Grilled Spatchcocked Peruvian Chicken with Aji Verde Sauce
This version of Peru’s famous pollo alla brasa is inspired by the one served at New York’s popular Peruvian restaurant chain Pio Pio. While traditionally the chicken is cooked whole on a rotisserie, we spatchcock it by removing the bird’s backbone and flattening it to make it faster and easier to grill at home. This also helps the marinade of lime juice, garlic, soy sauce, aji amarillo paste and cumin soak into the chicken quickly and evenly. The result is burnished skin, juicy and flavorful meat and lightly smoky depth that defines the dish. A creamy, slightly spicy sauce of aji verde (green chile) and lots of cilantro is the classic bright and herby contrast to the mouthwatering chicken. It’s a backyard-friendly route to memorable Peruvian flavor.
High-Protein Peruvian Chicken Breasts with Pinto Beans
We developed this version of flavorful, spice-marinated Peruvian chicken to be both easy to make at home and packed with protein — 66 grams per serving. The dish usually uses whole chicken, but we chose bone-in breasts for a consistently generous dose of lean protein in every portion. We found that a short 30-minute marination worked well for this cut, and instead of cooking the chicken on a grill or rotisserie we roasted it in a hot oven, a hands-off method that produced wonderfully juicy meat. Ají, the spicy, creamy green sauce made with cilantro and jalapeños, is the chicken’s classic accompaniment and is simple to make in a blender. We added a super-flavorful pot of simmered pinto beans to this recipe to double down on the protein. Other classic accompaniments to Peruvian chicken include yellow rice, sliced avocado and tomato salad if you’d like to round out your menu for a crowd. If you’re cooking for a smaller group, this is an excellent meal for prepping ahead for planned leftovers; the chicken, beans and sauce will all keep refrigerated for up to 4 days.
