Indulge in this juicy and flavorful Peruvian chicken recipe, Pollo a la Brasa. The chicken is marinated then roasted until tender and golden, paired with zesty, creamy Aji Verde green sauce.
Peruvian Chicken Recipe (Pollo a la Brasa)
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.
What is Pollo a la Brasa?
"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 either Aji Verde Sauce - Peruvian Chicken with Green Sauce - or with homemade Aji Amarillo Sauce, both of which are popular Peruvian condiments. They are creamy sauces with often served as dippers for french fries or as sauces 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 VERDE SAUCE (Green Sauce)
- Mayonnaise.
- Aji Amarillo Paste. Or use 4 pureed aji amarillo peppers, or 3-4 jalapenos, or other green chilies.
- Huacatay Paste. Huacatay paste is a Peruvian ingredient made from huacatay leaves. Use extra cilantro and/or parsley as a substitute.
- Shallot.
- Garlic.
- Vinegar. I used white vinegar.
- Lemon Juice. Or you can use lime juice.
- Salt. To taste. And black pepper, if desired.
- Feta Cheese. Or you can use queso blanco, cotija cheese, or Parmesan cheese. Sour cream is OK to use.
- Fresh Cilantro.
How to Make Peruvian Chicken (Pollo a la Brasa) - the Recipe Method
Full instructions with ingredients amounts/measurements are listed in the recipe card at the bottom of the post.
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. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
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 40 minutes - 45 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 VERDE SAUCE
Blend the Main Ingredients. Add the mayo, aji amarillo paste, huacatay paste, shallow, garlic, vinegar, and lemon juice to a food processor or blender. Blend until smooth.
Add the Creamy Elements. Add the feta cheese and cilantro. Process for several minutes until smooth and well combined.
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.
- Aji Amarillo Sauce. You can also serve Peruvian chicken with a creamy aji amarillo sauce, which is super easy to make.
- 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!
Storage and Leftovers
Store any leftover Peruvian roast chicken in a sealed container in the refrigerator. It will keep for up to 5 days. You can warm the chicken in the oven again for serving.
You can store the aji verde sauce the same way. Both can be frozen for up to 6 months.
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 Peruvian Recipes
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 VERDE SAUCE
- ½ cup mayonnaise
- 1 tablespoon aji amarillo paste or use 4 pureed aji amarillo peppers, or 3-4 jalapenos, or other green chilies
- 2 teaspoons huacatay paste
- 1 shallot minced
- 2 garlic cloves minces
- 1 tablespoon vinegar
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice or lime juice
- 1/4 cup crumbled feta cheese you can sub in queso blanco or grated parmesan cheese
- 1.5 cups finely chopped cilantro 1 small bunch
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 350 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 40-45 minutes, or until the chicken is golden brown and cooked through. The juices should run clear. 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 VERDE SAUCE
- Add the mayo, aji amarillo paste, huacatay paste, shallow, garlic, vinegar, and lemon juice to a food processor or blender. Blend until smooth.
- Add the feta cheese and cilantro. Process for several minutes until smooth and well combined.
- Adjust for salt and serve.
Notes
Nutrition Information
NOTE: This recipe was updated on 4/12/23 to include new information and photos. It was originally published on 12/30/20.
Robin Whitesides says
Making again for the millionth time. Always full of flavor, never disappoints. Love this recipe!!
Mike Hultquist says
Awesome! Boom! Thanks, Robin! Glad you're enjoying it!
Loren says
I could only find a 6lb bird so I adjusted accordingly. I let it marinate 16 hrs and the main benefit was an extremely moist final product. Unfortunately I do not think it was probably worth all the effort of making the marinade. I also added two large jalapenos for some extra heat. Leaving that aside the star was the green sauce! OMG someone needs to bottle that. I usually use chili crisp and chili garlic as my condiment and while I put them on the table they were not touched after I tasted the green sauce. I also added a large jalapeño to the sauce. I’m giving it a 5 mainly for the sauce and a 4 for the dish. P.S. I did purchase all 3 sauces from Amazon.
Mike Hultquist says
Glad you enjoyed it, Loren. I do find the marinade important for the moistness of the chicken, and it does impart flavor. Cheers.
Michelle says
I wanted to try this one so bad, but I have no idea where or how to get those pastes
huacatay paste
aji panca paste
aji amarillo paste
Mike Hultquist says
Michelle, I include links in the body of the post. Scroll up above the recipe card, in the "Recommended Ingredients" section.
Karla says
Can I barbecue this too? Or even put it on the smoker grill? I have my chicken marinating overnight and excited to try it tomorrow.
Mike Hultquist says
Yes, absolutely!! Enjoy, Karla. Either will work. Let me know how it turns out for you.
