Our Family Trip to Barcelona
Picture this. Barcelona, 2017.. We had just landed in country, saw some sights, and was starving. It wasn’t the paella or jamón that filled our bellies. It was this delicious chicken from El Dorado Chicken, a Peruvian restaurant in Barcelona. When I got home I started my search for a Peruvian chicken with aji verde sauce recipe. It tasted like heaven and I wanted a bit of heaven at home. Throughout all of our travels, there have been many places where we have eaten and have been blown away. This was one of them.
How to Spatchcock a Chicken
I have learned that cooking Peruvian chicken with aji verde sauce is all about the layers of spice. Cooking a chicken whole has a level of nostalgia to it that I love. However, I do find it much simpler and quicker to cook a chicken spatchcock style. Spatchcock is just simply cutting the chicken open from the back, removing the breast and backbone. Basically, you are flattening the chicken so that it could potentially cook more quickly and evenly. I do find that to be a quick and easy way to roast a whole chicken on a weeknight. Check out this video below to see just how to bust the chicken open. Lol. I couldn’t help myself.
Marinade for the Peruvian Chicken with aji verde (Spicy Cilantro) Sauce
One thing that I have found to be true when making a marinade is you get to blend it with what is pleasing to your tastes buds. If you can’t find a particular ingredient, most times, that is perfectly okay. Substitute it with something else and elevate the flavor in a different way. If you don’t like cumin, use caraway seeds or garam masala. The wonders of cooking occurs when you can look at a recipe and make it your own. This is what I would like to invite you to do always with a recipe; make it into something you and your family love.
Peruvian Chicken with Aji Verde Sauce (Spicy Cilantro Sauce) Recipe
Peruvian Chicken with Spicy Cilantro (Aji Verde) Sauce
Equipment
- sheet pan
- food processor
Ingredients
- 8 cloves garlic minced
- 3 tbsp soy sauce
- 1.5 tbsp aji amarillo paste or sriracha
- 1.5 tsp chili paste or powder
- 1 tbsp lime juiced
- zest lime zest a whole lime
- 2 tsp dijon mustard
- 1 tsp cumin
- 1 tsp ground black pepper
- 1 tsp sea salt Himalayan preferred
- 1 whole chicken spatchcocked
Spicy Cilantro Sauce (Aji Verde)
- 1 bunch cilantro leaves and tender stems
- 2 jalapeños remove seeds and stem
- 2 serrano peppers for extra heat if needed
- 1/4 cup fresh Parmigiano Reggiano Use cotija or feta cheese. I only had Parmigiano on hand. It was just as tasty.
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1 lime juiced, add zest from lime if you choose
- 1 tbsp oregano dried or fresh
- 2 tsp dijon mustard
- 2 tsp honey
- 1 tsp chili powder
- 1/2 tsp cumin
- 1/2 cup olive oil extra virgin
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Make the marinade for the chicken. Combine the following in a large container: garlic, soy sauce, aji amarillo paste (or sriracha), lime juice, chili paste (or powder), dijon mustard, cumin, pepper and salt.
- Add chicken to the container with the marinade. Let the chicken sit marinate for at least two hours. Overnight is better.
- Heat the oven to 425 degrees. Take the chicken out of the marinade and remove excess moisture by patting the chicken with paper towels. Drizzle oil on chicken (breast side up and sprinkle with salt. Place chicken in oven.
- Roast the chicken for about 35-45 minutes. The chicken should be cooked to a temperature of 165 degrees.
- Remove the chicken from the oven and loosely cover it with foil. Let the chicken rest for about 10 minutes before slicing.
- Enjoy.
Spicy Cilantro Sauce (Aji Verde)
- Add all the ingredients to the food processor (with the exception of the olive oil, salt, and pepper): cilantro, jalapenos, serrano peppers, cheese of your choice, garlic, lime, oregano, honey, mustard, chili powder, and cumin. Mix until well combined.
- Once all ingredients are well combined, drizzle the olive oil in while food is still mixing.
- Remove from foor processor and pour into container. Add salt and pepper as you need.
Family Trips Mean I get to Eat
There is this wonderful feeling that occurs on the inside when I go someplace and the food is so incredible I bring the memories back with me and aim to recreate them. My aim on a family trip is to spend time in such a way that in 20 years the kids look back and still feel my love. So while the trip is to create memories and solidify the family bond, it also fills my desire to taste amazing food and experience it in the place it originated; I get to taste how the dish was originally meant to be experienced. Sometimes I really like it, Sometimes I don’t (like the one time we were eating Bouillabaisse in Marseille, France… Ummmm.).
What are some of your favorite foods that you’ve eaten out and had to recreate? Want to try another chicken dish? Try this recipe for a quick and easy Creamy Chicken Tortilla Soup!
