This roasted chicken is a total flavor Bomb! Tender, juicy, beautifully crisped up chicken loaded with awesome bold, delicious flavors. This isn’t your regular rotisserie chicken. Just imagine 10 times more flavorful.
This my friends is Pollo a la Brasa, the famous Peruvian Chicken, the chicken the whole world slowly started swooning over. All because of the complex and contrasting combinations of tangy, savory, sweet, smoky, citrusy flavors in every single bite.
Tonight is the night to make this simple roast chicken recipe, Peruvian style! And serve it up with the equally beloved Aji Verde green sauce!!
Some magic happens when you marinate any kind of protein for enough time. And if that marinade is a mix of some varied ingredients full of bold flavors, you end up with one finger licking, delicious meal.
Our Chicken Tikkas, Pollo Asado and Jerk Chicken are perfect examples of how flavorful meat turns up if you marinade it just right, and cook it with simple tips and tricks.
Now this Peruvian Chicken is one very iconic chicken recipes, beloved all over Peru, and there are very simple reasons for that…
- It’s intensely delicious, thanks to the long marinade with different types chili powders, garlic, cumin, oregano, lime, honey, and a lot more. So many flavors explode in every single bite. And it’s healthy too. Win, win!!
- It’s a pure breeze to make this roast chicken. Simply marinate the chicken, and then let the oven work for you.
- You’re using only your roasting pan or sheet pan (we will even tell you tips for easy clean up). So yup, one pan meal.
- Pollo a la Brasa sounds and tastes very exotic with new delicious flavors. Perfect roast chicken dish to introduce to your friends and family. It’s going to be a huge crowd pleaser. Bring the flavors of Peru right into your home.
What is Peruvian Chicken?
Peruvian chicken is a rotisserie chicken, also known as Pollo a la Brasa, originating in Lima, Peru. “Pollo” means Chicken and “a la Brasa” means grilled in Spanish, or literally translates “to the embers”.
Traditionally, whole chicken is seasoned with a marinade made with herbs and spices, and then cooked over hot coals or a spit while rotating until crisped up golden brown, juicy and tender.
Pollo a la Brasa is extremely popular in all their pollerías, restaurants selling chicken, and is fondly considered a national dish of Peru. It’s no wonder that it is one of the most consumed dishes in the country, and that there is a special day dedicated to the dish. Every third Sunday of July is national pollo a la brasa day!!
This rotisserie chicken was created by a Swiss immigrant, Roger Schuler in the 1940’s when he decided to start roasting some chicken and sell it at a very low cost. People absolutely loved it, and he opened a restaurant, La Granja Azul, which is still operating at the very same spot to this day.
Eventually other restaurant owners caught on to the idea, and by the 1990s there was a true explosion of restaurants and pollerías following the same concept.
Over the years, the dish became so iconic that an estimated 371 million servings of pollo a la brasa were sold in the country in 2010 alone. When asked in street polls, up to 70% of people say that it’s their favorite thing to eat out.
Pollo a la brasa is commonly served with an array of different sauces, Aji Verde Sauce being the dominant favorite.
What is Aji Verde?
Aji Verde is a traditional Peruvian green, spicy sauce and is a standard condiment all over Peru. This sauce is bright, creamy and zesty. It’s a simple blend of cilantro along with other local herbs and chili peppers, garlic, lime juice and a little cheese in a creamy mayo base.
We have a whole post dedicated to this green Peruvian Sauce.
Peruvian Chicken with Aji Verde Sauce Ingredients
- Chicken – Though traditionally Pollo a la Brasa is made with whole chicken, it can be made with any cuts. Dark meat is best, as it gives you tender, juicy results. Chicken quarters, bone-in skin on thighs, and drumsticks are best for roasting chicken Peruvian style.
- Peruvian Chicken Marinade – This is the soul of the dish. A good marinade is a good dose of tang, spice, sweet and umami flavors. We have perfected this marinade. It’s a mix of extra virgin olive oil, lime juice, garlic cloves, soy sauce, honey, and spices and herbs like paprika, smoked paprika, red chili flakes, cumin, oregano, salt and pepper. The result is BOMB of flavor!!
- Aji Verde Sauce – Mayo, cilantro, jalapeños, garlic, cotija or parmesan cheese, lime, sea salt.
Pollo a la Brasa Recipe
We are giving you both oven baked and grilling methods for this recipe, as most of us don’t have the liberty to start a pit fire in our back yard, or have a rotisserie style cooking oven.
1. Make the marinade and marinate the chicken: Mix all of the marinade ingredients in a bowl and combine well. Pour it on the chicken, and rub the marinade all over the chicken. With your fingers, loosen the skin from the chicken and make sure to get the marinade under the skin. This helps the flavors to penetrate into the meat. Marinate the chicken in the morning, or overnight in the refrigerator for maximum flavors.
2. Bake it in oven: When ready to roast, preheat the oven to 400°F. Cover a sheet pan with aluminum foil for easy clean up. Place an oven safe wire rack on the sheet pan, and place the chicken quarters on the wire wrack. Bake it for 30 minutes.
Baste the chicken with remaining unused marinade, then bake for another 30-40 minutes, depending on the size of your chicken pieces, or until the chicken reads 180-185°F on an instant read thermometer. (Chicken is safe to eat at 165°F, but dark meat becomes fall-off the bone tender at around 180 to 190°F).
Keep an eye on it towards the end of cooking time. If it’s browning too quickly, cover it loosely with foil.
If necessary, you can also broil the chicken for more brown and crispy skin. Remove the chicken from the oven and let rest for 10-15 minutes before serving.
Grilling Method
Preheat grill to medium-high heat (around 350-380°F). Place the skin side down and grill with lid closed for 6-8 minutes. Flip the chicken over and continue cooking, flipping every 6-8 minutes, until internal temperature reaches 180-185°F.
