Peruvian-Style Roast Chicken with Green Sauce
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Enjoy tender, juicy Peruvian-style roast chicken drizzled with a spicy and irresistibly good green sauce.
This is my take on Pollo a la Brasa, the delicious roast chicken made popular by so many Peruvian restaurants. The chicken is first marinated in olive oil, lime juice, garlic and spices, and then oven-roasted until tender, juicy and crisp-skinned. The accompanying green sauce, which gets its color from cilantro and jalapeño peppers, is spicy, creamy and downright delectable. You can put it on virtually everything, and it even doubles as a fabulous dip or salad dressing.
What you’ll need to make Peruvian-Style Roast Chicken
Before we get to the recipe, a few words on buying a whole chicken. In the poultry department, you’re likely to find birds labeled “broilers,” “roasters” and “fryers.” These labels are based on the weight of the bird, and are meant to suggest a method of cooking. This recipe calls for a four-pound chicken, which is typically considered a “fryer.” This might seem strange since we’re roasting but don’t worry about it — all of these chickens can be used in recipes interchangeably.
How to make Peruvian-Style Roast Chicken
Begin by making the marinade. Combine the lime juice, olive oil, salt, pepper, sugar, paprika, cumin, and oregano in a blender or mini food processor.
Blend until smooth.
Using your fingers or a wooden spoon, loosen the skin over the breasts and legs of the chicken.
Spoon 2/3 of the marinade under the skin.
And rub the rest over top. Place the chicken in a bowl and refrigerate at least 6 hours or overnight.
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees, and set the chicken on a rack in a roasting pan. I like to tuck the wings underneath the bird and tie the legs together so the bird holds its shape.
Roast the chicken for 20 minutes, until the skin is golden, and then turn the heat down to 375 degrees and roast for about an hour and ten minutes more. Let the chicken rest, covered with foil, for about 20 minutes before carving.
While the chicken marinates, make the green sauce (recipe adapted from the Serious Eats Food Lab by J. Kenji Lopez-Alt).
Simply combine the mayonnaise, sour cream, cilantro, jalapeños, garlic, lime juice salt and pepper in a blender or food processor.
And process until smooth. With the motor running, drizzle in the olive oil. It will seem thin at first but, don’t worry, it will thicken up as it sits.
Keep in mind that the heat in the sauce comes from the ribs and seeds in the jalapeño peppers. I use about half of the seeds and ribs for a medium-hot sauce. If you’re worried about the heat, you can always leave them out at first and then blend them in to taste. (Also, be sure to wash your hands well after handling hot peppers, and do not touch your eyes while working with them.)
Transfer the sauce to a bowl and refrigerate until ready to serve. Garnish the sauce with a sprig cilantro, if desired, and serve with the roasted chicken.
Note: The green sauce in this recipe is adapted from one of my favorite columns, the Serious Eats Food Lab by J. Kenji Lopez-Alt.
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Peruvian-Style Roast Chicken with Green Sauce
Enjoy tender, juicy Peruvian-style roast chicken drizzled with a spicy and irresistibly good green sauce.
Ingredients
For the Chicken
- 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- ¼ cup lime juice, from 2 limes
- 4 large garlic cloves, roughly chopped
- 1 tablespoon kosher salt
- 2 teaspoons paprika
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 tablespoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 2 teaspoons sugar
- 4 pound whole chicken
For the Green Sauce
- 3 jalapeño chili peppers, seeded if desired (I use about half the seeds for a medium-hot sauce), and roughly chopped (see note)
- 1 cup packed fresh cilantro leaves
- 2 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
- ½ cup mayonnaise, best quality such as Hellmann's
- ¼ cup sour cream
- 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice, from one lime
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ⅛ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Instructions
For the Chicken
- Combine all of the ingredients except the chicken in a blender or mini food processor, and blend until smooth. Remove the giblets from the inside of the chicken and pat the outside of the chicken dry with paper towels; place in a bowl, breast side up with the legs facing you. Using the handle of a wooden spoon or your fingers, loosen the skin from the flesh over the breasts and legs, being careful not to tear the skin or push all the way through (you want the marinade to stay inside the bird). Spoon about ⅔ of the marinade evenly underneath the skin, and spread the remaining ⅓ evenly over the skin. Marinate the chicken in the refrigerator for at least 6 hours or overnight.
- Adjust the oven rack to the lower-middle position, and preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Line a roasting pan with aluminum foil for easy clean-up. Spray a rack (preferably a v-shape) with non-stick cooking spray and place the chicken on top. Tie the legs together with kitchen string. Roast for 20 minutes, until the skin is golden. Turn the heat down to 375 degrees, and continue to roast for about an hour and ten minutes more, or until the juices run clear when you cut between the leg and thigh. (Keep an eye on it -- if it's browning too quickly, cover it loosely with foil.) Tent the chicken with foil and let rest for about 20 minutes. Tilt the chicken over the roasting pan to release the juices, then transfer to a cutting board. Carve the chicken and serve with green sauce.
