History

Invented in 1950 by Swiss-Peruvian Roger Schuler at Granja Azul in Santa Clara, Ate, outside Lima; the rotisserie technique used a custom spit built by fellow Swiss metalworker Franz Ulrich. Declared a Peruvian cultural patrimony in 2010; the third Sunday of July is the Dia Nacional del Pollo a la Brasa nationwide.

Common allergens: Gluten if marinade includes soy

Make it at home

Yield Serves 4Hands-on 20 minTotal 8 hrDifficulty Intermediate

Ingredients

  • 1 whole chicken (1.5kg)
  • 60ml soy sauce
  • 60ml red wine vinegar
  • 120ml dark beer
  • 3 tbsp aji panca paste
  • 6 cloves garlic, crushed
  • 1 tbsp ground cumin
  • 1 tbsp dried oregano
  • 1 tbsp paprika
  • Sea salt and black pepper
  • Lemon wedges
  • French fries to serve
  • Salad of lettuce, tomato and red onion to serve

Method

  1. Whisk soy, vinegar, beer, aji panca, garlic, cumin, oregano, paprika, salt and pepper into a marinade.
  2. Submerge the chicken in the marinade and refrigerate 6-8 hours (overnight is better).
  3. Preheat oven to 200C with a wire rack over a deep tray; or set up rotisserie attachment over the same.
  4. Roast chicken breast-up 45-55 minutes; rotate or baste every 15 minutes until skin is mahogany and juices run clear.
  5. Rest 10 minutes; carve into quarters.
  6. Plate with chips, salad, lemon and three aji sauces (verde, amarillo, rocoto).

Tip from the editors. Real pollo a la brasa needs the rotisserie; if oven-roasting, brush the skin with extra marinade three times for the canonical mahogany crust.

Where to eat pollo a la brasa

Pollo a la brasa in Lima

Pardos Chicken Benavides ★ 4.3

Peruvian$$mirafloresMon-Thu 12:00-00:00, Fri-Sat 12:00-01:00, Sun 12:00-00:00

Pardos Chicken at Av Alfredo Benavides 730 in Miraflores is Lima's canonical pollo a la brasa house, quarter chicken with chips and salads from S/30.

Try: Pollo a la brasa quarter chicken with chips

Order: Quarter chicken pollo a la brasa with papas fritas and ensalada (around S/40).

Tip: Open till 01:00 Fri-Sat; the brand also runs Larcomar and Salaverry branches with the same carta.

Av Alfredo Benavides 730, Miraflores, Lima 15048

Tanta Larcomar ★ 4.0

Peruvian$$mirafloresDaily 12:00-23:00

Tanta Larcomar at Malecon de la Reserva 610 in Miraflores is Gaston Acurio's casual Peruvian chain in Larcomar, the lomo saltado and ceviche carta from S/35.

Try: Lomo saltado, ceviche, anticucho carta de Acurio

Order: Lomo saltado with chaufa and a chicha morada (around S/55).

Tip: Other Tanta branches: Av Felipe Salaverry 2370 (Jesus Maria), Pancho Fierro 115 (San Isidro), same carta everywhere.

Malecon de la Reserva 610, CC Larcomar, Miraflores, Lima 15074

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Pollo a la brasa in Orlando

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