Pollo a la Brasa

About This Recipe

Pollo a la Brasa is one of Peru's most popular and iconic dishes — a whole chicken steeped in a deeply savory marinade of soy sauce, beer, lime, garlic, cumin, oregano, and smoky aji panca, then roasted until the skin turns mahogany and crackling and the meat is juicy and intensely seasoned all the way through. Traditionally cooked on a rotisserie over charcoal, it adapts beautifully to a home oven. The chicken is inseparable from its accompaniments: crisp French fries, a simple salad, and above all aji verde, the creamy, spicy green sauce Peruvians slather on everything. The marinade's blend of East Asian soy and Andean chilies reflects Peru's layered culinary history. It is so beloved that the country dedicates an official day to it each July, a measure of just how central it is to Peruvian life.

Ingredients

Serves 4

• 1 wholechicken (1.5-2kg)
• 1/4 cupsoy sauce
• 1/4 cupbeer (lager)
• 1/4 cuplime juice
• 8 clovesgarlic, minced
• 2 tbspground cumin
• 2 tbspsmoked paprika
• 1 tbspdried oregano
• 1 tbspPeruvian aji panca paste (or smoked paprika)
• 1 tspground turmeric
• 1 tbspsalt
• 1 tspblack pepper
• 3 tbspolive oil
• 1 cupfresh cilantro leaves
• 1 cupfresh basil or huacatay leaves
• 3jalapeños, seeded
• 2 tbspaji amarillo paste
• 1/2 cupmayonnaise
• 1/4 cupsour cream
• 2 clovesgarlic (for sauce)
• 1 tbsplime juice (for sauce)
• 1/2 tspsalt (for sauce)

Instructions

1. 1

   Make marinade

   Whisk together the soy sauce, beer, lime juice, garlic, cumin, paprika, oregano, aji panca, turmeric, salt, pepper, and olive oil into a thick, fragrant paste. This blend is the heart of the dish's deep, smoky-savory flavor.

2. 2

   Marinate chicken

   Put the chicken in a large bag or dish and coat it all over with the marinade, working some under the skin and into the cavity, then refrigerate 4-24 hours. Getting marinade under the skin seasons the meat, not just the surface.

   Longer marinating, ideally overnight, gives noticeably deeper flavor and color.

3. 3

   Make aji verde

   Blend the cilantro, basil or huacatay, jalapeños, aji amarillo, mayonnaise, sour cream, garlic, lime juice, and salt until smooth and vivid green, then refrigerate. Chilling lets the flavors meld and the sauce thicken to a dipping consistency.

4. 4

   Set up roasting

   Set the chicken breast-side up on a rack in a roasting pan and pour any clinging marinade over the top. The rack lets heat circulate underneath so the whole bird crisps evenly.

5. 5

   Roast

   Roast at 200°C for 65-75 minutes until the skin is mahogany and crisp and a thermometer reads 75°C in the thickest part of the thigh. Use temperature, not time alone, to judge doneness.

   If the skin darkens too fast, tent loosely with foil and remove it for the final minutes to re-crisp.

6. 6

   Baste

   Baste the chicken 2-3 times during roasting with the pan juices, which lacquers the skin and helps it turn glossy, deeply colored, and crackling crisp.

7. 7

   Rest

   Let the chicken rest 15 minutes before carving so the juices redistribute and settle into the meat rather than running out, keeping every piece moist.

8. 8

   Serve

   Carve the chicken and serve it Peruvian style with French fries, a simple salad, and a generous bowl of aji verde for dipping every bite.

Variations

• •

  Use chicken thighs or pieces only for faster, more even cooking.

• •

  Add yellow potatoes to the roasting pan for a one-pan meal.

• •

  Grill or rotisserie the bird over charcoal for the most authentic smoky flavor.

• •

  Spatchcock the chicken to roast it flatter and faster with extra crisp skin.

Storage

Refrigerate cooked chicken up to 4 days and reheat in a hot oven to recrisp the skin rather than microwaving. The aji verde keeps well refrigerated for about a week in a sealed jar; give it a stir before serving, as it may thicken or separate slightly over time.

Frequently Asked Questions