Peruvian-Style Roast Chicken with Green Sauce
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Tender and juicy Peruvian-style roast chicken with a spicy, luscious 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 jalapeƱo 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 theĀ Serious Eats Food LabĀ by J. Kenji Lopez-Alt).
Simply combine the mayonnaise, sour cream, cilantro, jalapeƱos, 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 theĀ jalapeƱo 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.Ā
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Peruvian-Style Roast Chicken with Green Sauce
Tender and juicy Peruvian-style roast chicken with a spicy, luscious 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 jalapeƱo 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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I just wanted to add that I use a particular method to cook the chicken, which involves pre-heating the roasting pan (I use a cast iron skillet) in the oven at maximum setting. When the oven is at temperature I place the prepared chicken in the pan and let it roast for 30 minutes. At this point it may be done, but the internal temperature (thickest part of thigh or breast) should be verified at 180Ā° F, so it might take a little longer (10 min. or so). One specification is that the chicken must not be larger than 3 pounds or the method will not work. What this method gives is a crisp skin and very moist breast meat…not to mention the ease of roasting.
I made this last night and it was a hit. I’m going to use the extra sauce on tacos this week.
If I am using a Roaster chicken 7 pounds should i double marinade.
Hi Natasha, Yes, that’s a good idea.
We had a lot of green sauce left over and used it all week – as a veggie dip, topping for nachos, etc.
The chicken turned out well even though I didn’t have a v-rack and just placed it in the baking dish.
I made this chicken a few weeks ago and my entire family loved it. I I made it with roasted potatoes and veggies. I will definitely be making this again!
I’ll admit that I did not personally cook this recipe, but my roommate did and it was PERFECT. So juicy and flavorful – we used leftovers for salads, sandwiches, and quesadillas all week! We didn’t have a roasting rack so we elevated the chickens on top of some onions, which were also delicious. The sauce is also incredibly tasty, we have been using it as a salad dressing ever since.
This is a great recipe. I served the chicken with garlic rice and fresh green beans. The green sauce is fabulous. Not only is it good with the chicken, but great as a dip with corn chips, spread on a sandwich and as a salad dressing.
Made this for a party and it was great. Even used the left over green sauce on tortilla chips, thanks, all recipes have been great.
Great recipe! I marinated chicken overnight and made the green sauce today. It turned out to be one of the best Sunday dinners . I roasted purple potatoes with the chicken in the roasting pan . Served frsh green beans on the side .One my best recipes added to my collection.
AWESOMENESS!!! I have several friends from Peru and we often lunch at a place called La Polleria! This recipe is so close! I love that I can make it at home! Can’t wait to make it for my friends.
We live right down the street from about 4 different peruvian chicken places so I was very curious to try this out and compare it. It turned out SO well. I will still continue going to the local places when time is tight but otherwise, this was fun to make and delicious to eat! I used chicken thighs instead of a whole chicken and it turned out great!
Fantastic recipe. My dinner guests were very impressed. Reminded me of chimichurri steak I make
I think we found our new favorite chicken recipe!! LOVE the green sauce (I add a small handful of spinach to green it up even more).
Oh my goodness, this was off the hook. Just fantastic. I made garlic rice to go with it Got lots of left overs to be creative.
I made this for the Oscars and it was wonderful! I served it with Quinoa Pilaf with Corn and JalapeƱos from the Best Light Recipe cookbook. The sauce worked great on that as well. Huge hit!
My family loves this recipe. The second time I made it I used the marinade on boneless, skinless chicken breasts and grilled them the next day. It was delicious that way too — and less work!
Good to know, Amy. One of my friends also tried it with bone-in chicken pieces and she said it came out great.
I made this twice, and it was a hit both ways. The first time, I used the original recipe and served it with a mix of Basmati and black rice along with a simple endive, Romaine and red onion salad.
