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Peruvian-Style Roast Chicken with Green Sauce

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Tender and juicy Peruvian-style roast chicken with a spicy, luscious green sauce.

Plate of Peruvian-style roast chicken with 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

Chicken ingredients including lime, kosher salt, and oregano.

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.

Marinade ingredients in a food processor.

Blend until smooth.

Food processor of marinade.

Using your fingers or a wooden spoon, loosen the skin over the breasts and legs of the chicken.

Wooden spoon loosening the skin from a chicken.

Spoon 2/3 of the marinade under the skin.

Spoon putting marinade under the skin of a chicken.

And rub the rest over top. Place the chicken in a bowl and refrigerate at least 6 hours or overnight.

Chicken marinating in a bowl.

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.

Tied, marinated chicken in a lined roasting pan.

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.

Roasted chicken in a roasting pan.

While the chicken marinates, make the green sauce (recipe adapted from theĀ Serious Eats Food LabĀ by J. Kenji Lopez-Alt).

Green sauce ingredients including sour cream, mayonnaise, and lime.

Simply combine the mayonnaise, sour cream, cilantro, jalapeƱos, garlic, lime juice salt and pepper in a blender or food processor.

Sauce ingredients in a blender.

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.

Blender of green sauce.

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.)

Seeded and sliced peppers on a cutting board.

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.

Plate of Peruvian-style roast chicken with green sauce.

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.

Servings: 4
Cook Time: 1 Hour 30 Minutes
Total Time: 2 Hours, plus at least 6 hours marinating time

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

  1. 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.
  2. 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

  1. 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.
  2. Note: Be sure to wash your hands well after handling hot peppers, and do not touch your eyes while working with them.
  3. Note: The nutritional information does not include the green sauce.

Pair with

Nutrition Information

Powered by Edamam

  • 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.

See more recipes:

Comments

  • I marinated the chicken yesterday, and my husband grilled them (2-3.5lb birds) tonight on the big green egg. The chicken and green sauce were delicious. I served it with the cilantro rice pilaf recipe in your cookbook and fresh corn. It was a great summer meal! Thanks, Jenn!

  • Though this recipe looks delicious, I don’t usually make whole chickens or use chicken with skin. Do you have suggestions how to adapt this recipe for skinless chicken breasts?

  • I love this recipe along with most of your other recipes, especially your Caesar salad dressing. We have very similar tastes! I do adjust recipes as needed to make them keto or gluten free. I will be making this recipe again tomorrow and I am going to try it in my smoker using applewood. I am also going to quarter the chickens, I use 2 chickens every time I cook so that I have leftovers for easy meal prep, and try leaving it marinate about 24 hours.

  • This recipe is just phenomenal. Instead of putting the chicken in the oven, I put it on a rack in a cast-iron pan with some water and slow roasted it in the bbq grill for a couple hours at the same temperatures. As the marinade drips into the pan, the water steams back up the chicken, keeping it moist and flavourful. The green sauce is just perfect with the chicken and should not be skipped. Paired our meal with Mexican rice and French green beans recipes also from this site.

  • This recipe looks amazing. Do you think that this recipe would work well with a spatchcocked chicken? Does it make sense to remove the backbone, marinate and then grill or roast? Do you think there would be any difference? I know the cooking time will be different.

    Love your recipes.

    • Hi Donna, a few other readers have commented that they’ve spatchcocked the chicken with success (and either roasting or grilling should work). I’d love to hear how it turns out!

  • This is my first time EVER leaving a review for anything, but let me tell you, I made the Peruvian Style chicken and it was absolutely delicious. Not to mention that I found this site by mistake. The only thing that I did that was different was I place my chicken on the grill and smoked it some. It was soooooo good. I’ve been trying recipes from the restaurants that I may have eaten from and it has been a wonderful venture for me. Now I will check out other recipes that you have. Thank you so much.

    • Glad you liked it!

  • Hi Jenn,

    This looks like a fabulous recipe! Can’t wait to try it! Could you please recommend a good roasting pan and rack?

    Thanks,

    Zahra

  • OMG … this chicken was sooooooooo delicious. My husband said it was one of the best meals I’ve ever made. I marinated the chicken overnight.

    I just bought your cookbook … LOVE all your recipes.

    Cheers!

    Joanne

    • — Joanne Francis
    • Reply
    • So glad you enjoyed it (and thanks for your support with the cookbook)! šŸ™‚

      • Hi! I have a PowerXLAir Fryer that allows you to actually cook a chicken rotisserie style, like at Whole Foods (it doesnā€™t only air fry). Do you think that would work for this recipe?

