Peruvian Chicken Ramen
Peruvian roasted chicken, pollo a la brasa, is one of those national dishes that a country gets exactly right and then exports to the world, where it gets approximately right and still manages to be extraordinary. The marinade is aji amarillo, which is a bright yellow pepper that tastes like citrus and chile had a child and that child was specifically designed to make chicken taste better. Huacatay, the black mint paste used traditionally, shows up in the aji verde sauce that goes on top, that green situation you see drizzled across everything at a Peruvian restaurant and can never stop eating. This bowl takes all of those flavors, puts them into a broth, and adds ramen noodles, which may be the most quietly correct ramen decision I have made in a long time.
Aji amarillo—chicken chars and smells like sun—aji verde pours
Let Me Tell You...
The Peruvian rotisserie chicken place near my apartment has a line out the door at eleven o'clock on a Tuesday night, and it will have that line forever because what they are doing there cannot be replicated by proximity or economy or any of the usual factors that make restaurants struggle.
It is the aji amarillo.
It is always the aji amarillo.
That pepper does something to chicken that no other ingredient can, something that tastes simultaneously like heat and brightness and freshness and acid all at once without being any one of those things exclusively.
Don't substitute with cayenne or habanero.
The flavor profile is completely different.
The marinade here uses aji amarillo paste, garlic, cumin, lime, and a splash of soy sauce, which is the traditional Peruvian combination and it sounds strange until you understand that Peru has a significant Japanese-Peruvian culinary tradition called Nikkei, so soy sauce in Peruvian cooking is less of a surprise than the world gives it credit for.
The soy adds depth and helps the skin develop color in the oven, and the cumin adds warmth without competing with the pepper.
Aji verde is the green sauce, and the recipe below is a simplified version of the classic, which traditionally includes huacatay, a Peruvian black mint paste that is transcendent if you can find it and borderline irreplaceable if you can't.
Without huacatay, you get a very good jalapeño-cilantro sauce.
With it, you get the actual sauce.
Worth a trip to a Latin grocery store if you're making this for someone you want to impress.
It should be bright and slightly spicy.
Adjust lime and salt before it hits the warm bowl, where flavors will mellow.
There is an argument to be made that a bowl of ramen topped with aji verde is what the sauce was always meant for.
The broth absorbs it.
The noodles hold it.
The chicken carries it.
The bowl is just a delivery mechanism for a sauce that deserves all the attention it gets.
Ingredients
- 8 ounces dried ramen noodles (2 bricks, seasoning packets discarded)
- 1.25 lbs boneless skinless chicken thighs
- 2 tablespoons aji amarillo paste
- 3 cloves garlic, minced (plus 2 more for aji verde)
- 1 tablespoon low-sodium soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon lime juice (plus more for aji verde)
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
- 3 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- 1 tablespoon aji amarillo paste (for broth)
- Kosher salt and black pepper, to taste
- For aji verde: 1 jalapeño (seeds removed), 1 cup packed fresh cilantro, 2 cloves garlic, 2 tablespoons mayonnaise, 2 tablespoons lime juice, 2 tablespoons olive oil, 1 tablespoon huacatay paste (optional), salt to taste
Preparation
- Combine aji amarillo paste, 3 cloves minced garlic, soy sauce, 1 tablespoon lime juice, ground cumin, oregano, and 1 tablespoon olive oil in a bowl. Add chicken thighs and toss to coat. Cover and marinate in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours.
- Make the aji verde: Combine jalapeño, cilantro, garlic, mayonnaise, lime juice, olive oil, and huacatay paste (if using) in a blender. Blend until fully smooth. Season with salt. Refrigerate until ready to use.
- Preheat oven to 425F. Heat remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil in an oven-safe skillet over high heat. Sear chicken thighs for 2-3 minutes per side until caramelized and golden. Transfer skillet to oven and roast for 15-18 minutes until cooked through. Rest 5 minutes, then slice.
- While chicken roasts, make the broth: Combine chicken broth and 1 tablespoon aji amarillo paste in a small saucepan over medium heat. Whisk to combine and simmer for 8 minutes. Season with salt. Keep warm.
- Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Cook ramen noodles for 2-3 minutes until just tender. Drain and divide between serving bowls.
- Ladle aji amarillo broth over noodles. Arrange sliced chicken on top. Drizzle aji verde generously across the chicken and noodles. Add optional toppings and serve immediately.