Pollo a la Brasa With Aji Verde
True pollo a la brasa, Peru’s famous chicken, requires a rotisserie — but there is a way to capture the flavors of the dish in a home oven. The key is the marinade, which involves aji panca or aji amarillo, two mild chiles commonly used in Peruvian cooking, and huacatay, a type of mint native to the Andes. Rub the chicken with the marinade and let it marinate overnight — or roast it right away, over potatoes cut into fries, to mimic the french fries commonly served with restaurant-style pollo a la brasa. For deeply burnished skin, baste the chicken with leftover marinade as it cooks.
Pollo a la brasa is often served with a green sauce called aji verde that gets its flavor from green chiles, huacatay and cilantro. Mayonnaise or a crumbly cheese like queso fresco is added for richness, though you can use Greek yogurt or feta cheese instead.
NOTE: To cut a chicken in half, using kitchen shears, cut through its backbone, then around through its breast bone until the two halves are separate. You may also ask a store butcher to do this.
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Leftovers may be refrigerated in covered containers for up to 4 days.
Aji panca or aji amarillo, and huacatay, can be found as jarred pastes at Hispanic markets and online.
The chicken may be marinated overnight, if desired.
Ingredients
For the chicken
- 4 tablespoons olive or vegetable oil, divided
- 4 cloves garlic, minced or finely grated
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce, tamari or Liquid Aminos
- 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 1 tablespoon aji panca paste or aji amarillo paste (may substitute with another chile or hot sauce, such as sambal oelek, sriracha or Valentina)
- 2 teaspoons jarred huacatay paste (may substitute with 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh rosemary leaves)
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- One (4 -pound) whole chicken, cut in half through the breastbone and backbone (see NOTE)
- 3 large russet potatoes or sweet potatoes (2 1/2 to 3 pounds total), cut into 1/2-inch thick fries
- 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt or table salt
For the aji verde
- 1/3 cup mayonnaise, Greek yogurt, crumbled queso fresco or feta
- 1 ounce fresh cilantro leaves and tender stems (about 1/2 bunch), roughly chopped
- 1 tablespoon jarred huacatay paste (may substitute with 1/2 ounce fresh mint leaves and tender sprigs)
- 4 cloves garlic
- 1 serrano or jalapeño, stemmed, deseeded and roughly chopped
- 1 tablespoon aji amarillo paste (optional)
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- Finely grated zest and juice of 1 lime
- Fine sea salt or table salt
Directions
Step 1
Make the chicken: In a large bowl or resealable bag, mix together 2 tablespoons of oil, the garlic, soy sauce, vinegar, aji panca or other chile paste or sauce, huacatay paste or rosemary, and cumin. Add the halved chicken, turning to coat it on all sides and in all crevices with marinade. Set aside while you prepare the potatoes — or cover the bowl or seal the bag and refrigerate overnight.
Step 2
Position a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 375 degrees.
Step 3
Pour the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil on a large, rimmed baking sheet. Add the potatoes and toss until well coated. Lightly season with salt. Shake the excess marinade off the chicken and place it, breast-side up, with the legs facing the rear of the oven, atop the potatoes; reserve the marinade. Roast for 35 minutes, then remove the baking sheet from the oven. Using tongs, turn the exposed potatoes so they brown evenly on all sides. Brush or spoon the remaining marinade evenly over the chicken.
Step 4
Increase the oven temperature to 400 degrees, and roast chicken for an additional 10 to 15 minutes, or until well browned and an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh reads 165 degrees. Let the chicken rest for 10 minutes before serving.
Step 5
Make the aji verde: To a blender, add the mayonnaise, yogurt or cheese, cilantro, huacatay paste or mint, garlic, serrano or jalapeño, aji amarillo paste, if using, cumin, lime zest and juice, and puree until smooth, stopping to scrape down the sides of the jar as needed. Taste, and season with salt, if desired.
Step 6
Serve the warm chicken and potatoes, family-style, with the aji verde on the side.
Step 7
Correction: An earlier version of this recipe listed the wrong recipe tester. It has been corrected.
