This authentic Peruvian chicken recipe (or pollo a la brasa) is an easy chicken recipe that the whole family will love. Tender boneless skinless chicken thighs are marinated in a savory sauce packed full of seasoning then grilled to perfection.
Serve this Peruvian roasted chicken with some cilantro lime rice, aji verde, and pisco sours for the perfect Peruvian meal!
What Exactly Is Peruvian Chicken?
Pollo a la brasa is an extremely popular dish in Peru. The chicken is first marinated in olive oil, garlic, lime juice, and spices then grilled, roasted, or pan fried until blackened and juicy. It’s most commonly enjoyed with a drizzling of aji verde.
The marinade includes:
- Soy sauce
- Worcestershire
- Lime juice
- Paprika
- Cumin
- Honey
- Garlic
- Olive oil
For the best results, marinate the Peruvian chicken overnight!
Peruvian Chicken Green Sauce
Known as aji verde, Peruvian green sauce is very similar to salsa verde. The difference is the aji amarillo paste added to the sauce. Aji Amarillo is a Peruvian yellow chile pepper that is packed full of flavor. If you can’t find aji amarillo paste, habanero paste works well too – but it’s a bit spicier.
Let’s Make It
Depending on your preferred method of cooking, Peruvian chicken can be made several ways to suit your tastes:
- Marinate: Combine the ingredients for the Peruvian chicken marinade. Add the chicken thighs to a plastic bag with the marinade, and marinate in the fridge for 2 hours to overnight for best results.
- On The Grill: Preheat grill to medium high. Brush grills with olive oil. Add the chicken and grill for 6-7 minutes on each side or until internal temperature reaches 165°F.
- In The Oven: Preheat oven to 450°F. Line a baking sheet with foil and spray with cooking spray to prevent sticking. Add chicken and roast for 25-30 minutes or until internal temperature reaches 165°F, flipping half way through cooking.
- On The Stove: Heat a cast iron or non stick pan over medium heat with a tablespoon of olive oil. Add the chicken thighs and remaining marinade to the pan. Cook for 5-7 minutes on each side or until internal temperature reaches 165°F.
More Delicious Main Courses
- Cilantro Lime Chicken
- Korean Fried Chicken
- Red Wine Braised Short Ribs
- The Best Shrimp Scampi
- Taco Meatball Casserole
Peruvian Chicken (Pollo A La Brasa)
Ingredients
For The Marinade:
- 3 tablespoons soy sauce low sodium
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 2 tablespoons lime juice 1 lime
- 1 ½ teaspoons paprika
- 1 ½ teaspoons cumin
- ½ teaspoon salt to taste
- 1 tablespoon honey or brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1 ½ pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs about 6
- 1 serving aji verde to serve with chicken
Instructions
- In a medium mixing bowl, combine all ingredients for the marinade. Add chicken thighs, and marinate chicken for 2 hours to overnight in a plastic freezer bag.
- On The Stove: Heat a cast iron pan over medium heat. Add the chicken thighs to the heated pan, spooning the remaining marinade over them. Cook the chicken for 5-7 minutes on each side or until cooked through.
- In The Oven: Preheat oven to 450°F. Line a baking sheet with foil and spray with nonstick spray. Add marinated chicken to the pan, and roast for 25-30 minutes or until internal temperature reaches 165°F.
- On The Grill: Preheat grill to medium high. Brush grills with olive oil. Add the chicken and grill for 6-7 minutes on each side or until internal temperature reaches 165°F.
- Serve with additional lime wedges, cilantro, and aji verde.
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26 thoughts on “Peruvian Chicken (Pollo A La Brasa)”
AMAZING. When we have special celebrations this is our go-to recipe. We make it with Persian rice and pickled cabbage/red onion. Delicious!!
So glad it’s a hit! Those sound like great sides!
What would you serve with this to make a well rounded, simple, traditional Peruvian meal?
Hi Pamela, I usually serve this recipe next to a Peruvian chopped salad, and some roasted potatoes. To keep things easy, I double the spices for the chicken and toss the potatoes in a little bit of them. They’re great with the aji verde too!
This recipe was so delicious. The sauce is what brought it home. But I did use Greek yogurt instead of mayonnaise. My husband said it was so good! I’m new to your site, so I look forward to exploring new recipes.
Glad it was a hit Mel, we love using Greek yogurt in the sauce for a healthier touch!
Loved it, this is even tastier than what we had in Peru. It kept the chicken very moist on the inside as I used breasts as I didn’t have any thighs when I came across this recipe. Cooked on the bar-b-que.
So happy it was a hit Diane! The barbecue makes all the difference!
OMGEEEE..My husband first tried Peruvian Chicken in Texas and fell in love with it. Well I came across this recipe , prayed and it came out perfectly…My husband says this chicken taste wayyyy better than the restaurant version and asks me to make this at least once a week…Thanks a lot, this recipe rocks!!!!
I am so glad it was a hit Nikki!
Trying this tonight. Very excited
Let us know how it turns out!
This chicken was so dang good!! I’m going to try making it as chicken skewers too. The marinade was sooo yummy!! Thank you for sharing.
So glad you loved it! Skewers are a great idea!
This recipe was so good, I’m making more chicken two days later. I air fried the chicken in my breville smart oven at 390 for about 12 mins. I made the green sauce less spicy by only using 2 jalapeños (seeds removed), and one Tbs of aji amarillo paste the lightweights in the family. Thank you for the wonderful recipe- we will be making it often!
I’m so glad you love it Leigh! I bet it would be delicious in the air fryer!
This chicken is soooo darn good!! We rated it a 10/10 !!
Thank you for the recipe!!
So glad you loved it Elise!
Great Recipe! Highly recommend very tasty, the sauce definitely has a kick. Everyone in my household loved it
So glad everyone loved it Lorraine!
This recipe was amazing! Loved it.
It’s one of my favorites!
Another AMAZING recipe! I topped this with the Peruvian Green Sauce, and I swear to GOD I had dreams about it last night. The chicken was also versatile enough to work in other dishes if you needed. My son thought the sauce was a little bit too spicy, so I made the chicken into a teriyaki bowl that was crazy good. This recipe will be going into my regular rotation!
Hi Sarah, I am so glad you loved it! definitely a match made in heaven, definitely has a bit of a kick. A teriyaki bowl sounds like a great idea!
Great chicken recipe; I served it with spicy Aji green sauce.
So glad you loved it Bev!