Peruvian Chicken (Pollo a la Brasa)
This Peruvian chicken recipe (Pollo a la Brasa) is marinated with two types of aji chili paste and spices, roasted until tender and juicy, then served with creamy aji amarillo sauce. Its huge on flavor and so easy to make!
We’re cooking up some roasted chicken tonight, my friends, but this isn’t your everyday roasted chicken recipe. Tonight we’re bringing in some of the wonderful flavors of South American with an immensely popular chicken dish flavored with both aji amarillo and aji panca chili pastes, and I think you’re going to love this one.
The recipe is called Peruvian Chicken, also known as “Pollo a la Brasa”, and it is huge on flavor.
“Pollo a la Brasa” translates to grilled chicken, though it is referred to more often as rotisserie chicken or blackened chicken. It is a popular Peruvian recipe, which evolved from simple salt-marinated chicken cooked with charcoal to a spicier, more flavorful roasted version.
In Peruvian restaurants, you’ll find pollo a la brasa (Peruvian Chicken) served with house made sauces and french fries, though the recipes can vary from cook to cook and restaurant to restaurant.
My version is marinated in a mixture of soy sauce, lime juice and honey along with lots of seasonings and a duo of Peruvian aji chili pastes, including both aji amarillo and aji panca, both staples of Peruvian cuisine. It is also oven roasted, which is much easier for most home cooks.
I love serving mine with a homemade Aji Amarillo Sauce, which is a popular Peruvian condiment. It’s a creamy sauce with a bit of spice often served as a dipper for french fries or as a sauce for grilled or roasted chicken dishes, like this particular recipe.
Let’s talk about how to make Peruvian Chicken, shall we?
Peruvian Chicken Ingredients
- FOR THE PERUVIAN CHICKEN
- Chicken. I use a whole cut up chicken for this, bone in and skin on, though you can use boneless chicken, like chicken breast or chicken thighs.
- FOR THE MARINADE
- Garlic.
- Soy sauce.
- Aji amarillo paste.
- Honey.
- Aji panca paste.
- Seasonings. I use paprika, dried oregano, coriander, cumin, and salt and pepper to taste.
- Lime juice.
- Olive oil or vegetable oil for drizzling.
- FOR THE AJI AMARILLO SAUCE
- Aji amarillo paste.
- Mayonnaise.
- Crema or use sour cream.
- Tomato paste (ketchup is a good substitute).
- Shallot.
- Lime juice.
- Salt and pepper to taste.
How to Make Peruvian Chicken (Pollo a la Brasa) – the Recipe Method
FOR THE PERUVIAN CHICKEN (POLLO A LA BRASA)
Dry the Chicken. Pat the chicken dry with a paper towel and set it into a large bowl.
Make the Peruvian Chicken Marinade. Whisk together the garlic, soy sauce, aji amarillo paste, honey, aji panca paste, paprika, oregano, coriander, cumin, lime juice and salt and pepper in a small bowl. Pour it over the chicken and gently rub it into the skins.
Cover and refrigerate. Marinate the chicken at least 1 hour, or overnight for more flavor penetration. A longer marinade is best.
Prep For Roasting. Heat oven to 450 degrees.
Bake the Chicken. Remove the chicken from the marinade and set into a large cast iron skillet or roasting pan skin side up. Pat dry with paper towels, though I like to leave mine a bit saucy. Drizzle with olive oil.
Bake the chicken for 35 minutes – 40 minutes, or until the chicken is golden brown and cooked through. Chicken internal temperature should measure 165 degrees F when measured with a meat thermometer. Cooking times can vary, depending on the cuts of chicken you are using. Bake for less time if using boneless chicken.
Rest the Chicken. Remove, tent with aluminum foil, and rest for 10 minutes before serving.
FOR THE AJI AMARILLO SAUCE
Whisk the Sauce. Whisk together the aji amarillo paste, mayonnaise, crema or sour cream, tomato paste, shallot, lime juice and salt and pepper. You can either mix by hand or use the processor for a thinner consistency.
Adjust and Serve. Adjust for salt and pepper and serve with the roasted Peruvian chicken. You can let the sauces sit for 15 minutes to 20 minutes to mingle the flavors.