Watch for flare-ups, as the fat dripping out of the skin can catch fire.
When the chicken is done, remove to a platter and let rest for 10-15 minutes.
How to Make Creamy Green Sauce
In a blender, place cilantro, jalapeño, garlic and blend till chopped finely. Add the rest of the ingredients and blend it to an almost smooth consistency (it will still have some texture).
Taste and adjust for salt and taste. If you like hotter, add more jalapeño, or add additional lime for more zing.
Tips for BEST Peruvian Chicken
1. Always marinate the chicken for a longer time, so the flavors have time to penetrate the meat. It’s a complete game changer. We recommend marinating the chicken overnight in the refrigerator, or at least first thing in the morning if cooking for dinner, for best results.
2. Bring the chicken to almost a room temperature before roasting. Remove the chicken from the fridge 30 minutes before cooking.
3. To get the fall-off-the-bone tender dark meat, the internal temperature of the chicken should be at least 180°F. If using chicken breasts, cook to 165°F.
4. Keep an eye on the chicken towards the end of the cooking time. If it’s browning too quickly, cover it loosely with foil.
5. For lighter Aji Verde, substitute mayo with yogurt. For a spicier version, use serrano peppers instead of jalapeños, or for milder aji, remove the seeds and white membrane when your are chopping the jalapeños. You can start with only 1 jalapeño and adjust it by tasting and adding more if necessary.
What to serve with Pollo a la Brasa?
- Present the platter of Peruvian chicken with Aji Verde sauce. You can also use any of your other favorite sauces and dips.
- A side of French fries, steak fries, Sweet Potato Fries, fried yuca or Tostones are great with this Peruvian Chicken.
- Pair it with some kind of Latin rice like Cilantro Lime Rice or Arroz con Gandules.
Storage and Leftovers
Like any roast chicken, this Peruvian chicken is great as leftovers. Simply cover and refrigerate up to 4 days, and you are all set for lunches or dinners.
You can freeze it in freezer friendly bags for up to 3 months. Simply thaw overnight in the refrigerator and warm it through in the microwave.
The next time you’re thinking to roast chicken, think the Peruvian way. There’s a reason why this dish is so iconic and beloved. Make it happen tonight, and marvel at all the amazing flavors a simple roach chicken can conjure.
Let us know how you like our version of this famous Peruvian Chicken, and keep on coming back to GypsyPlate for more regional flavors from all around the world.
Pollo a la Brasa, on our Gypsy Plate… enjoy!
Try these other great international chicken recipes!
Chicken Shawarma
Spanish Chicken
Chicken Masala
Moo Shu Chicken
Chicken Cacciatore
Pollo Guisada
Chicken Souvlaki
Chicken Paprikash
Peruvian Chicken (Pollo a la Brasa)
This Peruvian Chicken, Pollo a la Brasa, is beautifully marinated and then either grilled or roasted. Serve it with Aji Verde, a Peruvian green sauce, for ultimate flavors!
Ingredients
Chicken
- 4-5lbs chicken quarters (see note 1)
- 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1/4 cup lime juice
- 6 large garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 2 Tbsp soy sauce
- 1 Tbsp honey
- 1 Tbsp paprika
- 2 tsp smoked paprika
- 1/2 tsp red chili flakes
- 1 Tbsp cumin
- 2 tsp oregano
- 2 tsp salt
- 1 tsp black pepper
Aji Verde Sauce
- 1/2 cup mayonnaise
- 2 cups cilantro, mostly leaves
- 2 jalapeños, roughly chopped (see note 2)
- 2 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
- 1/4 cup grated cotija or parmesan cheese
- 1 lime, juiced
- 1/4 tsp sea salt
Instructions
Green Sauce
- In a blender, place cilantro, jalapeño, garlic and blend till chopped finely. Add the rest of the ingredients and blend it to an almost smooth consistency (it will still have some texture).
- Taste and adjust the green sauce for salt and taste. If you like hotter, add more jalapeño, or add additional lime for more zing.
- Serve immediately, or store covered in the refrigerator.
Roasting Method
- Mix all of the marinade ingredients in a bowl and combine well. Pour it on the chicken, and rub the marinade all over the chicken. With your fingers, loosen the skin from the chicken and make sure to get the marinade under the skin. Marinate overnight if time allows.
- When ready to roast, preheat the oven to 400°F.
- Cover a sheet pan with aluminum foil for easy clean up. Place an oven safe wire rack on the sheet pan, and place the chicken quarters on the wire rack, skin side up. Bake for 30 minutes. Baste the chicken with remaining unused marinade, then bake for another 30-40 minutes, depending on the size of your chicken pieces, or until the chicken reads 180-185°F on an instant read thermometer. (see note 3)
- Keep an eye on it towards the end of cooking time. If it’s browning too quickly, cover it loosely with foil.
- If necessary, you can also broil the chicken for more brown and crispy skin. Remove the chicken from the oven and let rest for 10-15 minutes before serving.
Grilling Method
- Marinate the chicken as described above.
- Preheat grill to medium-high heat (around 350-375°F). Place the skin side down and grill with lid closed for 6-8 minutes. Flip the chicken over and continue cooking, flipping every 6-8 minutes, until internal temperature reaches 180-185°F.
- When the chicken is done, remove to a platter and let rest for 10-15 minutes.
Notes
- You can use bone-in skin on thighs, drumsticks or whole chicken.
- Jalapeños can vary a lot when it comes to heat. Always try them a little before adding to the sauce. If they are very hot, remove the seeds and white membranes inside. You can always add more later if you prefer more heat later. For a spicier version, you can use serrano peppers instead.
- Watch for flare-ups, as the fat dripping out of the skin can catch fire.
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