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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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I’ve had Peruvian chicken at a restaurant and love it so I wanted to try and make it at home. Thank you very much for this recipe, it’s easy to follow and unambiguous. I followed all directions except that I cooked the chicken over charcoal. It was excellent and the sauce pushed it over the top. I can’t wait to try some of other recipes!
Can the sauce be frozen? I’m thinking not…
I’ve never tried freezing it so I’m not certain, but you could certainly give it a try.
I am Peruvian. I’ve been eating Pollo a la brasa since I was a child, I’m in my 30’s. For about 10yrs I ate it weekly on family night in NYC. I’ve since moved out of state and I wanted to find a recipe to make pollo a la brasa at home. This recipe is just oven roasted chicken, I used the exact measurements. I’m so very disappointed it is labeled “Peruvian style”. The “green sauce” gets 2 out of 5 stars. I think the only saving aspect is the fact that it’s the right spicy flavor. I wish the person posting would rename this recipe and remove “Peruvian”.
If you have a better recipe please share.
Cheryl, I have to agree with Josue on this. I too have eaten this sauce for at least 30 years and LOVE it. I think it would be an EPIC fail to remove the name Peruvian from it. That’s what it is. If you are Peruvian and have a better recipe, please share it with the group or provide your changes to this recipe. I’m sure Jenn would appreciate your input, other than remove the Peruvian name. That’s how I came across it. Thanks again Jenn!!
I have to agree with you Cheryl. I live in DC & we have great peruvian options. I was exciting about making this @ home. I did not enjoy the recipe. It’s a good baked chicken recipe but Peruvian, no way.
This was so delicious and easy! I used legs and thighs instead, and I cooked for about 50 minutes. The chicken was so tender, and nice crispy skin. The sauce is insanely good. I made with your Thai Quinoa salad and a side of roasted potatoes and carrots. The only complaint was from my poor husband grumbling there were no leftovers! Thank you Jenn for another great recipe. I am more confident cooking for my friends since finding your website 🙂 Cant wait for your cookbook!
I made this and it was delicious. I’m planning to make it again for some friends and was wondering if you could suggest a few side dishes to go along with it?
I came here to ask the same question! Especially since I have a vegeterian in the group. Thanks!
We usually serve it with sweet potato fries or Spanish rice.
We make the chicken on the grill beer can style. We use the green sauce on like everything, but I do use less mayo and sour cream.
Wonderful recipe. Whole family loved everything. Chicken flavor excellent. Green sauce better than my nearest Peruvian restaurant . This recipe is gonna stay with me forever.
Unbelievable!!! Who needs to go out for Pollo La-Brasa! I did not have time to marinate the chicken for the recommended time, so i used legs and thighs an vacuum sealed it for about three hours. That was amazing flavor. I can only imagine what the chicken would taste like if it marinated overnight! Thank you for recipe.
I forgot the limes!! 🙁 can I sub for lemons instead? Do you think it will have a big effect on taste? Thanks!!
Can you use cut up chicken or drumsticks instead of a whole chicken?
Yes, Mary, that will work — just be sure to place the chicken pieces on a rack to the skin crisps up.
After moving to Switzerland where good ethnic food is lacking I was looking for a recipe to duplicate one of my favorite dishes from NYC’s Pio Pio. This was AMAZING. And I say this as my chickens are cooking rotisserie style in the oven still. While they were cooking I just tested out the recipe on some chicken legs baked at 425 for 30 minutes. I also made the green sauce (which I can never get enough of) with some healthier ingredients as I was horrified to find out how much fat the real recipe would have me consuming. I subbed sour cream for plain 3.8% fat yoghurt and subbed the mayo for 60% reduced fat Swiss mayo (that tastes just as good as the full fat version and even better than Hellmans). The sauce was delicious and while right now it is a bit runnier than usual, I’m hoping it thickens. If not, next time I will use Greek yogurt instead.
I would have to agree. Reminded us of Pio Pio as well. This recipe is awesome. I always make this with roasted potatoes and a simple green salad. We could drink the green sauce.