Peruvian Grilled Chicken Anticuchos with Chilled Avocado Aji Verde

Whisk the aji panca paste, garlic, vinegar, cumin, oil and salt together in a large bowl until it forms a loose brick-red marinade with no dry pockets of spice.

Serves 4

Ingredients

• 900 g boneless chicken thighs, cut into 4 cm cubes
• 3 tablespoons aji panca paste (or 2 tablespoons smoked paprika plus 1 teaspoon chili powder)
• 4 cloves garlic, finely grated
• 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
• 1 tablespoon ground cumin
• 3 tablespoons vegetable oil, plus more for the grill
• 2 teaspoons fine sea salt
• 1 large ripe avocado, halved and pitted
• 1 cup fresh cilantro leaves and tender stems, packed
• 2 aji amarillo peppers, seeded (or 1 jalapeno plus 1 teaspoon turmeric for color)
• 1/3 cup mayonnaise
• 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
• 8 metal or soaked bamboo skewers

Instructions

1. Whisk the aji panca paste, garlic, vinegar, cumin, oil and salt together in a large bowl until it forms a loose brick-red marinade with no dry pockets of spice.
2. Add the chicken cubes and turn them until every piece is coated, then cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours and up to overnight. The vinegar tenderizes the thigh meat while the aji panca stains it deep red.
3. Make the aji verde while the chicken marinates: blend the avocado, cilantro, aji amarillo, mayonnaise and lime juice with 2 tablespoons of cold water until completely smooth and pale green, then season with salt and chill until serving.
4. Thread the marinated chicken onto skewers, 4 to 5 cubes per skewer, leaving a small gap between pieces so the heat reaches every side. Let the skewers sit at room temperature for 20 minutes before grilling.
5. Heat a charcoal or gas grill to medium-high, until you can hold your hand 10 cm above the grate for only 3 to 4 seconds, then oil the grate well.
6. Grill the skewers for 4 to 5 minutes on the first side, without moving them, until deeply charred at the edges, then turn and grill 3 to 4 minutes more, until the chicken reaches 74 C at the center.
7. Move the skewers to a platter and rest them for 5 minutes so the juices settle back into the meat.
8. Serve the hot skewers with the cold aji verde spooned generously alongside, plus lime wedges and any leftover sauce in a bowl at the table.
9. Anticuchos are Lima's most famous street food, sold from charcoal carts at dusk and traditionally made with beef heart marinated in aji panca and vinegar. Chicken thigh is the friendlier weeknight version and takes the same marinade beautifully. The contrast is the whole point: smoke and char off the grill, met by an ice-cold herb sauce, which is exactly how Peruvian cooks keep grilled food from feeling heavy in the middle of summer.

Nutrition (estimated, per serving)

• Calories: 610 kcal
• Protein: 45g
• Fat: 43g
• Carbohydrates: 9g
• Fiber: 5g
• Sugar: 2g
• Sodium: 980mg