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Overview

Paraguayan Grilled Chicken

Pollo a la Parrilla Paraguayo, Paraguayan Asado Chicken, Pollo Asado Paraguayo

This paraguayan grilled chicken recipe marinates bone-in chicken thighs and drumsticks in garlic, oregano, lemon juice and olive oil, then grills them over charcoal until the skin is crisp and golden. It is served the Paraguayan way, with boiled mandioca and a fresh salsa criolla of tomato, onion and green pepper. One serving is about 430 g, with about 900 calories.

The asado — meat cooked over charcoal on the parrilla — came to Paraguay with Spanish colonists and mixed with Guaraní food traditions, above all mandioca, the starchy root that has fed the region for centuries. Chicken took its place on the parrilla beside beef and pork, seasoned the same plain way with coarse salt, garlic and oregano, and eaten standing around the grill with boiled mandioca. Pollo a la parrilla is still the chicken turn of that shared grill, not a restaurant invention.

Pairs well with: Serve the hot chicken with boiled mandioca and salsa criolla, and lime wedges on the side.

Provenance

Paraguay flag Paraguay

Paraguayan Heritage

Latin America & Caribbean

Time Dedication

1h 5m

40m prep • 25m cook

Batch Yield

4 Servings

900 kcal per serving

1 serving ≈ 430 g

Technical Skill

Intermediate

Medium (Charcoal Grill)

Meal Timing & Digestive Fit

Breakfast

Not Advised

Lunch

Hearty Midday Main

Dinner

Ideal Hearty Main

Snack & Tea

Inappropriate

High Protein Occasions: Weekend asado, family dinners, summer barbecues, football match days Cost: Medium — about $4–5 per serving at home
Tags: Chicken Savory Grilled
Grilled chicken pieces with golden grill marks served with French fries, a whole tomato, a green pepper and tomato rice on a white plate

Paraguayan Heritage

Photo: E4024, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

The Heritage Formulary

Measured Ingredients

Estimated cost: Medium — about $4–5 per serving at home (USD)

A good pollo a la parrilla has crisp, golden skin, juicy meat that reaches 74°C (165°F) at the thickest part, and mandioca that is tender all the way through.

Execution Methodology & Culinary Technique

Step-by-Step Cooking Guide

Active 1h 5m
P

Marinate the Chicken

30 Mins

Whisk the olive oil, lemon juice, crushed garlic, oregano, 4 g of the salt and the black pepper in a large bowl. Add the chicken pieces and turn them until every piece is coated, then cover and leave in the fridge for 30 minutes. Take the chicken out of the fridge 15 minutes before grilling so it is not fridge-cold when it hits the grill.

Maestro Tip: Do not marinate longer than 2 hours — the lemon juice will start to toughen the surface of the meat instead of tenderising it.

  1. 1

    Mix the Marinade

    10 Mins Room temperature

    Whisk the 30ml of olive oil with the 60ml of lemon juice, the 12g of crushed garlic, the 3g of oregano, 4 g of the salt and the 2g of black pepper in a large bowl until it looks slightly cloudy and combined.

    Crush the garlic rather than slicing it — crushed garlic releases far more flavour into the oil.

    Done when: A cloudy, fragrant marinade with the garlic evenly spread through it.

  2. 2

    Marinate the Chicken

    30 Mins Refrigerated, about 4°C (39°F)

    Add the 1000g of chicken pieces to the bowl and turn them in the marinade until every piece is coated, pushing a little marinade under the skin where you can. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes, then take the chicken out 15 minutes before grilling.

    Keep the marinating chicken in the fridge, never on the counter — raw chicken must stay cold.

    Done when: Every piece glossy with marinade, skin coated all over.

  3. 3

    Boil the Mandioca

    20 Mins Boiling, about 100°C (212°F)

    Put the 600g of mandioca fingers in a pot, cover with cold salted water and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer for about 20 minutes until tender all the way through, then drain and keep warm.

    Start the mandioca while the chicken marinates, so both are ready at the same time.

