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This Peruvian chicken rivals the juicy, crisp-skinned roast chicken from your favorite Peruvian spot. And the creamy, zesty green sauce? You’ll want to put it on everything!
This Peruvian chicken recipe 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 and juicy with super crispy skin. 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.
“I don’t know I’ve ever eaten a better roast chicken. The rub alone is wonderful, but the sauce??? Oh man, puts it over the top…This recipe is as good as it gets!”
Choosing a Chicken
Look for a whole chicken weighing about 4 pounds, and don’t worry too much about whether the package says “fryer,” “broiler,” or “roaster.” The weight matters more than the label here. A much larger bird will need more time in the oven, so choosing one close to the recipe’s size makes the timing easier to follow.
HOW TO MAKE Peruvian Chicken with Green Sauce
Begin by making the marinade. Combine the lime juice, olive oil, garlic, 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 about two-thirds of the marinade under the skin. Then rub the rest of the marinade over top. Place the chicken in a bowl and refrigerate at least 6 hours or overnight.
Preheat the oven to 425°F, 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°F 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 spicy green sauce. 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 it will thicken up as it sits.
Transfer the sauce to a bowl and refrigerate until ready to serve. Carve the chicken and serve with green sauce.
How Spicy Is the Green Sauce?
With about half the jalapeño ribs and seeds included, the sauce has a medium-hot kick. For a milder version, remove them all before blending, then taste and add a little back if you’d like more heat. Jalapeños can vary quite a bit, so starting mild gives you more control.
Make-Ahead, Freezing & Reheating
The long marinade does some of the planning for you: get the chicken ready the night before, blend the green sauce, and the next day you can concentrate on roasting and sides.
- Prep ahead: Marinate the chicken in the refrigerator for at least 6 hours or overnight, as directed. You can make the green sauce a day ahead, too; keep it covered in the fridge and stir before serving.
- Store: Refrigerate leftover chicken in an airtight container for up to 3 days, keeping the green sauce separate.
- Freeze: Freeze the cooked chicken in a freezer-safe container or bag for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge. I’d make the green sauce fresh rather than freeze it, since its creamy texture can change.
- Reheat: Place the chicken in a baking dish with a splash of water, cover with foil, and warm in a 325°F oven until heated through to 165°F. Uncover toward the end to help the skin crisp up. Serve the green sauce cold alongside.
Peruvian-Style Roast Chicken with Green Sauce
Ingredients
For the Chicken
- 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- ¼ cup lime juice, from 2 limes
- 4 large cloves garlic, roughly chopped
- 1 tablespoon kosher salt
- 2 teaspoons paprika
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 tablespoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 2 teaspoons sugar
- 4 lb 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 1 lime
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ⅛ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Instructions
For the Chicken
- Combine the olive oil, lime juice, garlic, salt, paprika, black pepper, cumin, oregano, and sugar in a blender or mini food processor. 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 your fingers or the handle of a wooden spoon, gently loosen the skin over the breasts and legs, being careful not to tear it (you want the marinade to stay underneath the skin). Spoon about two-thirds of the marinade evenly under the skin, then spread the remaining third over the outside of the chicken. Refrigerate for at least 6 hours or overnight.
- Adjust the oven rack to the lower-middle position, and preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C). Line a roasting pan with aluminum foil for easy clean-up. Spray a rack (preferably a V-shape) with non-stick cooking spray, then place the chicken on it.
- Tie the legs together with kitchen string. Roast for 20 minutes, until the skin is golden.
- Reduce the oven temperature to 375°F (190°C) and continue roasting for about 1 hour and 10 minutes, or until the juices run clear when you cut between the leg and thigh. If the chicken is 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 the jalapeño peppers, cilantro, garlic, mayonnaise, sour cream, lime juice, salt, and pepper in a blender or food processor and blend into a smooth sauce.
- With the motor running, open the lid and slowly drizzle in the olive oil. It will seem runny at this point; it will thicken up as it sits. Transfer the sauce to a bowl, cover, and refrigerate until ready to serve.
Notes
- Be sure to wash your hands well after handling hot peppers, and do not touch your eyes while working with them.
- The nutritional information does not include the green sauce.
Pair with
Nutrition Information
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.
What To Serve With Peruvian Chicken
For the full chicken-dinner treatment, add Mexican rice and black bean salad with corn and avocado, and let everyone help themselves. Crispy potato wedges are another great option—especially with extra green sauce for dipping.
