Anticuchos de corazon are a favorite Peruvian street food, consisting of cubed beef heart, marinated in an aji panca sauce, and grilled on skewers. It’s a pretty logical guess that this dish probably originated with the use of llama hearts. As even beef heart is not particularly easy to come by, here I have opted for very cheap and user friendly chicken hearts.

Instead of cubing one large heart you simply skewer these cute little guys which have the added bonus of each containing a perfect little cavity for holding extra sauce. Win-Win!

As for the use of panca chilies, this is most traditional. They are rather mild, as far as chilies go, and have a natural nutty-smokey flavor. Aji Panca Paste can be found on many international markets and Latin grocery stores, but you can also substitute reconstituted ancho chilies (dried pablanos) or perhaps even chipotles, but be aware that the latter will bring substantially more heat.

Anticuchos de Corazon de Pollo – Chicken Heart Anticuchos

Mild and saucy, these smokey lean meat chunks are perfect for an appetizer or great served with other grilled vegetables and ceviche for a full meal.

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Prep Time 10

Cook Time 14

Marinade Time 2

Total Time 2 30

Course Appetizer/Hors d’Oeuvre, Dinner/Supper, Lunch, Main Dish

Cuisine Andean, Peruvian

Equipment

Grill

Ingredients

2 pounds chicken hearts; cleaned and trimmed OR any other kind of heart, such as beef or game, sliced it into 1 1/2 to 2 inch cubes.
¼ cup red wine vinegar
½ cup aji panca paste SUBSTITUTION: a few reconstituted ancho chilies blended with some water and a bit of salt.
4 large garlic cloves; minced
½ t ground cumin
¼ t ground black pepper
salt to taste

Instructions

Add all of the ingredients to large bowl or ziplock bag, and allow to marinade for 2-4 hours.
Soak 12 bamboo skewers in water to allow for easy ‘loading’ and to keep them from burning on the grill.
Prepare your grill as needed to cook the skewered meat over medium-high heat.*
Lay your skewers out on the grill and allow to roast 2-4 minutes on each side, flipping regularly and basting as you go along. You want your hearts to be cooked through, but not over cooked, dry, and tough.
Serve with grilled potatoes and corn, or ceviche, along with aji panca paste or extra prepared marinade from recipe above for dipping.