I’ll start this post by saying that this Peruvian Chicken with Green Sauce is probably in my Top 10 list of all-time favorite chicken recipes. (I’m the only person in the world mentally keeping track of/ranking exceptional ways to cook chicken, but I think I’m okay with that.)
The magic of this Peruvian chicken recipe occurs on two different levels: 1) the marinade and 2) the green sauce.
The marinade is full of cumin, paprika, garlic, oregano lemon juice, and vinegar. The combination is slightly citrusy from the lemon, tangy from the vinegar, earthy from the oregano, and spicy––from the cumin, paprika, and garlic. The green sauce is similarly multidimensional––jalapeños, cilantro, garlic, lime, vinegar…these are flavors that were meant to go with roast chicken.
You’ll see some Peruvian chicken recipes that involve spatchcocking the chicken (a weird word for butterflying it, basically), but I don’t actually know how to do that. And I didn’t want to––although spatchcocking does allow the chicken to cook faster, roasting it whole ensures that it stays juicy and perfectly cooked every single time.
With a side of oiled rice and beans, it’s NEXT. LEVEL.
Pro-Tip…when you make your black beans (my method is super lazy and easy––Add oil to a medium pot, along with some chopped onion and garlic. Pour in a can of drained black beans, add chicken stock to cover, and season with salt to taste), try pouring some of the juices from the roasting pan into the pot of beans. It will make you happy to be alive.
Recipe Instructions
In a bowl, combine the garlic, cumin, paprika, oregano, salt, pepper, olive oil, vinegar, and both the zest and juice of the lemon.
Rinse the chicken, remove any giblets, and pat the bird dry with paper towels. Place the chicken over the sliced onions in an enameled baking dish, and use your fingers to gently spread the spice mixture under the skin, on the outside of the chicken, and inside the cavity, until it is thoroughly seasoned. Tie the legs together with kitchen string. Cover and refrigerate for 4-24 hours.
When you’re ready to roast the chicken, remove it from the refrigerator, and allow it to come back up to close to room temperature (it shouldn’t be ice cold from the fridge). Meanwhile, preheat your oven to 425 degrees F.
Roast the bird in the oven for 15 minutes and then baste it with any juices in the roasting pan. Reduce the heat to 375ºF (190°C) and continue to roast, for 45 to 60 more minutes, or until the juices of the chicken run clear when the thigh is pierced with a fork and an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh reads 165ºF (74°C). You can baste it a couple times as it continues to roast. Allow the chicken to rest for a few minutes after you remove it from the oven.
While the Peruvian chicken is roasting, prepare the sauce. Combine jalapeños, cilantro, garlic, mayonnaise, lime juice, and vinegar in the jar of a blender or food processor. Blend on high speed, scraping down as necessary, until smooth. With the blender running, slowly drizzle in the olive oil. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Transfer to a sealed container and refrigerate until ready to use.
Serve the Peruvian chicken alongside the green sauce. Pour the juices and the onions from the roasting pan over the chicken and the beans when serving. Rice and beans are mandatory.
Peruvian Chicken & Green Sauce
Ingredients
For the chicken:
- 3 garlic cloves (minced)
- 1 tablespoon ground cumin
- 1 tablespoon paprika
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 tablespoon white vinegar
- 1 lemon
- 4 pound whole chicken
- 1 medium onion (sliced)
For the green sauce:
- 2 whole jalapeños (roughly chopped)
- 1 cup fresh cilantro leaves
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1/2 cup mayonnaise
- Juice of 1 lime
- 1 teaspoon distilled white vinegar
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- salt and freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- In a bowl, combine the garlic, cumin, paprika, oregano, salt, pepper, olive oil, vinegar, and both the zest and juice of the lemon.
- Rinse the chicken, remove any giblets, and pat the bird dry with paper towels. Place the chicken over the sliced onions in an enameled baking dish, and use your fingers to gently spread the spice mixture under the skin, on the outside of the chicken, and inside the cavity, until it is thoroughly seasoned. Tie the legs together with kitchen string. Cover and refrigerate for 4-24 hours.
