Pollo a la brasa
Pollo a la brasa — Peruvian spit-roast-style chicken, oven-roasted, with green ají sauce
Born in the 1950s in Chaclacayo, just east of Lima, this rotisserie chicken has grown into a national obsession, with its own holiday on the third Sunday of July and a pollería on almost every block. The bird is marinated in soy sauce, lime, garlic, cumin and ají panca, then roasted until the skin is lacquered and dark. At home a hot oven does the job, and the meal is not complete without chips, a simple salad and a jar of creamy green ají sauce. Chef's tip: dry the skin well and leave the chicken uncovered in the fridge overnight after marinating; it roasts up much crisper.
- Total time
- 105 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
For the chicken
For the green ají sauce
To serve
Method
0/8 doneStep 1: Blend 3 tbsp soy sauce, 3 tbsp lime juice, 6 cloves garlic, 2 tbsp ají panca paste, 2 tsp ground cumin, 2 tsp sweet paprika, 1 tsp dried oregano, 1 tsp ground black pepper, 1 tsp salt and 2 tbsp vegetable oil to a smooth paste.
3 minStep 2: Pat 3 ½ lb whole chicken dry. Loosen the breast skin with your fingers and rub some paste underneath, then rub the rest all over and inside. Wash your hands and anything the raw chicken touched.
10 minStep 3: Cover and marinate in the fridge for at least 4 hours, ideally overnight. For crisper skin, uncover it for the last few hours.
Step 4: Take the chicken out of the fridge 30 minutes before roasting. Heat the oven to 425°F (400°F fan). Set the chicken on a rack over a roasting tin with 200 ml of water in the tin.
30 minStep 5: Roast for 20 minutes, then lower the oven to 375°F (350°F fan) and roast for 50–60 minutes more, until the skin is deep mahogany. Cover loosely with foil if it darkens too fast; the soy sauce colours quickly.
75 minStep 6: Check the thickest part of the thigh, away from the bone: it must reach 165°F/165 °F, and the juices must run clear, not pink. Common mistake: carving straight away; rest the chicken for 15 minutes so the juices settle back into the meat.
15 minStep 7: While it rests, blend 2 jalapeño or green chillies, 1 oz fresh coriander, 4 tbsp mayonnaise, 1 ⅜ oz feta or queso fresco, 1 clove garlic, 1 tbsp lime juice and 2 tbsp vegetable oil until smooth and pale green. Season with salt.
3 minStep 8: Carve into quarters and serve with 1 ⅓ lb oven chips or fries, 1 bowl lettuce, tomato and cucumber salad and the green sauce.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 640 kcal
- Protein
- 52 g
- Carbs
- 6 g
- Fat
- 45 g
- Fibre
- 1 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does pollo a la brasa take?
- About 105 minutes in total: 25 minutes to prepare and 80 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 4 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Can I make it ahead?
- Yes. It keeps well, so you can cook it earlier in the day or the day before and reheat it.
- What can I use instead of soy sauce?
- Tamari, same amount (gluten free).
- What can I use instead of lime juice?
- Lemon juice, same amount.
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