Peruvian Roasted Chicken With Spicy Cilantro Sauce

By Melissa Clark

Updated April 14, 2025

Peruvian Roasted Chicken With Spicy Cilantro Sauce
Christopher Testani for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Simon Andrews.
Total Time
50 minutes plus marinating time
Rating
5(7,245)
Comments
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Burnished-skinned, deeply flavored and more than just a little spicy, it’s no wonder that Peruvian chicken has become something of an obsession here in the United States. There are dozens of way to make this dish, but most recipes call for two different kinds of Peruvian chile pastes — aji amarillo and aji panca — to add the necessary complexity and heat. You can find them at South American markets and online. But in a pinch, you can substitute a red chile paste (like sriracha or sambal) for the aji amarillo, and ground pasilla chile powder for the aji panca. The flavors won’t be traditional, but the chicken will still be tasty — especially when slathered with the irresistibly creamy, spicy cilantro sauce that goes alongside.

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Ingredients

Yield:4 servings

    For the Chicken

    • 6garlic cloves, finely grated or minced
    • 3tablespoons soy sauce
    • 1tablespoon aji amarillo paste or another chile paste such as sriracha or sambal
    • 1tablespoon lime juice
    • 1teaspoon aji panca paste or 1 teaspoon pasilla chile powder
    • 1teaspoon Dijon mustard
    • 1teaspoon ground cumin
    • 1teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
    • ½teaspoon fine sea salt
    • 1(3½- to 4½-pound) chicken, halved (see Note) or 4 pounds bone-in, skin-on chicken parts
    • Extra-virgin olive oil, as needed

    For the Sauce

    • 1cup cilantro leaves and tender stems
    • 3 to 4jalapeños, seeded and diced
    • ¼cup/1 ounce crumbled feta cheese
    • 1garlic clove, chopped
    • 1½tablespoons lime juice, more to taste
    • 2teaspoons chopped fresh oregano or basil
    • ¾teaspoon fine sea salt, more to taste
    • ½teaspoon Dijon mustard
    • ½tablespoon aji amarillo or other chile paste (see headnote)
    • ½teaspoon honey
    • ½teaspoon ground cumin
    • ½cup extra-virgin olive oil
    • Lime wedges, for garnish
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (4 servings)

1359 calories; 112 grams fat; 26 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 57 grams monounsaturated fat; 20 grams polyunsaturated fat; 8 grams carbohydrates; 2 grams dietary fiber; 2 grams sugars; 78 grams protein; 1282 milligrams sodium

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Preparation

  1. Step 1

    For the marinade: In a large bowl, whisk together garlic, soy sauce, aji amarillo paste, lime juice, aji panca paste, mustard, cumin, pepper and salt.

  2. Step 2

    Add chicken halves, turning to coat them all over with marinade. Cover and refrigerate at least 2 hours and up to 12 hours.

  3. Step 3

    Heat the oven to 450 degrees. Remove chicken from marinade and pat dry with paper towels. Arrange skin-side up on a rimmed baking sheet and drizzle with oil.

  4. Step 4

    Roast until skin is golden and chicken is cooked through, 35 to 45 minutes (if using chicken parts, remove the breasts after 25 to 35 minutes). Remove from oven and let sit, loosely covered with foil, for 10 minutes before serving.

  5. Step 5

    While chicken is roasting, make the sauce. In a blender, blend cilantro, jalapeños, feta, garlic, lime juice, oregano, salt, mustard, aji amarillo paste, honey, and cumin until smooth. With the motor running, slowly drizzle in oil until mixture is emulsified. Taste and adjust the seasonings with salt or lime juice or both.

  6. Step 6

    Carve the chicken and serve with the sauce and lime wedges on the side.

Tip
  • To cut a chicken in half, use a sturdy pair of poultry shears to cut lengthwise through the breastbone. Turn over and cut again, along the backbone. If desired, cut along the other side of the backbone and remove it.

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Ratings

5 out of 5
7,245 user ratings
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Comments

Myrna Feigenbaum

If you measure oil in the half teaspoon first, then the honey, the honey will slide right out of the teaspoon.

Anthony

I made this for four chickens for a pot luck tonight. I separated each into breast/thigh/drum/wing before marinating cooking. Wasn't too fastidious either about patting off the marinade and also had a few less jalapenos than called for and subbed dry basil for fresh. Results were spectacular. Absolutely spectacular. And did I mention spectacular?

CFXK

My substitute for cilantro is parsley AND some other flavorful herb (my choices are mint, basil, or lemon thyme, depending on the dish) chopped together. Parsley alone is not enough (dull flavor), but chopping parsley in equal portions with a bright herb does the trick for me. For those who insist (with a superior air) that if I just kept eating cilantro i will learn to love it, I gladly will do so when you commit to eating a bar of soap until you "learn to love" it.

Jim MCCUNN

I’ve made this chicken at least ten times. It is amazing. I buy the Inca brand of the two chili sauces on line. They keep for a very long time. It seems that the marinade helps to keep the chicken moist. Also, the leftovers make a wonderfully spicy broth. As for the endless cilantro discussion: 1) The chicken does not need sauce. It is included because (as I understand it) it is traditional in Peru to serve a sauce with roasted chicken. This chicken is extremely moist. 2) If your dislike for cilantro is just a preference, you might like this sauce. The cilantro flavor is very well balanced with other flavors. It is not a mouthful of cilantro. 3) If you are one of those who absolutely can’t eat cilantro, google Ají Amarillo Sauce recipe. It uses the Ají paste that is in the marinade, but rather than an herb sauce, it’s creamy, and also commonly served with roasted chicken.

Randy Witten

Delicious! I didn't pat the chicken dry (I didn't want to waste that beautiful marinade), and it browned beautifully. I substituted dried basil for fresh.

DanielW

I have made this recipe many times and the verde sauce never tastes right until I add some mayonnaise. I just did half olive oil and half mayo (1/4 cup each) and I could eat a shoe as long as I dipped it in this.

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