Peruvian Chicken with Green Sauce (Pollo a la Brasa)

Peruvian chicken (aka pollo a la brasa) is a roasted chicken dish that gets its signature flavor from a zesty marinade that contains aji amarillo paste, garlic, cumin, lime juice, and soy sauce. It’s served with a creamy and spicy green sauce (aka aji verde) that pulls it all together.

Inspired by the delicious Peruvian Chicken with Green Sauce that you can find in almost every Peruvian restaurant in Queens, this is my take on Pollo a la Brasa.

Looking for more chicken recipes? I’ve got you covered:

Peruvian Chicken Ingredients

Chicken pieces: It’s best to use dark meat here, but if you opt for breast make sure to adjust the cooking time so you don’t overcook them.

Aji amarillo paste: A Peruvian yellow pepper. I use the hot version

Aji panca paste: A Peruvian red pepper.

Garlic: Whole, peeled cloves

Lime juice: Preferably fresh.

Soy sauce: Opt for low-sodium.

Spices: Salt, pepper, cumin, coriander, paprika, smoked paprika, oregano

Olive oil: To pull it all together.

How to Make Peruvian Chicken

Here’s how to make this dish:

Step 1: Make the marinade.

Combine all of the marinade ingredients in a blender and blend until creamy.

Step 2: Marinade the chicken.

Pour the marinade over the chicken and make sure it’s fully covered. I like to also make sure I’m rubbing the marinade underneath the skin, etc.

Let sit in the refrigerator overnight, or at least for a few hours. Make sure to remove to come to room temperature for about 30 minutes before cooking.

Step 3: Make the green sauce.

Make the green sauce by combining the sour cream, mayo, lime juice, jalapeno, honey, garlic, cilantro, salt, and pepper in a blender and blend until smooth. Pop into the refrigerator to thicken up a bit before serving.

Step 4: Roast the chicken.

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.

Add the chicken pieces to an oven-safe wire rack set over a baking sheet. Sprinkle the chicken with a little bit of salt and roast for 20 minutes. Then turn the heat down to 400 and continue roasting for about 20-25 minutes, or until the chicken’s internal temperature reaches 165 degrees F.

Peruvian Chicken with Green Sauce

Peruvian chicken (aka pollo a la brasa) is a roasted chicken dish that gets its signature flavor from a zesty marinade that contains aji amarillo paste, garlic, cumin, lime juice, and soy sauce.

Course Main Course

Cuisine Peruvian

Keyword peruvian chicken

Ingredients

2 lbs chicken pieces
1 tbs aji amarillo paste
1 teaspoon aji panca paste
¼ cup soy sauce
2 tbs olive oil
5-6 garlic cloves peeled
1 tbs paprika
1 tbs cumin
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
1 tsp oregano
1 teaspoon coriander
½ teaspoon kosher salt
¼ teaspoon black pepper

For the green sauce

¼ cup mayo
¼ cup sour cream
½ bunch fresh cilantro
1-2 jalapenos deseeded
1 teaspoon honey
salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

Add everything for the chicken marinade to a blender and blend until smooth.
Pour the marinade over the chicken pieces and rub the marinade into the chicken, including under the skin. Let sit in the refrigerator overnight. Make sure to remove to sit at room temperature for 30 minutes before cooking.
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
Meanwhile, make the green sauce by combining all of the ingredients in a blender and blending until smooth. Pop in the refigerator to thicken a bit while the chicken is roasting.
Add the chicken to an oven-safe wire rack set over a baking sheet and sprinkle with kosher salt. Roast for 20 minutes, then lower the temperature to 400 and roast for an additional 20-25 minutes, or until the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees F. Remove and let rest for 10 minutes.