Pio Pio Restaurant ★ 4.4
Pio Pio Restaurant on East Washington Street near Lake Eola is the Peruvian rotisserie chicken spot with pollo a la brasa, lomo saltado and tres leches cake.
Signature: Pollo a la brasa, Lomo saltado
History
Pollo a la brasa was invented in 1950s Lima at La Granja Azul restaurant, where Swiss expatriate Roger Schuler built the first commercial chicken rotisserie. The marinade evolved with Peru's Chinese-Peruvian (chifa) wave to include soy sauce. Peruvian migration to Central Florida accelerated through the 2000s; Pio Pio became Orlando's anchor Peruvian rotisserie in the downtown Lake Eola area. The bird is butterflied or whole, charcoal-roasted 90 minutes, and served with the canonical green herb sauce (aji verde) and yuca frita.
Common allergens: Soy
Make it at home
Ingredients
- 1 whole chicken, about 1.6kg, butterflied
- 60ml soy sauce
- 30ml lime juice
- 30g aji panca paste (Peruvian chili paste)
- 8 garlic cloves, minced
- 10g ground cumin
- 5g dried oregano
- 5g paprika
- 30ml vegetable oil
- Salt and pepper
- For aji verde sauce: 1 bunch cilantro, 2 jalapenos, 2 garlic cloves, 60ml mayonnaise, 30g feta or queso fresco, 30ml lime juice
Method
- Combine soy sauce, lime juice, aji panca, garlic, cumin, oregano, paprika and oil in a bowl. Whisk to combine.
- Place butterflied chicken in a large dish and coat thoroughly with the marinade. Refrigerate 4 hours minimum, ideally overnight.
- Heat oven to 200C / 400F with a wire rack over a roasting pan.
- Lay chicken skin-up on the rack. Roast 45 minutes, then increase to 220C / 425F for 15 to 20 minutes until skin is deep brown and internal thigh temperature reads 75C / 165F.
- While chicken roasts, blend all aji verde ingredients smooth in a blender. Salt to taste.
- Rest the chicken 10 minutes. Quarter and serve with aji verde, yuca fries and a green salad.
Tip from the editors. Aji panca paste is non-negotiable for the canonical color and flavor. Find it at any Latin grocery; substituting smoked paprika won't taste right.
This is the TableJourney editorial recipe, modelled on the canonical bistro / counter version. The first place to try the dish in its city of origin is below.
Where to eat pollo a la brasa
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