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Peruvian Chicken Heart Anticuchos (anticuchos de corazones de pollo) are an easy and healthy alternative to traditional anticuchos... Chicken hearts get soaked in an ají panca marinade before being skewered and grilled kabob-style. With a couple of tasty dipping sauces and an easy side or two, you'll love this twist on a traditional Peruvian recipe! Are you on board with chicken hearts?
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👩🏻🍳 Tamara Talks - About Anticuchos de Corazones de Pollo
Organ meats in general tend to be polarizing, right? If you've followed my blog for awhile, you probably know I embrace organ meats. You've seen lengua tacos, beef tongue sandwiches, and Mexican grilled chicken hearts. Yuck or yum?
The response to my Mexican grilled chicken hearts has surprised me. While they certainly didn't "go viral," they do get consistent traffic. With this in mind, I wanted to do another chicken hearts recipe because they're cheap so affordable, and they are definitely a fairly lean and high quality protein source.
Given my love of traditional Peruvian anticuchos made with beef heart, I felt confident the marinade would work as well with chicken heart, and the difficult process of breaking down a big beef heart wouldn't be missed! Additionally, a beef heart feeds a party, and I'm cooking for two most nights!
🍴What are Peruvian Anticuchos?
Anticuchos are a quintessential inexpensive meat dish originating in the Andes during the pre-Columbian era, specifically in the Antisuyu region of the Tawantinsuyu (Inca Empire). The modern dish found all over Peru - on street carts, family cafés, and in fine dining establishments - and can be traced back as far as the 16th century.
According to the text file from the National Library in Lima, it is believed that the term comes from the Quechua antikuchu (cut stew meat). While the most common anticuchos are made with beef heart (anticuchos de corazon), you will also find chicken heart, chicken liver, beef tenderloin, fish, chicken, etc. It's all about the marinade! And let's not forget the sauces!
I personally have had anticuchos from a street vendor in Aguas Caliente (Machu Picchu town) and in one of Gaston Acurio's restaurants in Cuzco, from street vendors and family restaurants. Twice I have made anticuchos with beef heart, and I adore them. Unfortunately, the process of breaking down beef heart is tedious.
My professional chef son (and favorite kitchen partner) moved to North Carolina last year, and I've not worked up the courage to break them down by myself. AND. THEY ARE BIG! I'm cooking for two.
📋 Chicken Heart Anticuchos Ingredients
Here is a quick look at the ingredients in the recipe – it’s handy to use at the grocery store or as a summary of what you need. Skip to the recipe for quantities.
- chicken hearts - This anticuchos recipe specifies chicken hearts, but the marinade is delicious on any protein that can be skewered. As mentioned above, beef heart is most typical, but it's way too much meat for 2 adults!
- ají panca paste - There is no substitute for ají panca paste that will duplicate the unique flavor of the anticuchos marinade.
- olive oil
- red wine vinegar
- garlic
- ground cumin
- oregano
- sea salt
🔪 Instructions
- Make the marinade - Combine all marinade ingredients in a food process. Process until smooth.
- Trim the chicken hearts - Once the anticuchos marinade is made, place it in a quart zip bag. Trim the chicken hearts of fat and blood vessels where obvious.
- Marinate the chicken hearts - Once the chicken hearts are trimmed, add them to the prepared marinade. Marinate 1 to 2 hours.
- Skewer the chicken hearts - Skewer the chicken hearts on your preferred skewers. I serve these both as appetizers and a main dish. On photo day, I was serving them as a main dish, so I allowed about 4-6 ounces per person. I cut bamboo skewers in half (after soaking), and did 5 on each. Grill about 2 minutes on a side. They are easily over-cooked!
🍷 Pairing Suggestions
I am a big fan of Peruvian sauces! As you can see, I had 2 sauces on photo day - my Peruvian ají verde, and a rocoto sauce. I also like to serve anticuchos with salsa criolla. Lima Easy is a "go to" resource when cooking Peruvian food, and they have many traditional Peruvian sauces.
Side dishes? In Peru, you'll always get some steamed giant corn (choclo). I buy choclo in the freezer section of my Latin foods market.
Peru has a wealth of root vegetables, and most are not available outside of the country. Their unique produce leaves this food blogger scrambling for equivalents. Roasted purple fingerling potatoes add a semi-authentic touch to the dish.
As to beverages? Our preference is a dry Spanish rosé or a saison (craft beer). If you prefer a red, go for a tempranillo or pinot noir.
💭 Tips
Kitchen shears make quick work of trimming any fat or blood vessels from the chicken hearts.
❓ FAQ
I hate organ meats. What else can I use?
Peruvians use an anticuchos marinade on beef and chicken hearts, but also beef steak or tenderloin, chicken thighs or breast, even fish. It's all about the marinade!
What sauces are the best?
Peruvian Ají Verde almost always makes an appearance when I'm cooking Peruvian food. Rocoto sauces are typical, but they're very hot! An ají amarillo sauce is not going to be nearly as hot.
Where can I find Peruvian pastes and other ingredients?
I get many of my Peruvian ingredients at my local Latin foods market, but I can't get much in the way of fresh stuff. Amazon has many Peruvian shelf-stable ingredients like ají amarillo and ají panca.
Can I save leftovers?
Honestly, I wouldn't. I don't care for leftover organ meats, but it's your call. If I use the marinade on chicken or beef, I'd not hesitate to either cook it before refrigerating or freezing it uncooked. The skewers should be fine for 2-3 days in the refrigerator, and 1-2 months in the freezer.
Are you an adventuresome foodie, or does this totally turn you off? I'd love to hear your thoughts!
📖 Recipe
Peruvian Chicken Anticuchos
Useful Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 pound chicken hearts - trimmed of fat and blood vessels
- ¼ cup ají panca paste
- 2 teaspoons garlic - minced (5-6 cloves)
- 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 2 teaspoons dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- ¼ cup olive or vegetable oil
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
Instructions
- Make the marinade - Combine all marinade ingredients in a food process. Process until smooth.
- Marinate the chicken hearts - Once the anticuchos marinade is made, place it in a quart zip bag. Trim the chicken hearts of fat and blood vessels where obvious. Once the chicken hearts are trimmed, add them to the prepared marinade. Marinate 1 to 2 hours.
- Skewer the chicken hearts - Skewer the chicken hearts on your preferred skewers. I serve these as both an appetizer and a main dish. On photo day, I was serving them as a main dish, so I allowed about 4-6 ounces per person. I cut bamboo skewers in half (after soaking), and did 5 on each. Grill about 2 minutes on a side. They are easily over-cooked!
Notes
Nutrition
NOTE: Macronutrients are an approximation only using unbranded ingredients and MyFitnessPal.com. Please do your own research with the products you’re using if you have a serious health issue or are following a specific diet.
Peruvian Sauces...
A collection of my Peruvian-inspired (not always authentic) salsas!
Betty Davies says
I had chicken hearts recently at a restaurant and knew I had to try to make them myself! The marinade is delicious and they are so easy to cook. Great recipe.
Tamara says
You're an adventurous cook! Thanks for taking time to write!