        • Hi Joy, I donā€™t have an air fryer I donā€™t know much about using one so itā€™s hard to say for sure – I’m sorry! If you do try it, I’d love to hear how it turns out!

  • This is our absolute go to. We just make the green sauce as a salad dressings in between.

    The whole family loves it!

  • Iā€™ve made this 3 times – fabulous all three times. Once with a whole chicken – so awesome! Next we were headed to a cottage and being unsure of the oven, and for ease of prep and transport, I used boneless skinless chicken thighs – Which we cooked on the bbq – fabulous again. Canā€™t say enough good about this one.

  • I follow recipes exactly and I didnā€™t deviate with this one. The chicken and green sauce came out Wonderfully. It was a hit with everyone and the recipe was asked for numerous times. Instead of the oven, we cooked the chicken on the grill and it was amazing. Will definitely make this again!

  • I followed the recipe for the chicken to the T and it came out delicious! The only thing I did different was cook the chicken in the air fryer. It came out so juicy anf full of flavor! I used the chicken to make arroz Chaufa. The green sauce I used half of the mayo because my boyfriend doesn’t like it, and I used 1 bunch of cilantro. Everything was super yummy and will definitely nake it again.

  • I made the roast chicken and green sauce for dinner tonite. Itā€™s going into the family favourite list. Such a simple and delicious recipe. Thank you.

  • Amazing! The Green Sauce is so good.

  • Hi Jenn, We love this recipe and would like to try it on the BBQ. We’d like to rotisserie BBQ a few chickens on a gas BBQ. Any ideas, re: grilling time, BBQ temp etc would be appreciated. Thanks.

    • Hi Catherine, I think it would work beautifully, but I’m not quite sure how it it will impact the cooking time. If you google it, it looks like there are a number of videos that may be able to provide you some guidance. Sorry I can’t be more helpful – I’d love to hear how it turns out though! šŸ™‚

    • I made and reviewed this recipe already, but last night, after marinating chicken legs and thighs all day, we cooked it on the barbecue. I’m sorry I didn’t pay attention to the time. Again, this recipe was AMAZING. The green sauce too. Everyone loved both. I do think I doubled the paprika though. šŸ™‚

    • Hi Catherine V. I know this is late, but we regularly make this recipe on our Traeger. We cook the chicken at 375 for about an hour and a half and it always comes out fantastic. Love this recipe!

  • This was amazing! I always buy 3.75-4lb chickens, leave it out at room temp for an hour, roast at 400 F in a convection oven for 60 minutes. Itā€™s roasted perfectly and I never have to check it – stays moist! So simple even my babysitter can do it – easy to prep and leave in the roasting pan, in the fridge. Not being covered in the fridge helps the skin be crispy too. My husband loved the flavors and I loved the change from our simple roasted chicken. With no JalapeƱo seeds added the sauce is flavorful but not spicy. Super addition to my weeknight rotation, thanks!

  • I have made this recipe several times with chicken wings. Very simple, guests love it. The green sauce is awesome.

    Thanks for the website and your cookbook, Jenn. Love them both. Just hooked my daughter-in-law on both this weekend.

    • — T Migratorious
    • Reply
    • ā¤ļø

  • Insanely good… will become a staple for sure. And leftover green sauce is good on EVERYTHING! From tortilla scrambles to chicken sandwiches. Huge winner!

  • This was soooo good. I did add one step though – I used legs and thighs and not the entire bird. After marinating the chicken for about 6 hours, I browned the chicken pieces in butter, in a cast iron skillet. Then I baked the browned pieces in the oven. So, so good!

  • I’m almost at a loss for words. I had given up on roasted chicken because mine were never flavorful, crispy or sassy enough. Blah. When I saw this recipe, though, something told me I should give it a try and my family is so glad I did! We all absolutely loved the chicken and the adults loved the sauce. I am pretty sure my husband is going to brush his teeth with it tonight. I covered it with foil halfway through because it was getting too dark in places – it turned out just right. I am so thrilled to have this in my repertoire – already looking forward to sharing it with friends someday when we can all see each other again. I have to say that every recipe I have made from this site has been a bang-on winner, as-is. I also made the Mexican rice with the chicken and followed up with the AHMAZING strawberry shortcake for dinner. Thank you!
    xoxo

    • So glad you enjoyed it!! šŸ™‚

      • Could we freeze this green sauce?

        • I don’t think it would freeze well — sorry!

  • Hi Jenn,
    Do you think the green sauce can be made with parsley instead of cilantro? ( I am one of those that do not like cilantro at all!) And use yogourt instead of the sour cream? Thank you! I can’t wait to make this!

