Pollo a la Brasa
An easy Peruvian chicken built around whole chicken and aji panca paste — roughly 65 minutes start to finish, and rated medium to make. You'll find the full ingredient list (with a scaler to change the servings), 6 steps of method, substitutions, and ideas for what to serve alongside.
You'll mainly reach for oven and pan. At medium difficulty across 6 steps, it's manageable with a little attention.
What you'll need
Shopping list (2)
Pantry staples (you likely have these)
🔁 Unit converter
How to make it
- Make the marinade by mashing the garlic to a paste and whisking it with the cumin, paprika, oregano, aji panca, soy sauce, vinegar, lime juice, olive oil, black pepper, and a generous pinch of salt.
- Pat the chicken thoroughly dry, then rub the marinade all over the skin and inside the cavity, working some under the breast skin, and refrigerate covered for at least 4 hours or overnight.
- Take the chicken out 30 minutes before cooking and heat the oven to 200C, setting the bird breast-up on a rack over a tray to catch the drippings.
- Roast for about 1 hour and 15 minutes, basting once or twice with the pan juices, until the skin is deeply burnished and the juices run clear.
- Confirm doneness with a thermometer in the thickest part of the thigh, which should read 74C, then tent loosely with foil and rest for 10 to 15 minutes.
- Carve into quarters and serve with the resting juices spooned over, alongside fries and a green salad.
You'll use: Oven · Pan · Whisk
Ingredient substitutions
- Soy Sauce
- tamari (gluten-free) · coconut aminos
- Lime
- lemon
What to serve with Pollo a la Brasa
- Anticuchos Beef
- Ceviche Seafood
- Chupe de Camarones Seafood
- Lomo Saltado Beef
Tips & common questions
How long does Pollo a la Brasa take to make?
About 65 minutes from start to finish — an estimate based on the 6 steps and 12 ingredients. Times vary with your kitchen and how much prep you do ahead.
What can I use instead of soy sauce?
Try tamari (gluten-free). See the substitutions section above for more swaps.
Can I scale this recipe up or down?
Yes — use the servings control above the ingredients and every quantity rescales automatically (fractions included). Cooking times stay roughly the same; very large batches may need a little longer.
How should I store leftovers?
Cool leftovers quickly, refrigerate in an airtight container, and eat within 3 days. Reheat until piping hot throughout.
Related recipes
Pollo a la Brasa is an original Peruvian recipe developed in-house by Consomee. Photo: Pollo a la brasa pierna con papas.JPG (Public domain) via Wikimedia Commons. We add the serving scaler, ingredient tools, timing and structure on top — how we source recipes.