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Was looking for a new way to serve whole roasted chicken so I gave this recipe a try for company over the 4th of July holiday weekend. Truly this was a hit! I prepared the chicken the day prior and let it marinade overnight in the refrigerator. I roasted according to directions and the fragrance filled the kitchen – most inviting to our guests. The chicken tasted wonderful both with and without the green sauce. I divided the green sauce into two bowls and added additional hot sauce to one for some who like it extra spicy. I will definitely make this again and several asked for the recipe. REALLY GOOD!
This has become one of the staple recipes in our house! When I made this for just my husband and I, I used the same amount of jalapeno stem/ seeds as suggested. With a little guy, we used a bit less but still included some so that it would have at least a little bite!
If you’re a little short on time and don’t want to roast the whole chicken, I’ve also found that this recipe is awesome on chicken thighs – cooks faster but has the same great taste! Just make sure whatever cut of meat you use that it has skin on it.
I’ll often rub the chicken down in the morning before heading to work, then it just needs to be popped into the oven when I get home! Also, the green sauce is even better the 2nd day, so if you want to make that the night before you won’t be disappointed!
Some day I’ll have leftovers from this recipe, but so far, it all disappears in one night!
I had a tough day at work and wanted to make something amazing to eat but not too much work and this fit the bill perfectly! I made a few changes but we loved it! I spatchcocked the chicken so it would cook quicker and I cooked it with indirect heat on the grill because it was too warm to turn on the oven. We have a dinner party coming up soon and this will probably be on the menu! Tonight I served it with the Black Bean and Corn Salad with the Chipotle Honey dressing. Wonderful! Thank you!
Hello Jenn
I love your site soo much. I’ve tried many of your recipes. I always looks forward for your emails with new recipes. I am thankful to my friend at church for sharing your site.
I have one question. Can I make this recipe in a vertical chicken roaster that you put over the grill like this one?
http://www.williams-sonoma.com/products/two-in-one-vertical-chicken-roaster/?pkey=e%7Cchicken%2Broaster%2Bgrill%7C209%7Cbest%7C0%7C1%7C24%7C%7C3&cm_src=PRODUCTSEARCH||NoFacet-_-NoFacet-_-NoMerchRules
Thank you
Eileen, I have made several versions of this on the vertical roaster but in the oven, and it comes out beautifully. Can’t see why it wouldn’t also be great on the grill.
This dish is FABULOUS. Instead of using a whole chicken I bought the chicken already cut into pieces. It was less work and took less time to cook. As for the green sauce the first time I made it I used Greek yogurt instead of sour cream. The taste and consistency wasn’t right. The next time I made the sauce I followed the recipe as written and it came out great. This is now one of the regular dishes I make in my house.
This sounds great, even if it would turn my house into a furnace. Might be worth it. What kinds of sides would match up well with this? I don’t think our normal staple of roast chicken sides would match up with this style.
Hi Jim, The great thing about this dish is that you can keep the sides pretty simple. The chicken and green sauce have so much flavor — and you can put the sauce on whatever you serve with it. Honestly, you could do plain white or brown rice and a simple vegetable, like my French Green Beans with Shallots. Or if you wanted to do a starch and vegetable all in one, my Mexican Rice Pilaf would be very good. Here are the links:
https://www.onceuponachef.com/recipes/mexican-rice-pilaf.html
https://www.onceuponachef.com/recipes/french-string-beans-with-shallots.html
the peruvian chicken places around here offer the following sides:
fried rice
fried plantains
yuka
black beans
After having this at an authentic Peruvian restaurant, I was blown away and immediately went in search for a recipe. I’m glad I came across yours. This is the first recipe I tried from your site and it made me a believer.
I didn’t change a thing and it came out just as what I had at the restaurant. Perfect.
This is easily one of the best dinners I make. I’ve made it for my boyfriend and another time for his parents to rave reviews. The sauce is out of control good! We eat it on everything….sandwiches, chips, veggies, salads, rice…..
The great thing about the sauce is you can adjust the heat to your liking. It gets really hot with the ribs and seeds from the jalapenos but stays mild if you just put in the green parts. Tip: Use food safe gloves when you cut jalapenos!
I made this chicken with Jenn’s Mexican rice recipe and they complemented each other perfectly.
Thanks Jenn!
I cooked this Peruvian chicken and green sauce for my friends and family dinner and everyone loved it. I liked that the recipe was simple and quick. Love this website she has really good recipes that I can’t wait o try.
OMG the chicken was great …..but the green sauce!!!!! My husband had more sauce on his fork than chicken and he ate it all. Today I had to make a double batch and we’re going to put it on fried shrimp! It’s wonderfully versatile and just fabulous!