Traditional Peruvian Chicken Marinade

Infused with bold flavors, this Traditional Peruvian Chicken Marinade combines tangy lime juice, earthy cumin, and vibrant garlic with a touch of smoky paprika, fresh cilantro, and aji amarillo paste for an authentic taste. Perfect for grilling or roasting, it creates tender, juicy chicken with a flavorful crust that highlights the fruity heat of Peru’s iconic chili.

Why This Recipe Works

Traditional Flavors at Home: This authentic Peruvian chicken marinade recipe brings the taste of Peru’s famous broasted chicken to your home. The combination of aji amarillo paste and traditional spices creates that unmistakable Peruvian flavor profile that’s nearly impossible to achieve any other way!

Easy to Make: The beauty of this recipe lies in its simplicity – whisk together the marinade ingredients and let the chicken marinate. The versatile cooking methods mean you can achieve great results whether you’re grilling, pan-searing, or air frying.

Forget Boring Chicken: The powerful combination of lime juice, soy sauce, and aji amarillo transforms ordinary chicken into something new. This traditional Peruvian chicken marinade ensures the meat stays juicy while developing a beautiful crust during cooking, making this anything but your typical chicken dinner.

What Is Peruvian Chicken?

Peruvian chicken, also known as pollo a la brasa is a spit-roasted chicken available all over the country! It is marinated in a traditional Peruvian chicken marinade consisting of soy sauce, lime, garlic, and ají amarillo paste. This marinade penetrates deep into the meat, creating a tender and flavorful chicken.

In Peru, you will find this chicken served with french fries, salad, and sometimes rice. It is almost always served with a spicy green sauce called aji verde, which is packed with cilantro for an herbaceous flavor.

Supplies Needed

Large mixing bowl for marinade
Whisk
Meat thermometer
Container or zip-top bag for marinating
Grill, pan, or air fryer

Ingredients

Olive Oil: Use a high quality olive oil for the best flavor.
Soy Sauce: Provides a savory, umami flavor!
Lime Juice: This helps to tenderize the meat, but also balances out the flavors.
Garlic Cloves: For a depth of savory flavor.
Aji Amarillo Paste: The heart of Peruvian cuisine, this yellow chili paste offers fruity heat and distinctive flavor. It is easiest to use the paste, rather than go looking for the aji amarillo peppers (Peruvian yellow pepper). You can find this paste at specialty stores or online!
Spices: You will need cumin, paprika, oregano, and freshly ground black pepper to add extra flavor to the marinade.

Making Peruvian Chicken Marinade

Combine Ingredients: Make the marinade by combining the soy sauce, lime juice, garlic, aji Amarillo paste, olive oil, and spices in a bowl. Whisk to combine.
Add Chicken: Pour the marinade over the chicken and let it marinate for 2 hours or overnight.
Prepare Chicken: Prepare the chicken by grilling over direct heat, pan searing, or air frying. The chicken should be cooked until it hits 165 F. internal.
Serve & Enjoy: Serve with aji verde sauce and enjoy.

Cooking Methods

While Peruvian chicken is traditionally grilled or roasted, you can choose how to cook your chicken in this Peruvian chicken recipe. If you are making a Peruvian style whole chicken, I recommend following my tips on grilling a whole chicken or following this guide for my Peruvian Chicken Wings.

If you are using chicken breasts, legs, or thighs, you have the option between grilling, pan-searing, or air frying. Cooking times will vary depending on the cut of chicken you are using! So keep a meat thermometer handy to check the internal temperature as you cook.

Grill Method: Preheat grill to medium-high heat (375-400°F). Grill chicken for 10-15 minutes, turning occasionally and basting with leftover marinade until internal temperature reaches 165°F.
Pan-Seared: Sear the chicken in a hot skillet until cooked through. If the inside is not cooked through all the way and the outside is done, you can pop it into the oven until cooked through.
Air Fryer: Cook at 375°F for 15-20 minutes, flipping halfway through. This method yields crispy skin while keeping the meat juicy.

What To Pair With It

Peruvian chicken can be served with traditional sides like green aji sauce (aji verde) or aji amarillo sauce, arroz verde, or french fries to soak up the flavorful juices. It also goes amazingly with pickled onions or simple cucumber cilantro salad! As a low carb option, try serving it with cauliflower rice.

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