatever the darkest beer is you can find. If that happens to be a light beer, so be it. It will still taste delicious!
Well it came out delicious I had everything but the huacatay never really liked it but my kids and husband loved it definitely something I will cook often thank u
Fantastic, I’m so thrilled to hear that, Ada – thank you!
I’m Peruvian and I know since I was little I always eat pollo a la brasa now I got kids of my own over her in the USA chicken don’t taste the same so I got all my ingredient and I’m gonna cook this tonight lets see how good it comes out ill let u know
Wonderful, Ada, I’m looking forward to your feedback once you’ve tried it! Yes, I experienced the same decline in the flavor of chickens when I moved to the U.S. from Europe – they just don’t taste the same :(
We love roast chicken too! We actually had roast chicken for dinner last night but mine didn’t look this good! yum!
The flavor profile on this chicken sounds out of this world amazing!
This is absolutely gorgeous. I love roasted chicken, and this is stellar. I want to reach right into my screen and grab some.
Yes, Peruvian food is one of the best and is getting so much great reputation. I love it and I need to make it at home. This chicken sounds like the perfect first recipe to try.
I didn’t know that but I can see why! This looks absolutely delicious. I’ve never had Peruvian anything but I sure would love to try these. :)
What amazing color on those legs! All the flavors make it sound succulent and amazing!
This is my kind of chicken! And I love that dipping sauce!