32 Comments
Heather
November 8, 2019 at 6:45 pmThis looks so delicious that now I’m starving! I am pinning your recipe so that I can try making it later!
Amber Myers
November 8, 2019 at 6:48 pmYum, what fabulous flavors here! I will have to make this for dinner one night. It looks incredible.
cait
November 8, 2019 at 7:27 pmim a huge chicken fan and i love making a yummy dinner like this ! i cant wait to try this version.
Theresa
November 8, 2019 at 7:33 pmMy daughter’s best friend this year is a foreign exchange student from Barcelona. I may have to invite him over for dinner and make this dish to see what he thinks. It does look amazing!
Chef Dennis
November 9, 2019 at 5:12 amThis recipe is really mouthwatering! And it’s making me super hungry. I love that Spicy Cilantro Sauce on it. Its really perfect
Lynndee
November 9, 2019 at 1:17 pmWe are big fans of chicken over here. And we have never tried Peruvian chicken before. I bet my husband and son would enjoy that especially since it’s spicy. They like it hot and spicy.
Ice Cream n Sticky Fingers
November 9, 2019 at 10:10 pmWe love chicken in our household and I can’t wait to give this recipe a try. It would go perfect with the cilantro lime rice too.
Swathi
November 10, 2019 at 5:22 amThat chicken looks delicious after seeing the ingredients, I am going to try this aji verde sauce. You know I am cilantro fan. this sauce fits perfect for me. I don’t know much about peruvian cuisine. Thanks for introducing me to that.
Ruth I
November 10, 2019 at 7:16 amThis looks tasty! I’ve never tasted before so I’m curious of the taste. I love trying out new recipes.
Agnes
November 10, 2019 at 1:51 pmCilantro and spicy chicken count me in! I will make this one, thanks for the recipe.
Amy H
November 10, 2019 at 9:02 pmWe eat chicken quite often – and are always looking for new ways to cook it. I will have to try Peruvian Chicken with Aji Vere Sauce!
Monica Y
November 11, 2019 at 2:12 amI love Peruvian food and need to try this recipe soon. It would be perfect for our monthly international potluck
Terri
November 11, 2019 at 6:47 amI can’t think of a specific recipe I have wanted to recreate but my daughter was in Barcelona this past September and she is eager to try your recipe!
1stopmom
November 11, 2019 at 5:02 pmThis chicken looks delicious. I love a dish that has some heat to it so this would be perfect for me!
Stephanie Stebbins
November 12, 2019 at 8:27 pmYum, yum, yum. I am definitely going to try this tonight!
Searcy
November 12, 2019 at 8:31 pmOh wow! I think my family would love this! We’re going to have to try this.
Angela
November 13, 2019 at 10:19 amThis looks really tasty. I like a spicy recipe.
Margaret Smith
November 13, 2019 at 11:09 amYum, I bet my family would really enjoy this recipe.
catherine santiago jose
November 13, 2019 at 1:35 pmI love chicken a lot and this recipe of yours will definitely like by my loved ones, it look so delicious!
Laura
November 13, 2019 at 5:18 pmThis chicken looks so yummy and mouth watering. I need to try it x
Laura
https://pinkfrenzymissl.blogspot.com/
Karen
November 13, 2019 at 9:45 pmThis looks delicious!
Norma
November 14, 2019 at 4:19 amThis looks super delicious! I love to recreate drinks and food that I try and like. I try to create a healthier version of the food or drink.
Berlin
November 14, 2019 at 4:42 amAnother chicken recipe I am yet to try. We do not eat pork nowadays because of its possible treat in our country so we eat chicken and vegetables a lot. Will definitely give this a try.
tweenselmom
November 14, 2019 at 5:22 amThis recipe looks awesome, I’m just sad that there are ingredients not available here.
Kiwi
November 14, 2019 at 11:59 amFunny this is El dorado chicken and I just visited El Dorado,AR! This is a real interesting recipe!
Christy Irene
November 14, 2019 at 2:18 pmHow cool! I hope you had a lovely time!
Jackline A
November 14, 2019 at 12:30 pmOmg, my mouth is watering through the screen. Thank you for sharing your recipe. I want to try it this weekend.
Christy Irene
November 14, 2019 at 2:17 pmI hope that you will enjoy it. 🙂
Arunas
November 14, 2019 at 2:12 pmI don’t eat chicken so this recipe is definitely not for me. I do hope that Peruvians have a wide variety of vegetarian dishes as well.
Christy Irene
November 14, 2019 at 2:17 pmIt’s a pretty big country. I am sure somewhere there is a vegetarian dish. 🙂
Mudpiefridays
November 14, 2019 at 2:38 pmI love finding a new recipe to try. I’m always so scared I am going to mess it up somehow. This looks easy enough for me though. Thanks!
Samar
November 14, 2019 at 4:20 pmOMG…. this recipe looks really spicy.
Thanks for the wonderful recipe.