    • Yes and yes. šŸ™‚
      Hope you enjoy!

    • I make the green sauce with 1/4 yogurt, 1/4 sour cream and 1/4 mayo as my husband doesn’t like mayo and although it is a bit runny at first, a hour in the fridge thickens it up. I sometimes omit the sour cream all together and use more yogurt and it doesn’t change the flavor that much, just the consistency..

  • I am cooking 2 (4lb) chicken fryers for guests today. How much longer should they cook in the oven? This is my second time making this. It is a great recipe even for beginner cooks like myself!

    • Glad you like it! Time in the oven may be a few minutes longer but not significantly different.

  • This green sauce is the best Peruvian style sauce I have ever made. We have been trying to find a recipe for years that is closest to the Pio Pio restaurant here in Queens NY and your recipe is the best. Thank you so much.

  • Simply delicious, especially that green sauce!

  • Fantastic recipe. Made with 6 drumsticks; cooked at 425 30 min, flip 10 min. Nom.

  • Love this recipe! We have made this several times with whole chickens or bone-in/skin-on chicken pieces. It’s fantastic! The sauce is so addictive.

    • Hi Emily, thanks for letting us know the recipe also works with chicken pieces! Do you do the step of putting the marinade under the skin of the pieces as well or can I skip that?

  • Is this good even without the green sauce? I have no sour cream or jalapeƱos

    • Yes, the chicken is really good as is; the green sauce just elevates it, so try it next time!

  • I was gifted this cookbook and I have to say this is my favorite recipe. The sauce alone is yummy on everything.

  • I live in an area with several restaurants that make this so I’m pretty familiar with the dish. That said, this is the best recipe I’ve ever used for this. My only change is that I rotisserie grilled it over charcoal.

  • I’ve made this dish a dozen times. It’s so flavorful and everyone loves it! I wasn’t able to find skin on chicken breasts (crazy, I know). I bought skinless boneless chicken breasts because that’s all I could find today. If I pound them thin and marinate overnight – do you think they would be dry? I should have grabbed a whole chicken & I may go back & grab one but wanted to get your thoughts. Thank you for an amazing recipe!!

    • Hi Sheri, Yes, unfortunately, the boneless, skinless breast will come out dry – sorry!

      • The best roasted chicken I’ve ever eaten!! So so yummy. Jenn you are my savior during this time at home!! šŸ™‚

  • The Peruvian chicken (or often made with pork tenderloin) is a favorite recipe that I make for friends and family. Needless to say the Green Sauce is a winner!!! I always keep the leftover sauce to use on salads after the chicken or pork dinner.

    Our local grocer didn’t have jalapeno peppers and said that during the crisis, he is having problems getting them. I bought anaheim peppers as they were the only peppers available. I know that they are usually milder that jalapenos. What amount would you substitute for the jalapeno?

    Thank you for your wonderful recipes.

    • Hi Donna, Glad you enjoy it! Re. the anaheims, it depends on their size; I would try to use the same amount as the jalapeƱos so the sauce is the right consistency. If you want more heat, you can always add a pinch of cayenne pepper.

    • Thank you for your response. I forgot to provide my 5 stars so I added another comment.

  • WOWZA! I don’t bother roasting whole chickens anymore because I find them boring. But this recipe looked promising — and it’s a Jenn Segal recipe — so I tried it. The flavours were out of control! Tangy, spicy, vibrant. Certainly not your grandma’s Sunday chicken. A bit of work compared to the average chicken because of the marinade and sauce (for me, anyway), but it’s company-worthy. I can’t wait for the day when I can serve this to friends.

    • — Listen Linda Listen
    • Reply
  • This recipe has been my go to for Peruvian chicken for a few years ! I make the sauce just like the recipe and itā€™s excellent . For the chicken, the only modifications I made are I reduced the cumin to 1 tsp and I added 2 tbsp of soy sauce .

  • My son who is 15 and very very picky just told me this was the best chicken Iā€™ve ever made!!! Thank you for yet another fabulous recipe and mom win.

  • This recipe is absolutely the best chicken we have ever had – flavorful and moist. I have shared it with many friends all of whom agree. The sauce is heavenly! So much flavor! We all take too much so we can put it on our vegetables (usually do either steamed broccoli or green beans.) Both of my boys have asked if we can have this dish every night. Thank you!

  • I could only find a 6 lb chicken! How would I need to change the temperature/cooking time? Thanks! xx

    • Hi Alyssa, Iā€™d probably count on an additional 15 to 20 minutes in the oven, but youā€™ll have to keep an eye on it. Hope you enjoy!

