This Peruvian Chicken is out of this world! The homemade spiced marinade and Peruvian green sauce aji verde are a match made in heaven on this roasted whole chicken recipe. Serve with cilantro lime rice for a delicious weeknight dinner made in the oven or on the grill!
Chicken recipes are the most popular in my kitchen, but I’m always trying to switch it up. No bland chicken here! This Peruvian Chicken with green sauce is packed with so much flavor, I’m amazed every time I make it. There’s no multi-hour prep or marinating process, just an amazing dinner in about an hour.
If you’re looking for more dinner party recipes, you might like this fresh shrimp ceviche, roasted Cornish game hens, bacon-wrapped asparagus, or this amazing Instant Pot buffalo chicken dip.
Why You’ll Love this Recipe
- Full of flavor. Chicken is great, but it can be a boring dinner meal. This Peruvian chicken is covered in a spicy homemade marinade and drizzled with an herbaceous green sauce, too. So much flavor in just one chicken!
- Perfect for meal prep. You can divvy up this chicken and make it last a whole week! The marinade helps keep this chicken juicy even four days after it’s been cooked.
- Impress your guests. There’s something jaw-dropping about a spatchcocked chicken — even though it’s so easy to do! I’ve got all the tips to get it right the first time below.
Ingredients Used
For the chicken:
- Whole chicken: I usually make this with a whole chicken because it’s the perfect family-sized meal. You can use individual chicken pieces, too!
- Garlic: Raw garlic makes everything better. It adds an extra dimension to all my recipes. If you’re out, garlic powder will work, too.
- Olive oil: This both helps get a super crispy skin and helps the spices stick to the chicken.
- Lime juice: You can use store-bought lime juice, but I always think fresh has a better flavor.
- Aji amarillo paste: I use this in the chicken marinade and in the green cilantro sauce. If you can’t find any, you can always swap it for a diced habanero for the chicken marinade.
- Cumin: If your dish is missing a little something, try cumin. It’s one of my favorite spices as I get older because it’s a little spicy, a little savory, and a lot delicious.
- Sweet paprika: I love the flavor of sweet paprika! You can also use regular or smoked paprika in a pinch, too.
- Oregano: The herbaceous flavor of oregano is perfect for Italian and Latin American food. Feel free to use dry — no need to chop it fresh.
Complete list of ingredients and amounts can be found in the recipe card below.
For the green sauce:
- Cilantro: For the best Peruvian green sauce, use fresh cilantro. You can’t skip this!
- Jalapeños: You can always increase or decrease the spice level with jalapeños. Don’t forget to ditch the seeds!
- Aji amarillo paste: If you’re not using this amazing paste for your sauce (it’s not super easy to find), try a chili paste like sriracha or your favorite hot sauce.
- Vinegar: This adds just the perfect amount of tang to the sauce without overpowering it. Be sure to use distilled vinegar!
- Cotija cheese: This Mexican cheese is my favorite! It’s salty, crumbly, and definitely addictive. Parmesan cheese is an acceptable substitute.
- Mayonnaise: Be sure to add this last when making the sauce. If you blend mayo at a high speed, it will separate so be very careful. Mayo helps make the cilantro sauce super creamy!
Complete list of ingredients and amounts can be found in the recipe card below.
How to Make Peruvian Chicken
Follow these steps for the best Peruvian chicken recipe with homemade cilantro sauce:
- Mix spices. First, combine garlic, olive oil, fresh lime juice, aje amarillo or hot sauce, ground cumin, sweet paprika, oregano, salt, and pepper in a small bowl.
- Butterfly and season chicken. Then, spatchcock the chicken. Gently loosen the skin, and spread half the spice paste under the skin, and the other half on top. Let it marinade before cooking.
- Preheat the oven or the grill to cook the chicken.
Tip!
You can use the grill or oven for this Peruvian chicken recipe! For full grill instructions, check out my grilled spatchcock chicken recipe.
- Cook chicken. For an oven preparation, roast the chicken in a roasting pan, and baste after half an hour. For a grilled recipe, oil the grates first, then put the chicken on them, breast side up, over indirect heat. Cook both versions until internal temp reaches at least 165 degrees F.
- Make sauce. As the chicken cooks, put all the sauce ingredients in a blender except the mayo. Once smooth, add the mayonnaise and blend on a very low speed to keep it from separating. I’ve also mixed it in by hand, too.
- Rest and serve. Once it’s done, let your roasted Peruvian chicken rest before carving. I like to serve it drizzled with Peruvian green sauce and a side of cilantro lime rice.
Tips and Tricks
Here’s some tips to make the best Peruvian chicken every time:
- Use a meat thermometer. The best way to know chicken is done is to check it internally. To avoid slicing open every piece, use a meat thermometer! I love my Thermapen, but any meat thermometer like this cheaper alternative works!
