Peruvian Chicken Delight (Printable)
A succulent roast chicken marinated in Peruvian spices, served with a creamy cilantro jalapeño green sauce.
# What You'll Need:
→ For the Chicken
01 - 1 whole chicken (3-4 lbs), butterflied
02 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
03 - 2 tablespoons gluten-free soy sauce
04 - 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
05 - 5 garlic cloves, minced
06 - 1 tablespoon ground cumin
07 - 1 tablespoon smoked paprika
08 - 1 tablespoon dried oregano
09 - 1 teaspoon black pepper
10 - 1 teaspoon salt
11 - 1 teaspoon chili powder, or more to taste
→ For the Green Sauce (Aji Verde)
12 - 1 cup fresh cilantro leaves
13 - 1 jalapeño or serrano chile, seeded
14 - 2 garlic cloves
15 - 1/2 cup mayonnaise
16 - 1/4 cup sour cream
17 - 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
18 - 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
19 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
20 - Salt and pepper, to taste
# Directions:
01 - In a large bowl, whisk together the olive oil, soy sauce, lime juice, minced garlic, cumin, smoked paprika, oregano, black pepper, salt, and chili powder until well combined.
02 - Pat the butterflied chicken dry with paper towels. Rub the marinade thoroughly over and under the skin. Cover tightly and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, preferably overnight for deeper flavor.
03 - Preheat the oven to 425°F. Line a baking tray with aluminum foil and set a roasting rack on top. Place the chicken skin-side up on the rack.
04 - Roast for 45-55 minutes until the skin is deeply golden and crispy. Insert a kitchen thermometer into the thickest part of the thigh; it should read 165°F. Remove from the oven and let rest for 10 minutes before carving.
05 - While the chicken rests, combine the cilantro, jalapeño, garlic, mayonnaise, sour cream, lime juice, Parmesan, and olive oil in a blender or food processor. Blend until completely smooth. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
06 - Carve the chicken into serving pieces and arrange on a platter. Drizzle generously with the Aji Verde sauce and serve immediately.
# Expert Hints:
01 -
- The marinade doubles as a flavor bomb for roasted potatoes if you have extra, which you should absolutely plan for.
- That green sauce is the kind of thing people will ask you to bring to every gathering from now on.
02 -
- If you skip the drying step before marinating, the water left on the skin will fight against crisping and you will end up with pale, flabby skin no matter how long it roasts.
- The green sauce tastes noticeably better after sitting in the fridge for an hour, so blend it first if you have the time and let the flavors marry while the chicken cooks.
03 -
- If your oven has a convection setting, use it for the last fifteen minutes to push the skin from good to absolutely shattering.
- The secret to the green sauce is blending it longer than you think necessary, a full sixty seconds, because that extra time makes it creamy instead of chunky.