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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Comments
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Hi Jenn,
Can this recipe be adapted for a whole, cut up chicken? Would you 1/2 or 1/4 the breasts? Also, what temp and for how long would it be roasted for, and should it be roasted on a rack on a sheet try for air circulation?
Your expertise is greatly appreciated!
Hi Debbie, Yes, it’s fine to use chicken pieces here. You can leave the breasts whole and follow the directions from this recipe. Hope you enjoy!
Jenn, this is next on my list. What do you suggest serving with it?
Does this call for a beer or wine?
Hi Carol, This would pair nicely with Mexican Rice and French Green Beans with Shallots. And not sure you’ve noticed it, but I have a feature on the website– for all main dishes, I suggest one or two sides that I think would pair nicely with them. To see what I’ve suggested, scroll down to the bottom of the recipe. Immediately under the recipe, you’ll see the dishes that I’ve suggested. BTW, I think this would be great with a cold beer or a glass of white wine. Hope you enjoy!
Used six Amish chicken thighs with bone in and skin on…roasted at 425 for 30 minutes , succulent and delicious, Did not use any of the pepper seeds for a great green sauce. Served with Mexican rice, roasted asparagus and a good chardonnay. Molten chocolate cakes for desert. WOW, what a dinner. Of course it was five stars, but how about five stars for the chef. Jenn, you are the BEST!
I used chicken wings and they came out very well. The green sauce is perfection!
I rarely make a comment but this deserves a comment. I made this last evening and it was delicious and will be making it again. I was hesitant about the green sauce but it was a hit as well and goes very well with the chicken. I didn’t use the whole chicken as called for. I used 2 boneless breast and some thighs I had on hand, some skinless to experiment with. No regret on choices.
Hi Jenn,
Your recipes have been my go to, and even shared your site/recipes with my sisters who also love to cook at home. Would like to try this for a weekend meal but Limes are not accessible in my country – will lemons work as alternative?
thank you and more success to you!
Yep – enjoy! 🙂
I am feeling like the ultimate chef after following this recipe. I marinated chicken breasts with ribs in the night before using a meat injector. Threw it in the air fryer at 360 for 45minutes the following night for dinner. The chicken was so juicy and tasty! I can not wait to make this for others.
I served with fried ripe plantains,some steamed rice and beans.
Needless to say i printed this recipe to add to myfamilyrecipe book.
Thanks for sharing this recipe with us!
My family is still raving about this meal three days later! Served with cauliflower rice to soak up the amazing sauces. Jenn, you make me look like a hero in the kitchen!!
I’m excited to try this recipe but will be using cut up bone-in, skin-on chicken pieces; therefore, should I use the roasting instructions listed for your Sweet & Spicy Roast Chicken or your Sunday Night Roast Chicken instead? Thanks for sharing your expertise with us home cooks! Your recipes rock & your humbleness is refreshing! Sue – Your #1 fan in WV 😊
So glad you like the recipes, Sue!! Yes, I’d go with the roasting instructions from the Sunday Night Roast Chicken. Enjoy 🙂
Wanted to let you know I finally made this & it was delicious & I’ll certainly be making the yummy green sauce to accompany other dishes! Definitely another 5 star recipe 😊
What an easy and satisfying recipe to make for our family. I baked the marinated chicken thighs on a sheet pan at 425f for 1/2 hour, and then left the oven door open a crack for 10 minutes to allow the chicken to rest; it was perfectly roasted. Halfway through baking there was a LOT of liquid so we spooned that off and reduced it on the stove, then stirred in to the Mexican rice and used some as a glaze for the chicken. Yummy! I can see eating the leftover chicken tomorrow on a nice fluffy pita bread, topped with the delicious garlic and cilantro sauce. Or I may just eat the sauce with a spoon, right out of the jar. It is nice to have choices in life.
The liquid was fat. Have your butcher trim the thighs well
Most incredible roast chicken recipe, everyone is amazed at the flavour and the green sauce takes it to the next level! Love making this at Christmas time, it’s becoming a real tradition in my family, thanks again to Jenn for a beautiful recipe with clear instructions for newbies like me who are new to roasting meats. My only issue is that our apartment gets really smokey while this is in the oven, is there any way I can avoid this? The only thing I change is to tent the chicken loosely with foil after turning the temperature down to 375 degrees to avoid further charring, as the skin becomes too charred otherwise.
Glad you like this but sorry to hear it creates smoke in your apartment. It sounds like your oven may run hot so you might want to turn down the temperature just a bit. Also, make sure your oven is very clean before putting the chicken in. If there are any drippings in your oven, that can contribute to the smoke. Hope that helps!
You’re right Jenn, I turned the temperature down a bit and the chicken still came out perfect, the problem must be with my oven running hot – thanks again for the helpful tips!
Hi there, think this would work for chicken wings?
Hi Melinda, I think it would work. I’d put them on a rack over a cookie sheet and roast at 400° for approximately 50 minutes, flipping halfway through. I’d love to hear how they turn out!