This post may contain affiliate links. Read my full disclosure policy.
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.
You May Also Like
Add a Comment
This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.
Hey Jen!
Love your recipes. Could I grill this? And if so, would I want to spatchcock it or cook it like a beer can chicken?
Hi Andrew, So glad you enjoy the recipes! I think you could cook the chicken either way for a delicious result.
Perfection! And the green sauce is like gold in our family with everyone vying for the remains the next day!
Yeah I’ll definitely make this again! I used bone in thighs and removed the skin, marinated overnight and then grilled till almost done. Then I put them in the slow cooker on low for 2-3 hours. Next time I hope to be able to eat it right off the grill so I get the crispy edges! The chicken was all cleaned out but luckily I have some sauce left 👏🏼
Hi Jen,
First, I want to tell you how much I love your recipes and this blog!
My husband is having difficulty tolerating cumin in dishes. Can you recommend an
substitute for the cumin in your Peruvian roast chicken recipe?
Thanks so much!
Hi Karen, So glad you like the recipes/blog! You can use chili powder in place of the cumin.
Coriander would be a good substitute as well.
Hi Jenn,
Love your recipes. This recipe sounds so appealing. Since it’s just the two of us, I was thinking of 2 lbs. of chicken thighs and halve the ingredients for the marinade. Would I still follow the same oven temperatures? I’m unsure about roasting time for the thighs instead of the whole chicken. Should I halve the amount of green sauce also or make the full amount since everyone loves it. Thanks so much. You are always so kind in answering our questions.
Hi Ruth, So glad you like the recipes! For thighs, I’d keep the oven temp the same and start checking them for doneness at about 50 – 55 minutes. (Also, place the chicken pieces on a rack so the skin crisps up.) And regarding the sauce, I think that’s a judgment call. It is delish and keeps well for 4 to 5 days in the fridge. If you think you’ll get through it in that period of time, you could certainly make the whole recipe. Hope you enjoy both the chicken and the sauce!
Hi. Is it ok to use chicken pieces…bone-in, legs, breasts and thighs? Would like to make this for 8 people. Thank you.
Sure – hope everyone enjoys!
This is now my go to marinade for chicken. My husband and I love the flavors of the chicken along with the green sauce. I’ve used the green sauce on vegetables, rice and assorted Mexican dishes. I highly recommend this recipe. Many thanks Jenn for developing this very tasty recipe.
I am absolutely swooning over this recipe and because it’s such a knock your socks off dish, I find myself wanting to share it with everyone I know. I used chicken thighs, because it’s what i prefer, and served it with roasted cauliflower and a simple jasmine rice, both of which paired sublimely with the spicy, citrusy, tangy, aromatic green sauce. It reminded me a bit of the cilantro pesto I made, but was creamier and more versatile. I think it would also pair phenomenally well with fish, shrimp, pork or beef. This is my new fave!
Made this chicken like 5 times already, love it, sauce is my favorite, i skip the mayo.
I am making this for a small dinner party and serving it with some Smokey Lime mashed Sweet Potatoes. Do you think your Thai Cucumber Salad would be too much/appropriate as my 3rd side as it has a sweetish flavor like the Potatoes?
Thanks and you’re recipes are my go to for ALL Tissa
Hi Tissa, I think it would taste okay, but it’s definitely outside the flavor profiles of the chicken and potatoes. If you want to serve a salad, this black bean and corn salad would be a good choice (and you can use frozen corn as fresh is definitely out of season). This broccoli would be another great choice. Hope you enjoy whatever you make!
Thanks Jenn! Or as my auto correct calls you when texting about you: “Gin Seagull’s” :- )
Hahaha!!
Fabulous! Another Once Upon a Chef winner I’ve shared with neighbors and Facebook friends. Thank you! Oh, I made your Mexican rice for the meals too. So good!
I bought jalapeños from a neighborhood market which only sold them in packages of eight. I thought the remaining four would go to waste. That certainly won’t happen now. Your green sauce is phenomenal! I’m mixing up a second batch today. No idea how we’ll use it. How long do you think it will keep in the refrigerator?
So glad you like this and that the sauce is a hit — it will keep nicely for 4 to 5 days. 🙂