- Make it easier. If you love this marinade but don’t want to make a whole chicken, you can use any individual cuts, too! Breasts, legs, thighs, and wings are all great with this Peruvian sauce and marinade.
- Marinate it longer. If you want to prep some of this in advance, spatchcock and marinate your chicken in the morning or the night before and let it soak in all that juicy flavor. Then, just pop it in the oven or on the grill when it’s time to eat!
- Use the grill. This recipe is great in the oven, but there’s something about the smokiness of grilled chicken I just love. Throw your veggies on the grill, too, and dinner is done without heating up your house in the summertime. Win-win!
Frequently Asked Questions
This recipe is made with a bright green sauce thanks to the cilantro, but one of the basic ingredients — Aji Amarillo Paste — is a beautiful yellow/orange color that comes from its namesake pepper! It’s a little sweet and a lot spicy, so use it at your discretion!
Roasting a whole chicken or turkey can be hard. However, spatchcocking it helps it cook evenly and faster, too! Simply flip the bird breast-side down, remove the backbone with kitchen shears, flip it back over, and press down on the breast until you hear the breast bone crack. I’ve got a step-by-step guide for how to spatchcock a chicken in no time.
This makes a great meal prep recipe because any leftovers are good for up to 4 days in the fridge. The added sauce makes this leftover chicken taste brand new with just a dollop!
Other Whole Chicken Recipes
More Chicken Recipes ➜
Other Easy Chicken Recipes I Love
- Mexican Chicken Marinade
- Air Fryer Nashville Hot Chicken
- Slow Cooker Butter Chicken
- Instant Pot Chicken Tenders
- Copycat Chick-fil-A Chicken Sandwich
Now that you’re a pro at making this Peruvian chicken, you’re ready for your next dinner party! This recipe is great for guests but also works for a weeknight dinner in under an hour. Make sure to Pin this recipe so more people can enjoy it too!
Did you make this? Be sure to leave a review below and tag me on Facebook, Instagram, or Pinterest!
Peruvian Chicken Recipe
Ingredients
For the chicken
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
- 1 tablespoon aji amarilo paste or sub with chile paste such as sriracha or 1 whole habanero
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon sweet paprika
- 1 teaspoon dry oregano
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 3-4 lb whole chicken spatchcock not required but recommended for even cooking or cut in halves with kitchen shears
For the green sauce (Aje Verde/Peruvian green sauce)
- 1 cup cilantro leaves and tender stems, loosely packed
- 2 jalapeños roughly chopped
- 1 clove garlic
- 1 tablespoon aji amarilo paste or sub with chile paste such as sriracha
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
- 1 teaspoon distilled vinegar
- 2 tablespoons cotija or parmesan cheese grated
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¾ cup mayonnaise
Instructions
- In a small bowl, combine garlic with olive oil, lime juice, aje amarilo or hot sauce, ground cumin, paprika, oregano, salt, and pepper.
- Spatchcock the chicken, and gently loosen the skin at the breast and thighs areas. Using a small spoon, spread half of the paste under the skin, and the other half over the skin of the chicken. Place the chicken on a sheet pan, and let it sit with the marinade for 15 minutes as you preheat the oven or grill.
- Preheat the oven or grill to 400°F/190°C.
- Oven: Roast the chicken in the oven for 30 minutes, check on it and baste the chicken with its juices. Cook for 20 more minutes or until the internal temperature of the chicken reaches 165°F.
- Grill: Oil the grill grates, then place the chicken breast side up over indirect heat. Cook for 50 minutes or until the internal temperature of the chicken reaches 165°F.
- As the chicken is being cooked, make the cilantro sauce. In a food processor or blender, blend all of the ingredients except for the mayonnaise until smooth. Add the mayo, and blend again on LOW until just combined. (if you blend the mayo, you risk breaking the emulsion of it and it will separate).
- Allow the chicken to rest for 10 minutes before carving. Serve with the sauce, cilantro lime rice, and lime wedges on the side.
Notes:
- Spatchcocking the chicken is optional but strongly recommended for even and quicker cooking.
- For a simpler non traditional marinade, check out my simple Mexican chicken marinade recipe.
- Make sure allow the chicken to rest for at least 10 minutes before carving.
- Chilling the green sauce in the fridge for at least 30 minutes will allow it to thicken, and help the flavors develop.
Nutrition Information
This website provides approximate nutrition information for convenience and as a courtesy only. Nutrition data is gathered primarily from the USDA Food Composition Database, whenever available, or otherwise other online calculators.
© Little Sunny Kitchen
Sonal Uban says
lovely recipe! I made it today with Sriracha and it was a massive hit with family.
Little Sunny Kitchen says
Thanks Sonal! I appreciate the comment and the review on the recipe!