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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Hi Jenn,
I have made this many times and love it! I am in New Zealand now and can’t find fresh jalapeños, only the ones in a glass jar. They are packed in “water, salt, and acidity regulator”. Do you think they would be an acceptable substitute for the fresh jalapeños in the green sauce recipe? I can find some fresh red and green chili peppers- but they look more like cayenne peppers which I think would be way too hot! Thanks, Mary
Hi Mary, I think the sauce is definitely best with fresh jalapenos, but that the jarred ones would probably work in a pinch. Please LMK if it tastes much different!
Hi Jenn,
Thanks for your response. I used three of the fresh mystery peppers (without seeds) and they must have been anaheim or similar mild chilli peppers (not cayenne). In fact, I added a few of the jarred jalapeños into the green sauce for extra heat. This combo turned out fine, not sure how all jarred jalapeños would have worked. I did the same combo with your mexican rice recipe and that turned out great also. I topped the rice with a fried egg, diced avocado, and
some green onions for a fabulous breakfast bowl. Of course some added green sauce took it over the top! Many thanks, Mary
I’m thinking of using just drumsticks and serving at room temp with the sauce as a dip for a pot luck party. What do you think? Any suggestions?
Love that idea, Bonnie. To cook the drumsticks, I recommend this method: Preheat the oven to 450°F. Line a baking sheet with heavy-duty aluminum foil (for easy clean-up) and set an oven-proof rack over top. Spray the rack with nonstick cooking spray. Arrange the drumsticks on the rack, leaving a bit of space between the pieces. Roast for about 45 minutes, turning once midway through, until the chicken is golden brown and cooked through (be sure to turn on your exhaust fan as the oven will get a little smoky). If you want to crisp the skin further, broil the chicken about 6 inches from the heat source for 3-5 minutes. Hope that helps!
Fantastic! My husband said it was better than at the restaurant! Save the green sauce for salad dressing. The rice goes great with it as well. Thank you so much! Have already made it like 5 times. Your cookbook is going on my Christmas list. 🙂
We made this with a whole chicken and it was amazing! I know it’s blasphemy but we don’t care for thighs or legs, so those just go to wasted. We have 4 huge, bone-in, skin on chicken breasts. Any tips on how to adapt the cooking time?
Not blasphemy – just personal preference! 🙂 For the breasts, I’d roast them at 450 degrees 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!
I have made this chicken several times. I always marinate it the day before I am going to cook it. The green sauce is delicious, but my family prefers the chicken by itself.
The chicken is SO delicious! Much better than store bought rotisserie chicken. For me, however, the green sauce had either too much mayonnaise or sour cream. I will try to make adjustments next time. But, the chicken is delicious without sauce.
i make this sauce all the time! its delicious 🙂
I have made several recipes from this website: appetizers, salads, dinners, desserts and I have never been disappointed with the results. Although it is difficult to choose a favourite, I have to say that this Peruvian chicken recipe is superb. I have made it several times and it always turns out delicious. The tip about the jalapeños is great, adding the flavour without the heat 👍. As suggested, I paired it with the Mexican Rice Pilaf and the dishes work beautifully together. Highly recommend!!!
This is by far my very favourite recipe on your site. It is a hit every single time I make it Jenn. Thank you so much! I make it for barbqs, potlucks, camping trips, etc. It’s so easy to make ahead and throw on the grill if it’s too hot to turn on the oven, but delicious roasted too. The leftover salsa (if there is any!) is beautiful on scrambled eggs the next day or as a dip for veggies. Thank you for another 5 star recipe Jenn!
Your recipes are superb! Will this chicken be ok if it marinates from noon until evening of the next day? Dinner plans changed…help?
Sure, Mary – it’ll be fine. Enjoy!