Peruvian Chicken Delight (Print Page)
Crispy spice-rubbed roast chicken paired with a creamy cilantro jalapeño sauce, bursting with Peruvian flavors.
# What You Need:
→ For the Chicken
01 - 1 whole chicken (about 3 to 4 pounds), butterflied
02 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
03 - 2 tablespoons gluten-free soy sauce
04 - 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
05 - 5 cloves garlic, minced
06 - 1 tablespoon ground cumin
07 - 1 tablespoon smoked paprika
08 - 1 tablespoon dried oregano
09 - 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
10 - 1 teaspoon kosher 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, seeded
14 - 2 cloves garlic
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
# Directions:
01 - In a large mixing bowl, combine the olive oil, soy sauce, lime juice, minced garlic, ground cumin, smoked paprika, dried oregano, black pepper, kosher salt, and chili powder. Whisk until a smooth, uniform paste forms.
02 - Pat the butterflied chicken thoroughly dry with paper towels. Rub the marinade generously over the entire surface and carefully underneath the skin to ensure deep flavor penetration. Cover tightly and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, ideally overnight for maximum tenderness and taste.
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, allowing even heat circulation around the bird.
04 - Roast the chicken for 45 to 55 minutes, until the skin turns deeply golden and crisp. Insert a kitchen thermometer into the thickest part of the thigh without touching bone — it should register 165°F. Remove from the oven and allow the chicken to rest for 10 minutes before carving to let the juices redistribute.
05 - While the chicken rests, combine the cilantro leaves, seeded jalapeño or serrano chile, garlic cloves, mayonnaise, sour cream, lime juice, Parmesan cheese, and olive oil in a blender or food processor. Blend on high until completely smooth and vibrant green. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
06 - Carve the rested chicken into serving pieces. Arrange on a platter and drizzle generously with the Aji Verde sauce. Serve alongside roasted potatoes or a crisp salad for an authentic Peruvian presentation.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- The marinade doubles as a flavor bomb for roasted potatoes, so you get side dishes almost for free.
- That green sauce keeps in the fridge for days and somehow makes leftover chicken taste better than the first night.
02 -
- If you skip the overnight marinade, you will still get a good bird, but you will always wonder what could have been.
- The parmesan in the green sauce sounds wrong until you taste it, so trust the process and add it.
03 -
- Butterflying is easier than it sounds: just cut along both sides of the backbone with kitchen shears and press the bird flat like an open book.
- Make extra green sauce and thin it with a little water to use as a salad dressing later in the week.