Description
A spicy, slightly messy Peruvian-style roast chicken dinner. Super flavorful and served with a spicy green sauce, this chicken is meant to be eaten with your hands. Butterfly your chicken to cut down cooking time and make this a quick-ish weeknight dinner!
Ingredients
Scale
- 6 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon ground cumin
- 2 teaspoons paprika
- 2 teaspoons dried oregano
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 3-4 lb whole chicken, butterflied (if desired)*
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 tablespoons lime juice
Spicy Green Sauce
- 1 cup cilantro leaves and tender stems
- 1 jalapeno, roughly chopped
- 2 garlic cloves
- 1 tablespoon lime juice
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon ground coriander
- 1/2 cup mayo or greek yogurt
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400.
- Combine 6 minced garlic cloves, 1 tablespoon brown sugar, 1 tablespoon ground cumin, 2 teaspoons salt, 2 teaspoons paprika, 2 teaspoons dried oregano and 1 teaspoon smoked paprika in a small bowl. Stir well to mix garlic with all the spices.
- Place chicken on baking sheet or cast iron (basically whatever you are going to roast it in. Use your fingers to gently separate the skin from meat without tearing it. Rub 1 tablespoon of the garlic/spice mixture on the meat (under the skin), doing your best to get it everywhere (it won't be perfect, it's fine).
- Combine remaining spice mixture with 3 tablespoons olive oil and 2 tablespoons lime juice.
- Brush this mixture all over both sides of chicken.
- Roast chicken for 30-45 minutes (depending on size of your chicken), or until skin is deeply browned and meat registers 155 degrees. If I remember, I like to baste the chicken once or twice while it's cooking. No biggie if you don't though. Let sit for 10 minutes before carving.
- While chicken roasts, combine 1 cup cilantro, 1 jalapeno, 2 garlic cloves, 1 tablespoon lime juice, 1 tablespoon olive oil, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon ground coriander in blender or food processor (I like to use a stick blender).
- Blend or process until everything is combined and very, very finely chopped.
- Add 1/2 cup mayo or greek yogurt and combine until smooth.
- Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.
- Carve chicken and serve with spicy green sauce.
Notes
- If you choose to not butterfly your chicken (or have your butcher do it), no worries! Just add some extra cooking time depending on how big your chicken is. If the skin starts to burn, cover loosely with foil.
- The spicy green sauce is supposed to be spicy, but you can absolutely dial down the heat by removing the seeds and ribs of the jalapeno. Or just use half!
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 45 minutes