By Mindy Fox
5.0
(269)
Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Food Styling by Rhoda Boone
- Save Story
Active Time
45 minutes
Total Time
1 hour, 30 minutes
This cumin- and paprika-spiced Peruvian-inspired chicken gets added punch from a tangy green sauce and a crisp, bright avocado and cucumber salad. Spatchco*cking—an easy and fun technique that involves removing the backbone to “flatten” the bird before cooking—makes for quick roasting and produces juicy results.
Ingredients
Serves 4
For the chicken:
3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon paprika
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
½ teaspoon dried oregano
1½ teaspoons kosher salt, divided
2 lemons
1 (4-4½-pound) whole chicken
For the green sauce:
1 cup (packed) cilantro leaves with tender stems
1–2 medium jalapeños, coarsely chopped
1 garlic clove, finely chopped
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
2½ teaspoons fresh lime juice
¼ teaspoon kosher salt
⅓ cup mayonnaise
For the salad:
1 English hothouse or 2 Persian cucumbers, cubed
1 firm-ripe avocado, cubed
3 scallions, thinly sliced
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon fresh lime juice
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
¾ teaspoon kosher salt
½ cup cilantro leaves with tender stems, coarsely chopped, plus more for serving
Preparation
Roast the chicken:
Step 1
Arrange rack in middle of oven; preheat to 400°F. Mix garlic, cumin, oil, paprika, pepper, oregano, 1/2 tsp. salt, and finely grated zest from 1 lemon in a medium bowl. Quarter zested lemon; set aside 2 quarters. Squeeze juice from 1 whole lemon and remaining 2 quarters to yield 2 Tbsp. juice; stir into spice mixture.
Step 2
Place chicken breast side down on work surface. Spatchco*ck chicken by cutting along both sides of backbone with kitchen shears. Remove backbone; reserve for stock. Turn chicken breast side up and splay open. Press down on breastbone with palms until you hear it crack and chicken is as flat as possible. Pat chicken dry with paper towels. Rub chicken all over with 2 reserved lemon quarters. Squeeze juice over bird, then rub skin all over with inside of rinds.
Step 3
From both edges of cavity, loosen skin from breasts and thighs, being careful not to tear skin. Using your fingers, gently spread 2 heaping Tbsp. spice mixture under skin (reserve remaining spice mixture), then season chicken all over with remaining 1 tsp. salt. Transfer chicken, spread flat and skin side up, to a roasting pan or large skillet.
Step 4
Roast chicken 20 minutes, then brush with spice mixture and pan juices. Continue roasting, basting with spice mixture and pan juices every 20 minutes, until juices run clear when thigh is pierced with a fork or an instant-read thermometer inserted into thickest part of thigh registers 165ºF, 50-60 minutes total.
Step 5
Transfer chicken to a cutting board and let rest 15 minutes, reserving pan juices.
Make the green sauce:
Step 6
Purée cilantro, jalapeños, garlic, oil, lime juice, and salt in a blender until combined. Add mayonnaise and purée until well blended. Transfer to a small bowl, cover, and chill until ready to use.
Make the salad:
Step 7
Gently toss cucumbers, avocado, scallions, lime juice, oil, salt, and 1/2 cup cilantro in a large bowl. Sprinkle with more cilantro.
Step 8
Carve chicken and transfer to a platter; baste with reserved pan juices. Serve with green sauce and salad alongside.
Do Ahead
Step 9
Green sauce can be made 5 days ahead. Cover and chill.
Sign In or Subscribe
to leave a Rating or Review
How would you rate Peruvian-Style Roast Chicken With Tangy Green Sauce?
Leave a Review
Reviews (269)
Back to TopTriangleDelicious dish! The sauce and salad are perfect compliments to the chicken.
Anonymous
Denver CO
3/16/2024
I think I'd like to print this but can't figure out how!
Anonymous
Texas
3/10/2024
Cornish Games on the Argentinian BBQ baby!!!!!!
Anonymous
Spanish Springs NV
1/19/2024
I love this recipe! Any advice when I use boneless/skinless chicken pieces? Just slather on the rub and go for it?