    Done when: A knife slides into the thickest finger with no resistance.

  4. 4

    Grill the Chicken

    25 Mins Medium heat, about 175–200°C (350–400°F)

    Heat the grill to medium heat and oil the grates. Lay the chicken skin-side down and grill for about 12 minutes, then turn and grill for about 12 more minutes, moving pieces away from flare-ups, until the skin is crisp and golden and the thickest part reads 74°C (165°F) on a thermometer.

    Do not press the chicken down — pressing squeezes the juices out and dries the meat.

    Done when: Crisp golden skin, clear juices, and 74°C (165°F) at the thickest part.

  5. 5

    Make the Salsa Criolla

    10 Mins Room temperature

    While the chicken rests, mix the 200g of diced tomato, 100g of diced onion and 80g of diced green pepper with the 30ml of lime juice, the 10g of chopped cilantro and the remaining 1 g of salt. Let it stand for 5 minutes so the flavours meet.

    Dice everything the same small size so each spoonful has tomato, onion and pepper together.

    Done when: A bright, juicy salsa with the lime clearly lifting the tomato.

  6. 6

    Rest and Serve

    5 Mins Room temperature

    Rest the chicken for 5 minutes so the juices settle, then pile it onto a platter with the boiled mandioca, spoon the salsa criolla over the top, and tuck the lime wedges around the edge.

    Resting is not optional — cutting straight away lets the juices run out onto the board.

    Done when: Juicy chicken that stays moist when cut, with hot mandioca and fresh salsa beside it.

Finishing Touches & Plating

Rest the chicken for 5 minutes so the juices settle, then pile it onto a platter with the boiled mandioca, spoon the salsa criolla over the top, and tuck the lime wedges around the edge.

Nutritional Physiology & Benefits

Nutrition

Energy

900

kcal / serving

Protein

45g

Complete AA

Carbs

68g

Complex

Fats

50g

Healthy

Per serving (4 servings · 1 serving ≈ 430 g)
Energy900 kcal
Protein45 g
Carbohydrates68 g
Fat50 g
Fibre5.1 g
Sugar6.2 g
Sodium715 mg
Per 100g
Energy209 kcal
Protein10.4 g
Carbohydrates15.8 g
Fat11.6 g
Fibre1.2 g
Sugar1.5 g
Sodium166 mg

Nutrition values are estimated — calculated from USDA FoodData Central values for the listed ingredients.

Vitamins & minerals: Vitamin B6 and niacin (chicken), vitamin C (lemon, lime, tomato and green pepper), and potassium (mandioca and tomato).

High in Protein

Each 430 g serving gives about 44.7 g of protein from the chicken — a genuinely filling dinner plate that keeps you full for hours.

Real, Whole Ingredients

Chicken, mandioca, tomato, onion and pepper — nothing from a packet except the salt, and the marinade is mixed from scratch.

A Proper Asado Meal

Charcoal, garlic, oregano and lemon, eaten hot off the grill with boiled mandioca — the relaxed, generous way Paraguay eats on a weekend.

Food Pairings

What to Eat With

To optimize nutrient absorption and elevate the sensory depth, pair with these authentic accompaniments:

Sides

Boiled Mandioca

Mandioca is the partner Paraguayan grilled meat is always served with — its soft, starchy flesh soaks up the chicken juices and the salsa, and it is far more filling than bread.

Sauces

Salsa Criolla

The sharp, fresh salsa of tomato, onion, green pepper and lime cuts through the rich, smoky chicken and keeps each bite bright instead of heavy.

Drinks

Terere

Paraguay's ice-cold yerba mate is the everyday drink with an asado — cold, herbal and refreshing next to hot, smoky meat.

Full Menus

Paraguayan Asado Night

Serve the chicken as the main course of a Paraguayan asado, with mandioca and salsa criolla, then finish with fresh fruit — the grill does the work and the table does the talking.

Complete menu

Serve the grilled chicken with boiled mandioca and salsa criolla as the main course of a Paraguayan asado, with terere to drink and fresh fruit to finish.

