Pollo a la Brasa

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Welcome to my favorite way to make chicken EVER, Pollo a la Brasa. But instead of on a rotisserie outside, we’re doing it in the oven. The marinade will result in a deliciously authentic Peruvian-style chicken. I like to serve it over a bread salad with Aji Verde sauce and cold glasses of Chicha Morada.

Pollo a la Brasa in cast iron skillet.

Every now and then I wonder what it would be like to own a restaurant. And what my restaurant would look and feel like. I think about what I would serve, what my story would be, what the decor would look like.

But if I did in theory own a restaurant, this would be on the menu. It’s a roasted chicken with flavors of Peruvian pollo a la brasa, my favorite chicken ever. But served over a bread salad, reminiscent of Zuni Cafe. It would be a merging of cultures, both of which I identify with and are mine. (Maybe San Francisco isn’t my culture but you know what I mean!) I would say that my food and the food I would want to serve leans feminine. This is an attribute, by the way. Girly food is dope.

Ingredients You’ll Need for Pollo a la Brasa

Radicchio in bowl.
  1. A whole chicken – I like a not too big of chicken for this dish. I prefer a 3-pound fryer chicken. It’s a good size and will feed 3-4 people comfortably.
  2. Huacatay Paste – I love to add this to the marinade but if you can’t find it, skip it completely!
  3. Aji amarillos (or other peppers) – I love using aji amarillos (or using the paste) but if you can’t find it, feel free to add in a jalapeño or serrano pepper.
  4. Soy sauce – This adds a lot of umami flavors to the marinade.
  5. Garlic – Lots and lots of garlic.

For the rest of the ingredients, please see the recipe index card below!

Chicken halfway roasted.

How to Make Pollo a la Brasa

  1. Make the marinade – Add all of the ingredients to a blender and pulse it up.
  2. Marinate the bird – Add the chicken to a big bowl or a marinating bag and rub it all around making sure it’s properly marinated. Transfer to the fridge overnight.
  3. Roast the bird – Preheat the oven to 425F. While the oven is pre-heating, I like to drain the bird of any of the marinade and dry it off with a paper towel. Place the chicken in a large cast iron skillet OR place it on a baking sheet with a cooling rack nestled on top.
  4. Flip the chicken – At the 20 to 25 minute-mark, remove the chicken from the oven and flip it. I found that using a pair of tongs inserted into the cavity of the chicken, made it super easy to flip. Return it back to the oven and cook for an additional 25 minutes and until an internal temp reads 165F.
  5. Toast the bread – Bring the oven down to 400F. Toss the bread and walnuts in olive oil and transfer to a baking sheet to toast for 10 minutes.
  6. Make the salad – Add the drippings from the chicken to a large bowl. Then add in the red wine vinegar, black pepper and salt. Whisk it until combined. Add the lettuce and toss.
  7. Pour in the toasted walnuts and bread. Toss one last time and serve with the chicken on top. Yum!

How to Grill this Pollo a la Brasa

Preheat your grill to 375F-400F. Chicken breast side up, place the chicken on the part where the indirect heat is. Cover the lid.

15-20 minutes per pound. That’s the general rule. So for a 3-pound chicken, you’ll want to grill it for about 45 minutes or until an internal temperature reads 165F.

Rest chicken. Let it rest on a cutting board for 10 minutes before slicing it.

Amelia staring at the pollo a la brasa.

Peruvian Ingredients

Huacatay is black mint. It’s an herb indigenious to Peru and is pretty hard to find in the United States. They sell it in paste form at most Latin super markets and online. Feel free to skip it if you can’t find it!

Aji amarillos are spicy yellow peppers that are also indigenious to Peru. I like to buy them frozen in at the Latin supermaker. You can also buy it in paste form.

Pollo a la Brasa over a salad with aji verde.

Recipe FAQs

Can I skip the salad and croutons and just serve the chicken?

Of course! I would serve it with a side of rice or my yucca fries.

Can I use another lettuce besides radicchio?

Absolutely, simply add more kale or another sturdy lettuce.

What does pollo a la brasa mean in English?

It means rotisserie chicken.

Plated pollo a la brasa.

More Peruvian Recipes

If you tried this Pollo a la Brasa Recipe or any other recipe on my website, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below. Thanks for visiting!

5 from 3 votes

Pollo a la Brasa

Prep: 30 minutes
Cook: 1 hour
Marinating Time: 4 hours
Total: 5 hours 30 minutes
Servings: 4
My favorite Peruvian chicken: pollo a la brasa married with the style of famous Zuni Cafe's famous chicken served with a bread salad. 

