An icon of Peruvian cuisine. crispy and juicy meat, the dressing retains that background of ají panca, sillao, beer and spices that makes it unmistakable. When that aroma comes out of the oven, it's going to take quite a while to wait to cut it.
Turn what you find into an experience you can actually bring to your kitchen.
Preheat the oven to 220°C / 425°F and set a rack over a roasting tray. Place the chicken breast-side down, cut along both sides of the backbone with kitchen shears, and remove it; turn the bird over and press firmly on the breastbone until it lies flat. Pat it thoroughly dry with paper towels, especially the skin: the drier it is, the better it will brown.
Mix the ají panca paste, soy sauce, dark beer, red wine vinegar, ground garlic, cumin, oregano, rosemary, black pepper, salt, and oil into an even marinade. Carefully loosen the skin over the breast and thighs with your fingers, work some of the seasoning underneath, and rub the rest over both sides of the chicken. Set it on the rack skin-side up; a long marinade is not necessary here because the seasoning is placed directly against both the meat and the skin.
Roast the chicken skin-side up for 40 to 45 minutes. Rotate the tray once halfway through so it browns evenly, but do not baste the skin with liquid. It is ready when it looks deeply browned with firm, crisp skin, and a thermometer reads 74°C / 165°F in the thickest part of both the breast and thigh without touching bone.
Transfer the chicken to a board and let it rest 8 minutes uncovered so the skin does not soften. Cut it into portions and serve skin-side up. If it is crisp outside, juicy when carved, and carries that deep pollería aroma from the first piece, it came out exactly right. Done! This version proves you do not need to wait overnight for a seriously satisfying pollo a la brasa. 🔥
