Peruvian-Inspired Whole Roasted Chicken with Tangy “Green Sauce”

This Peruvian-Inspired Whole Roasted Chicken with Tangy “Green Sauce” is a must-try recipe! Impressive enough when hosting, but I promise it is simple enough for any night of the week.

If you are looking for a flavorful twist on a classic roast chicken, this recipe is for you. The chicken itself has so much flavor from the combination of dried oregano, paprika, cumin, garlic powder, salt, and pepper, but the real star is the tangy “green sauce.” You are going to want to drizzle it on every bite!

I wish I could say this recipe came purely out of my head, but it was inspired by Pio Pio, a Peruvian-style restaurant in New York City that specializes in rotisserie chicken. I was told about it by a friend and I am so happy she did because WOW! In this recipe, we chose to spatchcock the chicken to get the skin nice and crispy and cook it evenly, while keeping it nice and juicy. To keep this Whole30, I chose to make the green sauce with a mayo-based instead to keep it dairy-free!

Ingredients:

• Whole Chicken 
• Dried Oregano
• Paprika
• Cumin
• Garlic Powder
• Salt and Pepper
• Avocado Oil
• Egg
• Large Jalapeno
• Distilled White Vinegar
• Garlic Cloves
• Fresh Cilantro
• Fresh Lime Juice
• Plus a handful of ingredients for the simple avocado salad to pair with it!

Step-by-Step:

Step One: Preheat the Oven and Prep the Chicken

Preheat oven to 450℉. Place the whole chicken on a cutting board and flip it over, breast side down, so that the backbone is face up. “Spatchcock” the chicken, or remove the backbone, by using a pair of good poultry shears to cut along both sides of the backbone. Rinse chicken (inside and out) and pat it very dry.

Step Two: Season the Chicken

Transfer chicken to a large oven-safe skillet (I use a cast iron) or sheet pan, cavity side up. In a small bowl, combine the oregano, paprika, cumin, garlic powder, salt, pepper and avocado oil and stir until well combined. Brush 1/4 of the seasoning mixture on the inside of the cavity. Flip chicken over skin side up and pat dry one last time. Brush the remaining seasoning mixture all over the top of the chicken, until evenly coated.

Step Three: Roast the Chicken

Transfer chicken to oven and cook until the chicken is cooked through, 35 to 45 minutes depending on the size of your chicken, or until a meat thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the breast registers 155 to 160℉. Remove chicken from oven and let rest for 10 minutes before serving.

Step Four: Make the tangy “green sauce

While the chicken roasts, make the sauce. Pour oil into the jar. Crack the egg into the oil and let settle into the bottom of the jar. Place the immersion blender into the jar and position the blade directly over the egg yolk. Turn the immersion blender on low and hold in place, while blending, until the bottom of the jar starts to turn into a creamy emulsion, about 15 seconds. Once you see that creamy emulsion, start lifting the blender up a bit and pressing it back down, essentially emulsifying the mixture above the mayo at the bottom, bit by bit, until you reach the top and it’s a creamy, mayo texture. Add the jalapeno, white vinegar, salt, pepper, garlic, cilantro, and lime juice. Use the immersion blender once more to blend all ingredients until well combined.

Step Five: Make the simple avocado salad

In a small jar, combine the olive oil, apple cider vinegar, lime juice, garlic, salt and pepper. Shake to combine. In a separate bowl, add the iceberg lettuce. Top with sliced avocado, tomato, and cucumber. Toss with dressing immediately before serving.

Step Six: Serve and Enjoy

Plate chicken with the simple avocado salad. Serve with tangy green sauce and enjoy!

I hope you make and enjoy this Peruvian-Inspired Whole Roasted Chicken and Green Sauce for years to come!

