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These Peruvian chicken skewers, known as anticuchos de pollo, deliver smoky, juicy bites layered with earthy aji panca chile, garlic, cumin, vinegar, and citrus. Inspired by Peru's legendary street food tradition, these flame kissed skewers develop irresistible charred edges while staying remarkably tender inside. They're bold, vibrant, and perfect served with grilled sweet potatoes, easy tasty chimichurri sauce, or a crisp salad.
For more grilling inspiration, check out this grilled piri piri chicken dish.
What are anticuchos?
Like most, I'm no stranger to kebabs but I'm very fond of these Peruvian chicken kebabs which are basically street food you'd likely find in the streets of Lima. I had them about 3-4 years ago for the first time during my first and hopefully not last trip to Peru.
Beats and Eats (music to pair with grilled chicken appetizers)
Jimi Hendrix's "Crosstown Traffic" drives forward with gritty guitar riffs, sharp rhythmic accents, and explosive dynamics that mirror the smoky char, lively acidity, and layered spice of these Peruvian chicken skewers. Every bend in the guitar feels like another brush of aji panca marinade hitting the flames, while the song's relentless groove matches the juicy bite, crisp edges, and vibrant finish of authentic anticuchos.
Key Anticuchos Ingredients
- Chicken Breasts
- Aji Amarillo paste
- Dried Oregano
- Cumin
How I Make These Chicken Kebabs
When I make Peruvian chicken skewers, I always give the marinade time to work. I coat chunks of chicken thighs generously and let them marinate overnight because patience builds flavor you simply cannot rush.
Before grilling, I wipe away excess marinade instead of leaving thick clumps that scorch over the fire. I thread the chicken loosely onto skewers so heat circulates evenly, then grill over high heat, turning often until every piece develops caramelized edges while staying juicy inside. During the final minute, I brush on a little reserved marinade mixed with fresh oil for one last layer of glossy flavor.
The biggest mistake I see is cooking over blazing heat from start to finish. That burns the exterior before the chicken finishes cooking. Finish everything with flaky salt, fresh lime juice, and chopped cilantro to brighten the rich, smoky flavors.
Key Tips
- Make them as hot or mild as you want especially if spicy ain't your thing. In this case just forgo the chilis altogether or just remove seeds/veins.
- You can use any sauce recipe you like. The key is to marinate the chicken beforehand to ensure its moist when cooked through. And be careful to not overcook or else they become stringy and chewy.
- Use two skewers for the kebabs to make it easier to flip when grilling
- Soak the skewers in cold water for an hour in advance to keep the wood from burning during cooking.
- Feel free to substitute other meats including shrimp, fish, and lamb. If using fish choose thicker and firm types.
make Peruvian chicken skewers
Fire up the grill, embrace the smoke, and let these Peruvian chicken skewers bring a little Lima street food energy straight to your backyard.
If you make these anticuchos, come back and leave me a comment below with your feedback. Definitely take a photo of the dish and be sure to tag #foodfidelity so that I can see them.
You can also keep up with my food exploits as well as original recipes! You can find me on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest. If you like any of the music you find on the site, visit me at Spotify to find curated monthly playlists.
Peruvian Chicken Kebabs (anticuchos)
Ingredients
- 2 chicken breast fillets cut into bite sized pieces
- Kosher salt
- Yellow Pepper Marinade
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- ½ cup aji amarillo paste store bought or homemade
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon cumin
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 6-8 aji amarillo chiles (stemmed and deseeded) substitute 2 habanero and 1 large yellow bell pepper
- 3 tablespoon vinegar
- ¼ cup sugar
- 1 tablespoon canola oil
Method
- Place chiles in a pot of cold water and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer 30 minutes until ajis are soft. Strain ajis and place in blender and add other ingredients. Blend to form a creamy paste. Strain in a mesh sieve.
- Place all ingredients in bowl and mix well
- Marinate chicken in yellow pepper marinade for at least 30 minutes.
- Remove pieces from marinade. Sprinkle with salt. Thread 3-4 pieces onto two skewers each.
- Grill chicken kebabs on high heat about 4 minutes per side, brushing with the marinade.
I'm going to try this but I can't imagine how such a small amount of marinade ingredients is going to cover two chicken breasts. There's no way that's correct for a marinade.
Hi you're correct the measurements are off. I've corrected it. Thanks
Nice Post. Thanks!