  • How would I modify this recipe for just 4 people? In which case, I would be only using 4 chicken breasts/thighs? Thank you!

    • Hi Kaitlyn, this recipe serves 4 as is, so you could just stick with the whole chicken. If you’d prefer to use just breasts and thighs, Iā€™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!

      • Hello,

        I cannot wait to try this recipe. I seasoned the chicken today. I am making legs and thighs can you please let me know the cooking instructions for this? Thanks

        • Yes, you can use bone-in thighs and legs. You can keep the oven temperature the same, but reduce the cooking time. Iā€™d start checking them at about 50 ā€“ 55 minutes. (Also, place the chicken pieces on a rack so the skin crisps up.) Hope you enjoy!

  • Served with basmati rice pilaf. Awesome! I have not made a thing from her cookbook or website that was not superb! Keep it coming..

    • Very easy, although I substituted store-bought salsa verde. Chicken was tender, flavorful and delicious!!!

  • Super good recipe! I marinated overnight, so total time in marinade was about 20 hours. I used a 3.75# bird. Had to cover with foil about halfway into cooking as it was getting very dark. Pulled at 165*F and let rest for about 20 minutes before carving. Will definitely be making again!

    • — Rebecca Regnart
    • Reply
  • Made this for the first time tonight and the chicken was very juicy and delicious. My chicken was five plus pounds so cooked for an additional twenty minutes. Two thumbs up from both my husband and daughter. Next time, will try marinating chicken for 2 days to get even more flavor infused into breast meat. The green sauce is a must accompaniment.

  • I love this recipe! This is the recipe that welcomed me to your site. Thank goodness! All your recipes are tasty. You’ve become my go to for recipes so much that when I cook for others they don’t even have to ask where to get the recipe. They already know where to find you!

  • I’ve been making this recipe for a few years now, and it never fails to impress! Company loves it too!

    Jenn, your instructions and presentation are clear and easy to follow!

  • This is a greaaaaaaat recipe! I make it at least once a week! I love this šŸ˜ā¤ļøšŸ˜ā¤ļø Definitely my new favorite.

  • Excellent !

  • This was amazing and I loved it. Make it all the time! Thank you!

  • Hi ,Iā€™m hosting a party for 30-40 people and this is the only food blog I trust! Do you think I could use this marinade for chicken pieces and then grilled?
    Thank you!

    • Sure!

      • I am making this for a group of 25 people. Iā€™m thinking of using bone in/skin on chicken thighs (or open to suggestions). How many would you use and how long should the cooking time be? How much marinade should I make. Thanks!

        • Hi Beatrice, I think thighs would be great. I would count on about 3/4 to 1 pound of bone-in thighs per person and I’d probably multiply the marinade recipe by 5 or 6. Iā€™d keep the oven temp the same, just reduce the cooking time. Once you turn the heat down to 375 degrees, youā€™ll probably only need to cook them another 25 ā€“ 30 minutes. Hope everyone enjoys!

  • HI JENN
    YOUR RECIPES ARE AMAZING!
    I ONLY HAVE BONE IN SKIN ON BREAST COULD I USE 4 OF THEM INSTEAD OF A WHOLE CHICKEN?
    THANKS SO MUCH

    • Sure, Melissa that will work. Iā€™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!

  • Hello,
    Thank you for this recipe! If I were to just use drumsticks and chicken thighs what would you suggest oven temp and timing be?

    • Hi Stephanie, I’d keep the oven temp the same, just reduce the cooking time. Once you turn the heat down to 375 degrees, youā€™ll probably only need to cook them another 25 ā€“ 30 minutes. Enjoy!

  • What an amazing and delicious dish!! How I loved this dish!! Mom went to Peru a few years back and said Indeed! It tastes just like what the Peruvians eat . And yes, Just like you said….. The sauce is amazing!! I have tried quite a few of your recipes and have been happy with every one!! Thanks! I am excited to try many more of your recipes.

  • Omg! Delicious! Made this today. Thanks for the recipe.

    • Love every recipe Iā€™ve ever tried from your site and cookbook! And Iā€™ve tried a lot. Making this today and noticed the calorie count – which is WITHOUT the sauce. Wondered where the 1000+ comes from? Is that assuming you eat the skin? Thanks Jen!

      • Yes, it does include the skin. Feel free to pull it off right before eating to reduce the calories and fat. (And so glad you like the recipes!)

      • Would this marinade and sauce work for a flank or skirt steak?

        • Sure, Sian, that should work.

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