Peruvian Roast Chicken (Printable)
Juicy roast chicken coated in bold Peruvian spices paired with a creamy cilantro-jalapeño green sauce.
# What You’ll Need:
→ For the Chicken
01 - 1 whole chicken (3 to 4 lb), butterflied
02 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
03 - 2 tablespoons gluten-free soy sauce
04 - 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
05 - 5 garlic cloves, minced
06 - 1 tablespoon ground cumin
07 - 1 tablespoon smoked paprika
08 - 1 tablespoon dried oregano
09 - 1 teaspoon black pepper
10 - 1 teaspoon salt
11 - 1 teaspoon chili powder, or more to taste
→ For the Green Sauce (Aji Verde)
12 - 1 cup fresh cilantro leaves
13 - 1 jalapeño or serrano chile, seeds removed
14 - 2 garlic cloves
15 - 1/2 cup mayonnaise
16 - 1/4 cup sour cream
17 - 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
18 - 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
19 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
20 - Salt and pepper, to taste
# How To Make It:
01 - In a large bowl, whisk together the olive oil, soy sauce, lime juice, minced garlic, cumin, smoked paprika, oregano, black pepper, salt, and chili powder until well combined.
02 - Pat the butterflied chicken dry with paper towels. Rub the marinade thoroughly over and under the skin. Cover tightly and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, preferably overnight for the best flavor penetration.
03 - Preheat the oven to 425°F. Line a roasting pan with aluminum foil and set a wire rack over it. Place the chicken skin-side up on the rack.
04 - Roast for 45 to 55 minutes until the skin is deeply golden and crispy. A kitchen thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh should register 165°F. Remove from the oven and let rest for 10 minutes before carving.
05 - While the chicken rests, combine the cilantro, jalapeño, garlic cloves, mayonnaise, sour cream, lime juice, Parmesan, and olive oil in a blender or food processor. Blend until completely smooth. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
06 - Carve the chicken into serving pieces and arrange on a platter. Drizzle generously with the green sauce and serve any remaining sauce on the side.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- The green sauce alone will ruin every other condiment for you, and I do not say that lightly.
- It looks like you spent all day cooking but the marinade does nearly all the work while you relax.
02 -
- If you skip the overnight marinade, you will still get a good bird, but you will never know how great it could have been.
- Resting the chicken is not optional, cut into it too early and all those juices end up on your cutting board instead of in the meat.
03 -
- Run your fingers under the skin to loosen it before marinating so the flavors penetrate the meat directly.
- Double the green sauce recipe without question, you will run out and wish you had more.