Ingredients 

Marinade:

  • 1/4 cup soy sauce
  • 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon huacatay paste , (or 1 tablespoon freshly minced mint)
  • 1 fresno chile, jalapeño or aji amarillo
  • 1-inch knob fresh ginger, peeled and grated
  • 6 garlic cloves, peeled
  • 1 teaspoon sweet paprika
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
  • 1 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
  • 1 (3-pound) fryer chicken

Bread Salad:

  • 1/4 loaf bread, cubed (I used a polenta sourdough loaf)
  • 1/3 cup walnuts
  • Olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
  • 4 leaves lacinato kale, ends trimmed and sliced
  • 1 head radicchio, end trimmed and sliced
  • Freshly ground pepper
  • Kosher salt

Instructions 

To Make the Pollo a la Brasa Marinade:

  • To a blender, add the soy sauce, red wine vinegar, huacatauy (or minced mint), pepper, fresh ginger, garlic cloves, cumin, paprika, kosher salt and freshly cracked pepper. Blend until mostly smooth. 
  • To a large bowl or large plastic resealable bag, add the chicken, along with the sauce. Mix until combined and cover; transfer to the fridge to marinate for at least 4 hours, but ideally 24 hours. 

To Cook the Chicken:

  • Remove the chicken from the fridge. Holding the chicken over the trash, tilt the chicken and allow the marinade to run off in the trash. Place the chicken back on a wire rack or cutting board and using clean kitchen towels or paper towels, dry the chicken on both sides. 
  • Place a 12-inch cast iron skillet or shallow baking dish in the oven. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Meanwhile, allow the chicken to come to room temperature while the oven preheats. 
  • Open the oven and slide the rack out. Breast-side up, place the chicken in the pan; it will sizzle a lot when it hits the pan—that’s great! Roast the chicken until you see the chicken breasts start to blister and brown, about 20 to 25 minutes. Carefully remove the chicken from the oven and flip the chicken over. I found that using a pair of tongs and clean kitchen towels were super helpful. 
  • Return the chicken back to the oven to cook for an additional 25 minutes, until the opposite side is super golden brown. I took a peak at the chicken periodically to make sure it wasn’t getting too browned. Insert a meat thermometer into the deepest part of the chicken (where the leg meets the thigh) and you’ll know it’s ready when the thermometer hits 165 degrees F. 

To Rest the Chicken:

  • Get a small bowl ready. Remove the chicken from the oven and tilt the chicken so all the drippings fall into a large bowl. Transfer the chicken to a cooling rack to rest. If any drippings have fallen while the chicken is resting, add those to the large bowl too.

To Make the Bread Salad:

  • Bring the oven temperature down to 400 degrees F. 
  • To a baking sheet, add the bread cubes and walnuts. Drizzle them with olive oil and a few pinches of salt; toss until evenly coated.
  • Transfer the bread cubes and walnuts to a baking sheet. Place in the oven and bake until evenly browned for about 10 minutes. Remove and allow to come to room temperature slightly, about 5 minutes.
  • Meanwhile, in the bowl with the drippings, add the red wine vinegar, a few pinches of kosher salt, lots of rounds of black pepper; give it a taste and adjust the salt to your liking. 
  • Add the kale and raddichio and toss until evenly combined. Next, add the warm walnuts and bread cubes from the oven; toss until combined one last time. Transfer back to the pan (to serve) or a platter. Place the rested chicken on top and serve. 
  • You’re also welcome to carve up the chicken and serve that on top of the salad. 

Notes

Tips and Tricks: 
  • Huacatay is black mint. It’s an herb indigenious to Peru and is pretty hard to find in the United States. They sell it in paste form at most Latin super markets and online. Feel free to skip it if you can’t find it!
  • Aji amarillos are spicy yellow peppers that are also indigenious to Peru. I like to buy them frozen in at the Latin supermaker. You can also buy it in paste form.
To Grill the Chicken: 
  • Preheat your grill to 375F-400F. Chicken breast side up, place the chicken on the part where the indirect heat is. Cover the lid.
  • 15-20 minutes per pound. That’s the general rule. So for a 3-pound chicken, you’ll want to grill it for about 45 minutes or until an internal temperature reads 165F.
  • Rest chicken. Let it rest on a cutting board for 10 minutes before slicing it.

Nutrition

Serving: 4g | Calories: 450kcal | Carbohydrates: 22g | Protein: 82g | Fat: 42.7g | Saturated Fat: 10.6g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Cholesterol: 361mg | Sodium: 270mg | Potassium: 79mg | Fiber: 0.5g | Sugar: 0.4g | Vitamin A: 200IU | Calcium: 190mg | Iron: 0.5mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Additional Info

Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American, Peruvian
Like this Recipe? Please Rate & comment below!

Cozy Latin-Inspired Comfort Food Recipes

Hi! I'm Adrianna and this is my cozy space on the internet that is super-charged by butter, flour and copious amounts of pasta. Stay awhile, will you!

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6 Comments

  1. 5 stars
    Just made this! I paired it with green poblano rice and subbed chard for radicchio. Turned out so delicious! Will definitely make this again.

  2. This sounds delicious. I’m wondering if I could use that marinade on chicken breasts and then throw them on the grill?