KellyS
Winnipeg, MB Canada
11/12/2023
Yummy! The chicken was moist and flavorful. The green sauce is a must and the salad with simple dressing makes it nice and refreshing.
JML
7/19/2022
This is the best Peruvian chicken recipe ever! No changes made. I’ve tried a bunch and the only one that’s solid is this one. I made it for family dinner for about 12 people and they were raving about it! The green sauce I will say needs a bit of a kick. I added extra lime juice, hotter peppers, sour cream and a bit more salt.
Anonymous
Washington, DC
6/3/2022
I made this while i was on the plane to new york on september 11 2001
Jane mom
Moon
5/24/2022
I cooked this on Thanksgiving dinner at 6:03 pm at my grandpapis house and when i cooked it, it un-virgined the olive oil. I then started screaming and then the chicken blew up the house like 9/11 then it made the whole entire family start gobbling up the chicken and it was burnt like your mom so then i started screaming "SHUT YO SKIN TONE CHICKEN BONE NO HOME GOOGLE CHROME FLIP PHONE DISOWNED ICE CREAM CONE GARDEN GNOME EXTRA CHOCOLATE CHROMOSONE METRONOME DIMMADONE," so then i shot ym family and thats how i become the menedez brothers.
Deez Nuts
Moon
5/24/2022
My go to peruvian meal for my daughter in law who is from Lima. Very good like in another review ony con is you can't stop eating it. Green sauce very good!
CaHart
Austin TX
1/26/2022
Best roast chicken we ever made and we cook a lot. The sides are excellent as well. We tend to eat our food with a bit less salt but that is a preference.
Rebecca
Ottawa, Ontario
1/17/2022
The only thing wrong with this recipe is I never want to stop eating. An absolute favorite & not as much work as it looks.
Anonymous
Chapin, SC
12/17/2021
It’s not like any Peruvian chicken I have had from a Peruvian restaurant but it is very good! I substituted avacado for the Mayo and like it just as much.
Mints
Minneapolis, mn
10/18/2021
Wow, Epicurus fans love this, and for good reason, it's fabulous. Reminds me of Washington days Peruvian restaurants. I didn't change a thing and yes, the green sauce was amazing.
brushjl
Solon,oh
9/28/2021
So delicious. I used chicken thighs and parboiled potatoes to roast alongside halfway through. Whole meal, sauce, salad and all was worth the effort. Meal was straightforward and easy to make.Added bkack beans to salad for my vegetarian daughter (who also ate the potatoes). For once, a meal that pleased all.
Monica
WInnipeg, Canada
9/20/2021
This was fantastic, will be making it again! The sauce was AMAZING!
BillD
Grand Rapids, MI
9/20/2021
TagsPeruvianSouth AmericanLatin AmericanCilantroJalapeñoChileVegetableWhole ChickenChickenPoultryMainDinnerLunchDairy FreeGluten FreeNut FreeKetoMake AheadRoastHanukkahRosh HashanahEpicurious
See Related Recipes and Cooking Tips
- iconGalleryOur 53 Most Popular Recipes of All Time
Can you guess the most popular recipe on Epicurious?
- iconGalleryThe Most Popular Recipes of 2021
Peek behind the curtain at the dishes that Epicurious readers cooked this year.
- iconGalleryOur Most Popular Recipes Right Now
3-ingredient cookies, soothing soups, and chana masala cheese fries helped ease us all into fall.
- iconGalleryThese 77 Chicken Dinners Are Winners
Our favorite roast chicken, chicken salads, easy baked chicken, and more.
- iconGallery21 Most Popular Recipes of January 2021
The ultimate toasted sandwich, easy pasta, and a few great cooking projects for cold days.
- iconGallery67 Avocado Recipes for Creamier Dip, More Satisfying Salads, Better Breakfasts, and More
We all love to mash our avocados with lime and cilantro. But that’s not all this buttery, creamy fruit is good for.
- iconGalleryOur 57 Most Popular Recipes of 2020
Yes, there was banana bread.
- iconGallery59 Recipes Epi Readers Are Relying on Right Now
Yes, you're making really good pantry pasta—but you're also mastering béchamel.
- iconGallery53 Healthy Chicken Recipes We Love
Winner, winner, chicken dinner.
