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Home » Food » By Course » Main Dishes » Pollo a la Brasa (Peruvian Roast Chicken)

Pollo a la Brasa (Peruvian Roast Chicken)

September 26, 2013 by Kimberly Killebrew · 84 Comments

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The famous and incredibly finger-lickin’ delicious roast chicken from Peru!  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 pollo a la brasa recipe is a guaranteed winner!

pollo a la brasa recipe best Perubvian roast chicken aji verde sauce

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!!  

Now you can make it at home and it’s so simple!  Make the marinade, let the chicken marinate, roast the chicken in the oven…that’s it!  Oh, and take an extra 5 minutes to make a lovely Peruvian Aji Verde Sauce to accompany the chicken (recipe provided).  SATISFACTION GUARANTEED.

What is Pollo a la Brasa?

Pollo a la brasa is a Peruvian dish of roast chicken commonly served with aji verde sauce.  It’s a fairly recent creating, dating back to 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 his chickens and selling them to the public at a low cost an on an all-you-can eat basis.  (Delicious food + low cost + all you can eat = sounds great to me!)  He eventually opened a restaurant at his farm and as far as I am aware it is still in operation.

My recipe comes by way of special request from Lajoiedu (“Make a Request!“) 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 and no aspect left out – 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.

Now, I have no idea whether this tastes anything like Pollo a la Brasa at that particular restaurant she described.  And really, it’s not going to taste the same without the special wood-coaled rotisserie’s they use.  But is the end result authentic Peruvian in its flavor profile?  Yes.  And does it taste good?  Oh yes!  It tastes phenomenal!

Pollo a la Brasa

And let me add this:  I have never seen my 3 year old devour chicken as fast as he did this Pollo a la Brasa!  And he kept asking for more and more!  For 4 consecutive days thereafter he kept asking for more Pollo a la Brasa and was bitterly disappointed (to the point of throwing a near tantrum once) when offered a substitute chicken dish!  We’ve created something of a Pollo a la Brasa obsession in our son and he has since been suffering withdrawal symptoms!  So yes, it looks like Pollo a la Brasa is going to be a regular in the Killebrew home from now on.

And once you’ve tried this Pervuvian roast chicken, I’m confident you’ll do the same.

So let’s get down to business, shall we?

IMPORTANT NOTE:  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.

Two quick things:  I use the convection setting on my oven for this.  It really made the skin crispy while leaving the meat tender and moist.  You don’t have to use a convection oven, but if you do, be sure to keep an eye on the chicken because it cooks much faster than in a conventional oven (see instructions).  The other thing:  You must use a roasting rack.  That allows the air and heat to circulate under and around the chicken to prevent the chicken from sitting in its juices and to produce the crispy skin and even cooking.

And of course, for all you BBQ’ers, barbecuing is another great alternative!

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 for the Aji Verde Dipping Sauce that is traditionally served with the chicken).

Pollo a la Brasa prep 1

Combine all of the marinade ingredients.

combining marinade ingredients

In a food processor, blend it to a smooth puree.  Yes, this is the magical concoction here.

making the marinade

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.

preparing the chicken for marinading

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.

marinading the chicken in ziplock bag

Place some foil under the rack of a roasting pan (this will make cleanup much easier!).  You can get a good, inexpensive roasting pan HERE.

Lay the chicken pieces on it.  Spoon some extra marinade over each piece.

chicken pieces on roasting rack

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.

pollo a la brasa recipe best authentic peruvian roast chicken homemade aji verde sauce

Perfect in every way!

pollo a la brasa recipe best authentic peruvian roast chicken homemade aji verde sauce

pollo a la brasa recipe best authentic peruvian roast chicken homemade aji verde sauce

Serve with our homemade Peruvian Aji Verde Sauce (click on link for recipe).  There are often two additional sauces served with Pollo a la Brasa, but Aji Verde is the standard.  Traditional side dishes include a leafy green salad and thickly cut French fries.