Boom! Done! Peruvian chicken is ready to serve! It’s quite easy to make, isn’t it? Just a bit of marinating and roasting. I love a simple recipe! Makes my life easier. And man is it flavorful. Delicious.
Recipe Tips & Notes
- The Chicken. use a whole cut up chicken for this, bone in and skin on. I just love the flavor you achieve when cooking with bone-in chicken. However, you can make this recipe with boneless chicken, like chicken breast or chicken thighs, or use a combination.
- The Aji Amarillo Sauce. I love serving up my Peruvian chicken with a creamy aji amarillo sauce, which is super easy to make. Another popular sauce is aji verde, which is a Peruvian green sauce.
- The Aji Pastes. You’ll likely need to order your aji pastes online, unless you can find a specialty store or make your own. I usually grow a lot of different aji peppers each year for making pastes. You can use other chili pastes as a substitute, though the flavors won’t be quite the same. Still delicious, though!
Where to Buy Aji Chili Paste
See these Amazon links below to purchase a variety of aji pastes for making authentic Peruvian chicken (pollo a la brasa). These are affiliate links, my friends!
- Buy Aji Amarillo Paste (Affiliate link, my friends)
- Buy Aji Panca Paste (Affiliate link, my friends)
That’s it, my friends. I hope you enjoy your new delicious Peruvian chicken recipe. Pollo a la brasa in the house! Let me know if you make it. I’d love to hear how it turned out for you. Keep it spicy!
Try Some of My Other Popular Recipes
- Pollo Guisado
- Pollo Asado (Mexican Roast Chicken)
- Cajun Baked Chicken Thighs
- Korean Chicken
- Chicken Paprikash (Paprika Chicken)
- Coconut Curry Chicken
- Harissa Chicken
- Chicken Fricassee
- Peri Peri Chicken
- Peruvian Pebre
- Peruvian Shrimp Ceviche
- Lomo Saltado (Peruvian Beef Stir Fry with French Fries)
- Arepas Recipe
Cookbook Recommendation
Do you love South American cooking? Check out the cookbook “The South American Table” by Maria Baez Kijac (affiliate link, my friends). It’s just outstanding. Highly recommended!
Got any questions? Ask away! I’m happy to help. If you enjoy this recipe, I hope you’ll leave a comment with some STARS. Also, please share it on social media. Don’t forget to tag us at #ChiliPepperMadness. I’ll be sure to share! Thanks! — Mike H.
Peruvian Chicken Recipe (Pollo a la Brasa)
Ingredients
FOR THE PERUVIAN CHICKEN
- 1 whole chicken 3-4 pounds, cut into pieces (or you can use boneless chicken)
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon aji amarillo paste
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1 teaspoon aji panca paste
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon coriander
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- Juice from 1 small lime
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Olive oil for drizzling
FOR THE AJI AMARILLO SAUCE
- 3 tablespoons aji amarillo paste
- ½ cup mayonnaise
- ¼ cup crema or use sour cream
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste ketchup is a good substitute
- 1 small shallot minced
- 1 tablespoon lime juice
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
FOR THE PERUVIAN CHICKEN
- Pat the chicken dry with a paper towel and set it into a large bowl.
- Whisk together the garlic, soy sauce, aji amarillo paste, honey, aji panca paste, paprika, oregano, coriander, cumin, lime juice and salt and pepper in a small bowl. Pour it over the chicken and gently rub it into the skins.
- Cover and refrigerate. Marinate the chicken at least 1 hour, or overnight for more flavor penetration. A longer marinade is best.
- Heat oven to 450 degrees.
- Remove the chicken from the marinade and set into a large cast iron skillet or baking dish. Pat dry with paper towels. Drizzle with olive oil.
- Bake the chicken for 30-40 minutes, or until the chicken is golden brown and cooked through. Chicken should measure 165 degrees F internally when measured with a meat thermometer.
- Remove, tent with aluminum foil, and rest for 10 minutes before serving.
FOR THE AJI AMARILLO SAUCE
- Whisk together the aji amarillo paste, mayonnaise, crema or sour cream, tomato paste, shallot, lime juice and salt and pepper. You can either mix by hand or use the processor for a thinner consistency.
- Adjust for salt and pepper and serve with the roasted Peruvian chicken.
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