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This is the archived version of the Milk Street website and is no longer up to date.

Please visit 177milkstreet.com to see the current website with all of the latest recipes!

Skillet-Roasted Peruvian-Style Chicken

4 Servings

1¼ hours 25 minutes active, plus marinating

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Peruvian pollo a la brasa is a whole chicken that is marinated, then cooked slowly on a rotisserie until the meat is ultra-tender; fried potatoes are a common accompaniment. Here, we use chicken leg quarters and roast them directly on top of sliced Yukon Golds that have first been lightly browned in the skillet on the stovetop. Marinate the chicken for 24 hours, if you can; if that’s not an option, give it at least an hour to soak in the seasonings. Ají panca paste is made from a Peruvian variety of chili of the same name; the paste is red with fruity, lightly smoky undertones and little heat. Look for it, sold in jars, in well-stocked supermarkets or Latin American grocery stores. If you cannot find it, don’t hesitate to use the sweet paprika plus smoked paprika substitute. Beer is a common marinade ingredient for pollo a la brasa; Cusqueña, a Peruvian lager, is a good choice, but any quaffable variety will do. We highly recommend serving the chicken and potatoes with ají verde (recipe below), a Peruvian goes-with-everything condiment that’s deliciously creamy, tangy, herbal and spicy.

4

Servings

Tip

Don’t forget to pat the chicken dry after removing it from the marinade, and before sprinkling it with salt and placing the pieces in the skillet. The drier the skin, the better the browning and crisping.

1¼ hours

25 minutes active, plus marinating

Ingredients

  • 3

    tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided

  • ½

    cup beer (see headnote)

Directions

Reviews
Guenther H.
August 27, 2026
Making it for the third time today
Delicious. Made it with the paprika substitute the first time and it was great but then bought the aji panca powder and used it the next time. It was even better then. I figured the powder would store better than the paste. I used a #12 cast iron skillet which accommodates more potatoes. There are also equally large stainless steel 14" skillets but the cast iron doesn't have sloping sides so will fit more potatoes. I used the potato ends and some other slices and cooked them separately to add even more potatoes.
BRAD S.
February 4, 2026
Simple and delicious
Definitely want to marinate 24 hours for maximum flavor. Potatoes soak up juices while roasting. The Aji sauce compliments the chicken nicely.
NINA F.
December 4, 2025
Fantastic
Amazingly delicious- my husband’s new favorite
Christine R.
July 26, 2025
So much flavor
Great flavor, minimal effort - what's not to like? My only comment would be; not enough potatoes. Such great flavor and the aji verde is a perfect match. Thank you!
Ann D.
June 22, 2025
Wow!
Our first Milk Street recipe and it was a huge hit with our family

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