The second time, I substituted the cilantro with fresh sweet basil and substituted the jalapeno with crushed red pepper. I tossed the sauce in a quinoa fettucini, Parma prosciutto, spinach and chopped tomato salad.
I still have not tried it with shrimp.
This is a superb recipe that has no limitations.
From all the comments, everyone LOVES this chicken, and the sauce. I made it 2 times in 2 weeks, and just bought another chicken to make it again. The first time I served it with potato wedges, a salad of frisĆ©e (I’m in France) and homemade corn tortillas. The second time with homemade flour tortillas, potato wedges, an arugula salad and fried plaintains. Both times it was for guests. They loved it. We ended up putting the chicken and salad and sauce in the tortilla and eating it out of hand. This is one of those ethnic dishes that goes well with other elements from the same general geographical area (Mexico, Central America, Caribbean). What wine or beer would you everyone with this?
Hi Kathy, Love your idea to put the chicken in a tortilla and think I may do a variation on this recipe soon for soft chicken tacos. As for a beverage, I think it’d be delicious with a light Mexican beer or crisp white wine, like Sauvignon Blanc or Pinot Grigio.
We loved this recipe. It was just as good as the Peruvian restaurants in the Washington DC area. I served it with baked potato wedges and sauteed spinach with garlic. Yummy!
My husband and I really loved this. I did reduce the amount of pepper.
This chicken was outstanding. I had Meyer lemons so I used them instead of the limes in both the chicken and the sauce. I will definitely try it again with the limes. I will also try grilling the chicken and or roasting it split. I am sure both methods will be delicious. I served it with rice pilaf mixture and a salad. It was very easy to make.
I have made your green sauce as a dipping sauce for a variety of chicken many times, and I always get rave reviews. I usually only put one jalapeno pepper and one time I only put in a half of one because my kids don’t like it very spicy and it turned out perfectly! I even used the green sauce instead of mayonnaise on turkey sandwiches for my kids at lunch and they came home from school telling me it was the best sandwich ever!
Hi Jen, Love the idea to put the sauce on sandwiches…bet it’d also be delicious on soft chicken tacos.
This was fabulous. I have reduced the peppers for my husbands palate.
i’ve made this dish three times in the last month. It’s a serious crowd pleaser and pairs well with a fume blanc. So delicious!
Thanks so much for this recipe. There are NO Peruvian restaurants within 75 miles of where I live, and this is very close to what I used to get in the Washington, DC area. Thanks again!
Another great recipe. The sauce was a hit recipe on it’s own. I also used it to drizzle on shrimp tacos and as a condiment on turkey burgers.
We had it last night for dinner. I keep about it….it was so delicious. I made fries to go with it and salad, and home made flour tortillas. My neighbors were here for dinner, and they never put their forks down! Next time I’m going to make some tostones to go with it.
The chicken just went into the fridge for tomorrow. Not even cooked and already my mouth is watering. The dipping sauce is made…and tasted…so delicious….a little like a creamy chimichurri.
Nice! I am pinning this now…
This looks absolutely amazing! I can’t wait to try it!
OMG ! Chicken was fabulous , sauce was amazing!
Wow! This was awesome, awesome! The chicken was so flavorful apart from the sauce, but the sauce just made it all come together. I served the chicken with plain basmati steamed rice and steamed broccoli which worked really well for drizzling sauce over! Again, thanks so much for helping me feed my family healthy and delicious meals!
Hi Jenn,
Made this dinner for the family and it was a big hit! Both the marinade (I saved some to put on plain chicken) and the green sauce were even better the next day. Regarding one of the previous comments, I used tofu mayo for the green sauce and I thought it was quite good. It was not only great with the chicken, but also as a dip for raw cucumber slices.
Definitely a keeper!!
My grandma made this chicken for our family over the weekend. It was very delicious and the side sauce was also very tasteful. Our family couldn’t stop talking about it lol. By the way it was a very easy and quick meal to fix. Thank you Jenn!
I have an 11-pound chicken I need to cook š. Can i still use this recipe?