Digestive Guardrails

What NOT to Combine

To prevent digestive distress, sluggishness, or palate clash, avoid pairing the dish with these elements:

Grilling Over Flames That Are Too Hot

A fierce fire chars the skin black before the meat near the bone is cooked, and the burnt skin tastes bitter. Grill over medium heat and move pieces away from flare-ups so the chicken cooks through evenly. This is general information, not medical advice.

Serving Undercooked Chicken

Chicken must reach 74°C (165°F) at the thickest part, near the bone — colour alone is not a reliable guide, and undercooked chicken can carry harmful bacteria. Use a thermometer and check the thickest piece. This is general information, not medical advice.

General information only, not medical advice — consult a doctor for personal dietary decisions.

Who Should Eat It

Who Should Eat

  • General adultsA generous, filling dinner — one 430 g serving with mandioca is a full meal for most adults.
  • ChildrenMild and juicy, with soft mandioca — cut the chicken off the bone for young children and go easy on the raw onion in the salsa.
  • ElderlySoft to chew once the meat is cut off the bone, but serve it warm and in a modest portion — the sodium is about 715 mg a serving.
  • Pregnant womenSafe when the chicken is cooked right through to 74°C (165°F); skip the salsa if raw onion disagrees with you, and ask your clinician if you are unsure.
  • Breastfeeding womenA filling, high-protein dinner with about 44.7 g of protein a serving — one plate is plenty.
  • AthletesA strong recovery meal after training — about 900 kcal with 44.7 g of protein and 68.1 g of carbohydrate per serving.
  • Weight gainAt about 900 kcal a serving with mandioca, this is an easy way to add energy to the day.
  • Weight lossA 430 g serving is filling for 900 kcal, but the mandioca and second helpings add up — one chicken piece with a smaller portion of mandioca and plenty of salsa is the lighter choice.

Health Conditions — Adjust or Avoid

Conditions

  • DiabetesAbout 68.1 g of carbohydrate a serving, mostly from the mandioca, so a smaller portion of mandioca with more chicken and salsa is the safer choice; ask your clinician about a suitable serving.
  • High blood pressureSodium is about 715 mg a serving, mostly from the added salt — keep portions to one plate and ask your clinician if you are unsure.
  • Kidney diseaseThe dish is rich in potassium from mandioca and tomato and has about 44.7 g of protein a serving; ask your clinician whether it fits your diet.
  • GoutChicken is a moderate-purine food, so a modest portion is wiser than a large one; ask your clinician if you are unsure.
  • Stomach issuesGrilled chicken with raw onion salsa can be heavy for a sensitive stomach — eat it warm, not hot, in a modest portion, and ask your clinician if symptoms persist.
  • Cardiovascular diseaseAbout 49.7 g of fat a serving, much of it from the chicken skin, so take the skin off and keep the portion to one plate; ask your clinician if you are unsure.
  • Fatty liverA rich grilled-chicken plate, so a modest portion with the skin removed and more salsa than mandioca is better than a large plate; ask your clinician if you are unsure.
  • Food allergiesContains no gluten, egg, milk, peanut, tree nut, fish or shellfish. The salsa contains raw onion.
  • Special therapeutic dietsThis is a hearty everyday asado dish, not a therapeutic food; anyone on a special diet should ask their clinician before eating it.

If you have a medical condition, consult your doctor before changing your diet.

Storage & Use

Storage & Use

How to store
Cool completely, then keep in sealed containers.
In the fridge
3 days in a sealed container; keep the salsa separate so it stays fresh.
In the freezer
Up to 3 months for the grilled chicken; the mandioca goes soft, so freeze it separately or not at all.
How to reheat
Warm the chicken in a hot oven at 180°C (350°F) until steaming hot all the way through (at least 74°C / 165°F); warm the mandioca in boiling water.
Freezing recommended
Yes for the chicken — it freezes well; no for the mandioca, which turns soft and watery.
Signs it has spoiled
A sour or off smell, slimy skin, or any mould on the chicken or mandioca.

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