Shelli Martin says
I made this as per the recipe (difficult for me to do). It was AMAZING! I was only able to marinate the chicken for a few hours versus overnight. But I look forward to making it again soon. I thought it would be too hot for us based on tasting the marinade and AJI VERDE SAUCE! It wasn't after it cooked. I made double the sauce and marinade (a habit of mine in case there's not enough or I especially like it). You know, to sop up with bread, potato or rice. I'm so glad I did! The first night after cooking the original recipe I was in my fridge at 10:30 at night, looking for left over chicken!
Then, since I had extra AJI VERDE SAUCE left over, I used it to marinate some chicken thighs a few days later for a few hours. Then I baked it with some oven roasted potatoes and corn on the cob with butter, mayonnaise, Cholula (hot sauce) and lime juice. Too bad I was out of cilantro! OH MY GOD! I actually think marinating the chicken in the Aji Verde Sauce may have been just as good if not better than the original recipe. You have made a lifetime fan of me! Thank you so much.
Mike Hultquist says
BOOM!! I love it, Shelli! Glad you enjoyed it all. I appreciate it!!
Shelli Martin says
I made this earlier tonight with a half of a chicken and I doubled the sauce because I figured I could freeze what I didn't use and use it at a later date. I bought the Aji panca paste, Aji amarillo paste and Huacatay paste to make the Aji Verde Sauce off Amazon. They were pretty reasonable. I tasted the panca and amarillo for spicy before adding it and whoo! I didn't think we would be able to eat this. But I was determined to make the recipe as it's written before making any changes. Oh my God! This was not spicy after it cooked but it WAS fabulous!!!! Seriously, this was the best chicken dish! And, it was super simple and quick to assemble. I was able to let it sit in the marinade for a couple of hours. It was so good, I'm making the other half of the chicken the same way in a couple of days! You have got to try this.
Mike H. says
I really appreciate your feedback, Shelli. Really happy you've enjoyed the recipe!
Alana says
Hi Mike, I wanted to make this today with the whole chicken (not cut up)- do you have any suggestions on how to achieve the same results? I’ve had mixed results whenever I’ve attempted a whole chicken bake, and would like to ask an expert!
Mike Hultquist says
Alana, rule of thumb is to bake a chicken for 20-25 minutes per pound at 350 degrees F, though it's best to go by temperature. Cook it until you hit 165 degrees F internally in the thickest part of the meat. For a 2.5 pound chicken, this would be 50-60 minutes or so. I'd bake for 45, then check start checking the temp. Let me know how it goes.
Jennifer S says
Great recipe, and a great way to use the Peruvian paste trio I bought for anticuchos! My husband has already requested this again! Thanks so much!
Mike Hultquist says
Excellent! Glad you enjoyed it, Jennifer!
Andrew says
What an awesome recipe! Made this several times now to much applause. My wife loves saucy chicken dishes, so I double the marinade and cook the chicken in about two thirds of it. Then marinate new red potatoes, onions, and chopped bell peppers in the rest and roast that up for the side. After that, it’s all about the self control not to eat every last bit!
Mike Hultquist says
Awesome! Glad you enjoy it, Andrew! We love this one so much! Boom!
Michael Rivers says
Mike. The Aji Verde sauce was off the scale!! Upped the heat with four jalapenos. 100% approval from the chili-aficionados in the house. Definitely a keeper!!
Mike Hultquist says
Yes! I love it! Glad you all enjoyed it, Michael! SO good.
Robin says
I am a sucker for roasted chicken but this was seriously the best roasted chicken ever. I am now hooked on aji amarillo and aji panka. And my husband loved it as well. Thanks for such an awesome recipe.
Mike Hultquist says
Wow, that's great, Robin! Super happy you loved it as much as we do! Thanks!
Steve and Deb says
First of all, my family thanks you for this fantabulous recipe! I read the entire piece, all of the instructions. I ordered the chili and black mint pastes from Amazon. I made it for our son-in-law's birthday dinner party. I decided to use a whole 6+ lb roasting chicken....mixed up the marinade in a large bowl, dried the chicken very well inside and out, then my husband donned gloves to thoroughly rub the roaster inside and out. We put it into the bowl breast side down, covered it and placed it in the refrigerator...about 12 hrs later, we flipped him over and put him back in the fridge.
OMG what moist, delicious chicken even without the dipping sauce....in which I used Queso Blanco! I should have roasted 2 chickens, there was so little left. OMG what moist, delicious chicken! I should have roasted 2 chickens there was so little left. With Peruvian Rice, Grilled veggie skewers, arepas and plantains, this was a truly memorable meal. And by family request, I'm planning to make it again for another family memer's birthday dinner party! THANKS so much!
Mike Hultquist says
Boom!! Awesome, Steve and Deb! This is what I live for! I am ridiculously happy to hear! Thank you VERY MUCH for sharing this!