Pollo a la Brasa Aji Verde Sauce 2

pollo a la brasa recipe best Perubvian roast chicken aji verde sauce

Pollo a la Brasa (Peruvian Roast Chicken)

Kimberly Killebrew
The famous and phenomenally finger-licking delicious roast chicken from Peru! 
Print Recipe
4.94 from 15 votes
Prep Time 15 minutes mins
Cook Time 1 hour hr
Total Time 1 hour hr 15 minutes mins
Course Main Course
Cuisine Peruvian
Servings 6
Calories 308 kcal

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
  • 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

* For all you BBQ'ers, this chicken is also fantastic barbecued over coals and wood chips!
* 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

Calories: 308kcal | Carbohydrates: 2g | Protein: 24g | Fat: 22g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 10g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 95mg | Sodium: 671mg | Potassium: 292mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 261IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 32mg | Iron: 2mg
Keyword Peruvian Roast Chicken, Pollo a la Brasa
Tried this recipe? Mention @daringgourmet or hashtag #daringgourmet

Pollo a la Brasa

 

 

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84 Responses

  1. Roger Mielec says

    June 21, 2018 at 10:34 pm

    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.

    Reply
    • Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says

      June 22, 2018 at 8:41 am

      I’m so glad you enjoyed this, Roger, thank you and thanks also for the tip!

      Reply
  2. Nanette Bosman says

    June 19, 2018 at 4:56 pm

    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.

    Reply
    • Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says

      June 20, 2018 at 8:15 am

      I’m so happy to hear that, Nanette, thank you!

      Reply
  3. Vaughn Adams says

    May 19, 2018 at 11:39 am

    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!

    Reply
    • Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says

      May 19, 2018 at 3:15 pm

      Fantastic, Vaughn, I’m so happy to hear it, thank you!

      Reply
  4. Tina says

    October 30, 2017 at 8:33 am

    Thank you for your response. What type and brand is to be used?

    Reply
    • Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says

      October 30, 2017 at 8:36 am

      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.

      Reply
  5. Tina says

    October 24, 2017 at 1:34 pm

    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.

    Reply
    • Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says

      October 24, 2017 at 2:34 pm

      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.”

      Reply
    • Emilia says

      September 8, 2019 at 1:32 pm

      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.

      Reply
      • Deborah R Maldonado says

        May 29, 2020 at 6:24 pm

        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.

        Reply
  6. Mikaela says

    July 18, 2017 at 3:16 am

    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.

    Reply
    • Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says

      July 18, 2017 at 1:55 pm

      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!

      Reply
  7. Ada says

    January 2, 2017 at 12:38 pm

    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

    Reply
    • Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says

      January 2, 2017 at 12:51 pm

      Fantastic, I’m so thrilled to hear that, Ada – thank you!

      Reply
  8. Ada says

    January 1, 2017 at 11:22 am

    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

    Reply
    • Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says

      January 1, 2017 at 6:22 pm

      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 :(

      Reply
  9. Angie | Big Bears Wife says

    May 18, 2016 at 9:33 am

    We love roast chicken too! We actually had roast chicken for dinner last night but mine didn’t look this good! yum!

    Reply
  10. Kirsten/ComfortablyDomestic says

    May 17, 2016 at 9:15 pm

    The flavor profile on this chicken sounds out of this world amazing!

    Reply
  11. Kim Beaulieu says

    May 17, 2016 at 8:02 pm

    This is absolutely gorgeous. I love roasted chicken, and this is stellar. I want to reach right into my screen and grab some.

    Reply
  12. Melissa | Hungry Food Love says

    May 17, 2016 at 6:37 pm

    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.

    Reply
  13. Erin @ Texanerin Baking says

    May 17, 2016 at 12:12 pm

    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. :)

    Reply
  14. Brenda @ Sugar-Free Mom says

    May 16, 2016 at 4:03 pm

    What amazing color on those legs! All the flavors make it sound succulent and amazing!

    Reply
  15. Lauren Kelly Nutrition says

    May 16, 2016 at 2:35 pm

    This is my kind of chicken! And I love that dipping sauce!

    Reply
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kimberly killebrew the daring gourmet

Welcome!  I’m Kimberly and I share delicious originals, revitalized classics and authentic dishes from around the world.  Come travel the world through your taste buds!

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