For more whole chicken recipes:

Whole Roasted Chicken with Pan Gravy

Whole Roasted Greek Chicken and Potatoes

5 from 1 vote

Peruvian-Inspired Whole Roasted Chicken with Tangy “Green Sauce”

Prep: 30 minutes mins

Cook: 30 minutes mins

Total: 1 hour hr 10 minutes mins

Servings: 4

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Ingredients 

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For the Chicken:

• ▢ 1 whole chicken about 3.5-4 pounds
• ▢ 2 teaspoons dried oregano
• ▢ 1 teaspoon paprika
• ▢ 1.5 teaspoons cumin
• ▢ 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• ▢ 2 teaspoons kosher salt
• ▢ 1 teaspoon black pepper
• ▢ 1/4 cup avocado oil

For the Tangy “Green Sauce”:

• ▢ 1 cup avocado oil
• ▢ 1 egg
• ▢ An Immersion blender
• ▢ 1 wide mouth glass jar a little bit wider than the head of your immersion blender
• ▢ 1 large jalapeno seeded and loosely chopped
• ▢ 1 tablespoon distilled white vinegar
• ▢ 1 teaspoon kosher salt or more to taste
• ▢ 1/4 teaspoon black pepper or more to taste
• ▢ 2 cloves garlic
• ▢ 1 cup fresh cilantro loosely packed
• ▢ 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice about 1/2 lime

For the Simple Avocado Salad:

• ▢ 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• ▢ 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
• ▢ 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
• ▢ 1 clove garlic minced
• ▢ Kosher salt to taste
• ▢ Black pepper to taste
• ▢ 1 large avocado sliced
• ▢ 2 cups iceberg lettuce sliced thin (about 1/2 head)
• ▢ 1 large tomato on the vine sliced thin
• ▢ 1/4 cucumber sliced on the diagonal

Instructions 

Make the Chicken:

• Preheat oven to 450℉.
• Place the whole chicken on a cutting board and flip it over, breast side down, so that the backbone is face up. "Spatchcock" the chicken, or remove the backbone, by using a pair of good poultry shears to cut along both sides of the backbone. Discard the backbone (or save it for making stock). Rinse chicken (inside and out) and pat very dry.
• Transfer chicken to a large oven safe skillet (I use a cast iron) or sheet pan, cavity side up.
• In a small bowl, combine the oregano, paprika, cumin, garlic powder, salt, pepper and avocado oil and stir until well combined.
• Brush 1/4 of the seasoning mixture on the inside of the cavity. Flip chicken over skin side up and pat dry one last time. Brush the remaining seasoning mixture all over the top of the chicken, until evenly coated.
• Transfer chicken to oven and cook until the chicken is cooked through, 35 to 45 minutes depending on the size of your chicken, or until a meat thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the breast registers 155 to 160 degrees.
• Remove chicken from oven and let rest for 10 minutes before serving.
• Quarter the chicken, and serve with the green sauce.

Make the Tangy “Green Sauce”:

• Pour oil into the jar. Crack the egg into the oil and let settle into the bottom of the jar.
• Place the immersion blender into the jar and position the blade directly over the egg yolk. Turn the immersion blender on low and hold in place, while blending, until the bottom of the jar starts to turn into a creamy emulsion, about 15 seconds. Once you see that creamy emulsion, start lifting the blender up a bit and pressing it back down, essentially emulsifying the mixture above the mayo at the bottom, bit by bit, until you reach the top and it’s a creamy, mayo texture.
• Add the jalapeno, white vinegar, salt, pepper, garlic, cilantro, and lime juice. Use the immersion blender once more to blend all ingredients until well combined.

Make the Simple Avocado Salad:

• In a small jar, combine the olive oil, apple cider vinegar, lime juice, garlic, salt and pepper. Shake to combine.
• In a separate bowl, add the iceberg lettuce. Top with sliced avocado, tomato and cucumber.
• Toss with dressing immediately before serving.

Serve and Enjoy:

• Plate chicken with the simple avocado salad. Serve with tangy green sauce and enjoy!

Notes

Adapted from Serious Eats.

 

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Additional Info

Author: Alex Snodgrass

Servings: 4

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