Peruvian Grilled Chicken With Aji Verde (aka Green Sauce)

There are several Peruvian dishes you may have tried before which you did not even know where Peruvian. One of them happens to be ceviche.

What, I thought this was Mexican?

Yes, ceviche is very popular in Mexico and you will often see derivatives of ceviche in the form of a seafood cocktail. However, food historians credit Peru as the true origin of ceviche.

One other very popular dish is known as Pollo a la Brasa which translates to grilled chicken. It sounds a little boring, which is why you will often see it called Peruvian Grilled Chicken. This lets you know this is no ordinary bland chicken that has been grilled. The dish is often served with a sauce called Aji Verde. Think of this sauce as salsa in Mexico or chimichurri in Argentina.

The sauce is creamy but spicy and it makes the chicken taste freaking amazing.

P.S., the sauce can also be served with steak and it too is amazing. Check out the recipe below for Pollo a la Brasa (Peruvian Grilled Chicken) with Aji Verde and let this serve as your passport to Peruvian food.

The recipe below is pretty authentic and uses some of the herbs and seasoning commonly used in making this dish. Some of these ingredients you may find at local latin markets while others you may need to buy on Amazon. I did provide links to Amazon where you can purchase some of these ingredients.

Ingredients 

Marinade for the Chicken

• 1 whole 3-4 pound chicken quartered
• 1 tablespoon huacatay paste (click link to purchase)
• 1 tablespoon aji amarillo paste (click link to purchase)
• 1/2 teaspoon achiote paste (click link to purchase)
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
• 3 tablespoons soy sauce
• 1 teaspoon white vinegar
• 5 cloves of garlic peeled
• 1/2 teaspoon dry oregano
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

For the Aji Verde (aka Green Sauce)

• 2 jalapenos stems removed
• 2 tablespoons Cotija cheese or parmesan cheese
• 1/4 cup plain yogurt (not greek!)
• 1/4 cup mayonnaise
• 1 tablespoon Aji Amarillo paste
• 1 cup cilantro leaves (packed)
• 1 medium garlic clove, peeled
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 teaspoon fresh lime juice
• ¼ to teaspoon salt
• small pinch black pepper

Instructions

Marinade for the Chicken

1. Place all of the spices, herbs, and liquids, and garlic in a food processor. Blend until smooth, 1-2 minutes. Place the chicken in a large Ziploc bag or glass baking dish. Pour the marinade over the chicken making sure to cover all parts. Refrigerate overnight.
2. Remove chicken from marinade (discard the marinade). Cook chicken, preferably over a charcoal fire. Make sure coals are hot and flames are very low. Cook chicken skin side down for 12-15 minutes. Flip the chicken, then cook another 12-15 minutes making sure chicken is fully cooked.
3. Place on a serving dish and cover with foil until ready to serve.

For the Aji Verde (Green Sauce)

1. Combine all of the ingredients except for the mayonnaise. Blend until smooth 1-2 minutes, add the mayonnaise pulse a few times making sure mayonnaise is mixed with the rest of the ingredients.

To Serve

1. Place chicken on a plate along with rice pilaf (recipe of your choice), spoon some of the Aji Verde on top of the chicken and enjoy.

Photo source: Daring Gourmet