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Skillet-Roasted Peruvian-Style Chicken
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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
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
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3
tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
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½
cup beer (see headnote)
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4
medium garlic cloves, finely grated
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2
tablespoons soy sauce
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2
tablespoons red wine vinegar
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2
tablespoons ají panca paste (see headnote) or 1 tablespoon sweet paprika, plus 1 tablespoon smoked paprika
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2
teaspoons dried oregano
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2
teaspoons ground cumin
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Kosher salt and ground black pepper
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4
bone-in, skin-on chicken leg quarters (about 3 pounds), trimmed
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1½
pounds Yukon Gold potatoes, unpeeled, sliced into ½-inch rounds
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½
cup lightly packed fresh cilantro, chopped
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Ají verde, to serve (optional)

Recipe
Ají Verde
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01In a 9-by-13-inch glass or ceramic baking dish, stir together 2 tablespoons oil, the beer, garlic, soy sauce, vinegar, ají panca, oregano, cumin, 1 teaspoon salt and 2 teaspoons pepper. Add the chicken and turn to coat. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or up to 24 hours, turning the chicken once about halfway through marinating.
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02Heat the oven to 450°F with a rack in the lowest position. Remove the chicken from the marinade; discard the marinade. Pat the chicken dry and season lightly with salt.
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03In a 12-inch oven-safe skillet over medium-high, heat the remaining 1 tablespoon oil until shimmering. Add the potatoes in an even layer and cook, uncovered and without stirring, until lightly browned at the edges, 2 to 3 minutes. Place the chicken skin side up on top of the potatoes. Transfer the skillet to the oven and roast until the chicken is deeply browned and the thickest part of the leg quarters reach 175°F, about 45 minutes.
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04Remove the pan from the oven (the handle will be hot). Let rest for about 10 minutes, then transfer the chicken and potatoes to a serving platter. Sprinkle with the cilantro and serve with ají verde (if using).