Peruvian Grilled Chicken
Aug 19, 2016, Updated Mar 03, 2025
This wonderfully aromatic butterflied chicken is big on flavor – make my Peruvian Spice Blend for an authentic spit-roasted chicken with a tender flesh and crispy skin. Smoky, Salty, Tangy and juicy to the bone!
Smoky, Salty, Tangy and juicy to the bone
Peruvian Cuisine’s Pollo a la Brasa is a common dish, originating in city of Lima in the 1950s. Marinated with local, latin ingredients – the whole bird can be finished in the oven, over spit-fire charcoal or a rotisserie -which seemed to be one man’s solution (and invention) at grilling more birds faster.
To create a moisture rich interior infused with flavor – marinade the chicken
I have butterflied the chicken to lie flat – so that all the skin can have contact with the grill, a crispy skin is crackling good!
A tangy marinade will penetrate the flesh overnight with a zesty finish (I’m loving Aji peppers found at my local supermarket!) Coat the bird all over with my Peruvian Spice Rub and grill… over charcoal, or a gas grill as I did.
Latin flavors are bold and complex in Karen’s Peruvian Spice Blend, which adds a flavor crust to the exterior of the chicken.
My South American Peruvian inspired seasoning blend features the Peruvian chile, Aji Amarillo. The lemony, fruity flavor of this medium spicy chile combines well with the subtle tartness of the lemon rind. Other seasonings include cumin, annatto, garlic, oregano, smoked paprika, salt & pepper. If the Aji chile is not available, use a moderately spicy chile such as an ancho.
See the recipe!
Peru has one of the Great Cuisines of the world
Which has been gaining popularity all over the globe. It is the original fusion food, having absorbed influences from almost every continent over the last 500 years and melded them with ingredients and dishes that provide a direct link to the Incas. Peru is the ancestral home of potatoes: they have been cultivated there for thousands of years – toss some with oil and the seasoning blend and roast – pairs nicely with the roast chicken.
If you’ve ever had Peruvian food, there’s a good chance you’ve tasted this under appreciated chile.
The Aji Amarillo is considered part of the holy trinity of Peruvian cuisine along with garlic and red onions
Peruvian Aji peppers are virtually unknown outside of the Andean region of South America. Aji Amarillo chile pods are 4-5 inches long and are considered a hot chile coming in at 30, 000 to 50, 000 SHU (Scoville Heat Units.)
“Aji” means chile pepper in Spanish, and “amarillo” means yellow.
While these are called “yellow chile peppers”, they actually mature to a deep orange color.
The fruity flavor has hints of mango and passion fruit while the fruitiness is different from other chiles, like anchos, as it is less sharp, with more of a subtle full body.
Peruvian chili peppers are not too spicy, but serve to give elevated taste and color to dishes.
Enjoy this outdoor grilling method – I’ll be thinking of roasting a bird in the oven Peruvian-style as the weather gets cooler, most likely over purple Peruvian Potatoes!
Karen
Karen’s Peruvian Grilled Chicken
Equipment
- outdoor grill
Ingredients
- 4 pounds fresh chicken, preferably air-chilled
Marinade:
- 3 tablespoons fresh lime juice, (from one juicy lime)
- 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
- 4 medium garlic cloves, peeled
- 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- 1 1/2 teaspoon sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon Aji peppers*, or spicy fresh pepper
Seasoning:
- 2 tablespoons Karen’s Peruvian Spice Blend, divided
Instructions
Prepare the Chicken:
- Clean and dry chicken. Butterfly and cut out back bone with a kitchen shear. Or, cut down the side of the backbone, leaving the backbone attached. Tuck the wings back. Place on a clean surface (hint: line with waxed paper.) Flatten the chicken with the heal of your hand, break the breastbone. Slash the chicken twice with a small sharp knife on each breast, and twice on each thigh. Dry well.
- Place the marinade ingredients in a blender (lime juice through aji peppers.) Add more peppers if you like very spicy. Add 2 teaspoons of Peruvian Spice Blend. Whirl until pureed, about 1 minute. Add chicken to a large, non-reactive bowl. Pour marinade all over and mix in well.
Marinate:
- Refrigerate overnight, or at least 6 hours. Set the grill to low (I have used a gas grill.) Take chicken out of refrigerator for 15 minutes while the grill heats. Wipe off any marinade. Place on a rimmed baking pan (line with wax paper for easy clean up.) Coat the chicken well with reserved Peruvian seasoning (1 T. & 1 t.) Lightly brush grill grates with a neutral oil. Add the chicken to the grill breast side up and cook until 120 degrees, (about 30 degrees shy of finished) which should take 45 – 50 minutes (this is low heat.)
- Turn the temperature to medium-high. Turn chicken over, skin side down. Cook until the skin has darkened and has crisped. Watch the grill for flare ups! – Chicken skin can burn quickly. Place on cooler side of grill, or turn heat down if it's getting too dark. (Alternately, choose a charcoal grill, use a two zone indirect fire.) Cook until an instant read thermometer inserted into deepest part of breast registers 160°- 165°F, about 10 minutes longer.
- Remove from grill to a rimmed baking pan, or a wooden carving board to cool. Add a sprinkling more of the seasoning while warm if desired. Taste for salt. Cut into fourths or eighths. Serve with lime wedges, and the juices from the pan.
- For tacos or salads, remove chicken from the bones and slice.
- * Aji peppers are available fresh, frozen and dried. I have used frozen for the marinade (from the latin section of a supermarket – free of preservatives.)
Notes
This recipe can not be reproduced without the permission of its author, Karen Sheer.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