For the Green Sauce
- Combine all of the ingredients except the olive oil in a blender or food processor and blend into a smooth sauce. With the motor running, open lid and slowly drizzle in olive oil. It will seem very runny at this point but, don't worry, it will thicken up as it sits. Transfer the sauce to a bowl, cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.
- Note: Be sure to wash your hands well after handling hot peppers, and do not touch your eyes while working with them.
- Note: The nutritional information does not include the green sauce.
Pair with
Nutrition Information
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- Per serving (4 servings)
- Calories: 614
- Fat: 43 g
- Saturated fat: 10 g
- Carbohydrates: 7 g
- Sugar: 3 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 49 g
- Sodium: 694 mg
- Cholesterol: 340 mg
This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.
Gluten-Free Adaptable Note
To the best of my knowledge, all of the ingredients used in this recipe are gluten-free or widely available in gluten-free versions. There is hidden gluten in many foods; if you're following a gluten-free diet or cooking for someone with gluten allergies, always read the labels of your ingredients to verify that they are gluten-free.
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This is truly my favorite roast chicken recipe (and I’ve tried dozens, even Ina’s!!). I’ve made it with and without the green sauce, as my family loves it as is, because it’s so flavorful and moist. Definitely marinate overnight to allow all the wonderful citrus, garlic, and spices to permeate the meat. I’ve added a pinch (or two) of cayenne to bump up the spiciness and have substituted honey for the sugar on occasion. This pairs well with any side dish, but I’ve made it with the cauliflower fried rice (also a winner!) and love that combination. Why buy a store-bought rotisserie chicken when, by making this recipe, you can fill your home with the fabulous aroma of roast chicken and then enjoy the moistest and most flavorful dish?
This is one of my all-time favorite recipes. Instead of the whole chicken, I use boneless chicken thighs (skin on) and sear them in my cast iron pan first before baking. I’m not a fan of sour cream so I use a different green sauce recipe. Aside from that, this recipe is perfect. I cut up the chicken to make Peruvian tacos and my family can’t stop eating it!
I like this recipe a lot, I do use lemons in replace of the traditional limes as my family is extremely fussy. In addition I also add some peppermint leafs and jalapeno pepper for the chicken marinade and always marinade overnight. Quite Delicious.
Great recipe. Lots of flavor in the chicken. I marinated it for two days only because things came up and didn’t get to cook it. Breast meat were still moist. My Peruvian husband loved it….tasted just as he remembered. He did suggest that I buy huacatay leaves next time for the sauce.
My neighbor made this for me and I thought it was the best chicken and sauce I have ever eaten. I tried it and did not follow exactly and mine was good but not as good. I have passed this one to others and have made it many times since again the best flavors melded together of any recipe I have had.
I have2 packs of split breasts (2) and drumsticks (4) which I am using this marinade for. How would I adjust the roasting times or temps for this? Thanks!
Hi Mary, Preheat the oven to 450 degrees and roast for 35-40 minutes, or until the skin is golden brown. Turn the heat down to 375 degrees; continue to roast for 15-20 minutes more, or until done. It should be done in less than an hour- be careful not overcook. (Also, place the chicken pieces on a rack so the skin crisps up.) Enjoy!
Thank you! I came on to search for this very answer. =)
Made it with chicken breasts w/bone instead of a whole chicken. Still tasted great. The green sauce was could have had more cilantro. Overall keeping the recipes.
If making two whole chickens what would be the timing and temp for the oven?
Or would it be easier to do on breast and thighs (2 chickens worth )
Hi Mary, you could do that too. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees and roast for 35-40 minutes, or until the skin is golden brown. Turn the heat down to 375 degrees; continue to roast for 15-20 minutes more, or until done. Chicken should be done in less than an hour; do not overcook.
Hi Mary, the timing and temperature of the oven would remain the same for 2 chickens. Just make sure the chickens are not too crowded in there and that there’s enough room for the hot air to circulate around both of them.
This recipe is spot on. We recently went to Peru in January 2017 and this recipe brought us right back. They use green sauce on literally everything (we love it on simple salads with greens, avocados, tomatoes, and beets) and I could have bathed in it. I hate leftovers but cannot wait to eat this chicken again today. Absolute perfection Jenn!
The Peruvian chicken was over the top crazy good. Be sure to make extra green sauce. You can use it on other food items, e.g. pork tenderloin. I did not add all the jalapeno at once. I tasted the sauce and added the chopped peppers slowly. Also, once I was done lifting the skin from the chicken, I put it head side down in a gallon size Ziplock and then added the marinade. My company said they never had chicken this tasty and tender. My husband loved the green sauce and he is not fond of cilantro, go figure. Thanks for a great recipe Jenn. Can’t wait for your cookbook!