- When you’re ready to roast the chicken, remove it from the refrigerator, and allow it to come back up to close to room temperature (it shouldn’t be ice cold from the fridge). Meanwhile, preheat your oven to 425 degrees F.
- Roast the bird in the oven for 15 minutes and then baste it with any juices in the roasting pan. Reduce the heat to 375ºF (190°C) and continue to roast, for 45 to 60 more minutes, or until the juices of the chicken run clear when the thigh is pierced with a fork and an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh reads 165ºF (74°C). You can baste it a couple times as it continues to roast. Allow the chicken to rest for a few minutes after you remove it from the oven.
- While the chicken is roasting, prepare the sauce. Combine jalapeños, cilantro, garlic, mayonnaise, lime juice, and vinegar in the jar of a blender. Blend on high speed, scraping down as necessary, until smooth. With the blender running, slowly drizzle in the olive oil. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Transfer to a sealed container and refrigerate until ready to use.
nutrition facts
SOOOO good! My oldest (hubby) and youngest (5yo) gobbled the chicken rice beans down so fast. The 10 year old loved the rice and beans and still insists she’s not eating chicken “but this one smells really good”. Unfortunately I am the only one in the picky family to get the full experience including the green sauce (though with parsley since we are soapy cilantro people). I think I may have been happy humming throughout. Thank you for sharing this! Love this recipe and your whole site/project! Love from North Jersey and 2000 chickens.
So happy to hear everyone enjoyed it! :)
This sauce is life, seriously a game changer! What a fantastic and relatively simple recipe. I made with chicken quarters that I had on hand and they turned out perfectly. I had sauce leftover, so I quickly made more for the next day. I didn’t make the beans yet, but will do so next time. Thank you for sharing!
You’re welcome, Tracy! The sauce really is SO good—you’re going to love it with the beans too.
We’ve made this chicken over and over again, so delicious! Savory chicken with a delicious sauce with just the right kick. Working the marinade under the skin of the chicken really helps the flavor penetrate and results in perfectly spiced deliciousness.
Thank you Jeannie! Your comment is reminding me of this recipe—I have to make it soon myself!
A truly great roast chicken—but that sauce, though! I was worried there wouldn’t be enough and luckily kept myself from doubling it.—it goes a long way. Great on next day sandwiches, with roast pork, even grilled cheese. Thank you as always for the great work.
You’re welcome, Virginia! The green sauce is so addictive—everyone who tries it loves it!
Made this with chicken thighs. Unbelievably tasty and the green sauce is too good. The beans are the perfect complement with the rice. Top five chicken recipe!
Thank you so much, Tom!
Shut the front door! Instead of a whole chicken, I had some whole chicken legs. Baked them like you said, 425 for 15 min then 375 for 45. Holy moly, crispy skinned and juicy and chock full of flavor! The green sauce hit the spot and was spot on! The kiddos raved about the chicken and the grown ups loved both the chicken and the sauce. What a fantastic make at home recipe! This recipe is a keeper!
This was so delicious!!! The green sauce was amazing!! Even the biggest critics in the house loved it.
Thank you for sharing such awesome recipes.
You’re welcome, Kyoko!
Thank you for this recipe. I added a little more cilantro for the green sauce and followed your advice for time and temp for chicken thighs in the comment below. I will definitely be making this dish again. My roommates loved it and couldn’t stop eating it, especially the green sauce. They kept looking for more things in the house to eat it with after finishing the meal.
That green sauce is a favorite in our house too, Jane!
Would you suggest the same cooking time if I were to only use chicken thighs?
Hi Trish, if roasting just bone-in skin-on chicken thighs, it should only take about 40-45 minutes at 375 degrees F.
Would a dutch oven work for this or do you think it requires something with shorter sides, like your baking dish? If that’s the case, would a metal roasting pan work? I don’t have an enamel baking dish, so that’s why I’m asking. Thank you!
Hey Michelle, I think a dutch oven or metal roasting pan would both work for this!