Yes, I think you can get away with it — it will just take a lot longer to cook. š
Can you use just lime juice? Cant wait to make this
Hi Vanessa, Not sure I understand your question, but if you’re talking about the marinade you really also need the salt and seasonings to liven it up. Hope that helps!
Sorry about that! I meant instead of the actual limes, could I use lime juice from the bottle? Thanks!
That makes more sense! Sorry, I should have figured that! Anyway, I’d stick with the fresh limes even though it’s a bit more work — it makes a big difference in this recipe.
This chicken was amazing!! The green sauce was delicious and I omitted the cilantro and it still was great!! One of the best dinners! We used Trader Joes chimmichuri rice as a side which was perfect. Thanks Jenn your amazing!!
muchas gracias por tus recetas fabulosas !!
Hey Jen, Thanks for the dinner party suggestions, I checked out the suggested soup recipe, liked the mix of ingredients. Think I’ll use your sun dried tomato dip (BTW, I dry my own, easy and you can save a bundle plus have as many as you want at any time!)
Hi, trying this recipe on chicken wings for my birthday Saturday. Should I be concerned about the wings not holding the flavor? Can’t wait!!!
Hi Martha, As long as you marinate the wings long enough, they should hold the flavor just fine. Please come back and let me know how they come out, and Happy Birthday!
Really looking forward to this tonight.
This recipe hit my inbox and I immediately knew what I was making for dinner! This was a huge hit with my family last night. You’ve really spiced up our mid-winter blues up her in NH!
The chicken looks, in a word, delicious. Concerned about the sauce. Of the few herbs I would never bring into my home, cilantro makes top. Wondering if you might have a suggestion as to what I might be able to substitute for either the cilantro (which I doubt could be done while maintaining the integrity of the dish), or an alternate sauce altogether which would still compliment the bird. If neither come to mind that’s fine, I would understand. Either way, sauce or no sauce, I would love to try the chicken.
Hi Mike, No problem…you can substitute parsley in the green sauce. It will still be delicious. Otherwise, you could try serving the chicken with a garlic mayonnaise.
This dish looks more than wonderful! About how much green sauce does the recipe make? I think I would be inclined to double the recipe and use it for the leftover chicken (if any) or on a green salad or on a sub or even a bit in a macaroni salad to liven things up. Why not?
I bet the green sauce would be good with a shrimp cocktail or boiled shrimp along with red sauce and clarified butter. What a nice presentation that would be.
Gosh, that looks so darned good. I can’t wait to make it! Thank you so much for sharing this recipe.
The recipe makes quite a bit of green sauce — about 2 cups. We usually have leftovers but it certainly wouldn’t hurt to make extra as it keeps well. I agree that it would be delicious with shrimp. It’s honestly good on anything…sometimes I give it to my kids with romaine spears as a snack.
Made this chicken tonight – wonderful!
I love the picture of the vein and seeds of the jalapeno. Perfect! This sounds like something we would really want to try.
Thanks for sharing.
This looks delicious, will be making this very soon. In regards to the green sauce instead of using mayonnaise, what do you think would be a healthier substitute? Greek Yoghurt?
Hi Kylie, You could substitute Greek yogurt for the sour cream and maybe use a low fat mayo. There are also Peruvian green sauces made w/o mayo — they aren’t creamy but are very good.
1st I am jealous of the natural light in your kitchen!!!!
And the chicken looks and sounds amazing!!!
What do you suggest serving with this? This seems like the perfect dish for a dinner party that won’t break the budget!
Hi Madeline, It would be perfect for a dinner party. I’d serve it with roasted potato wedges or rice pilaf, along with either my roasted carrots or broccoli. And if you need a starter, check out my tortilla soup. Hope you enjoy!
I will be trying this recipe this weekend!! i make a similiar sauce like that one, called Chimuchurri that is great on everthing!!
I am making this tonight..thanks it looks delish