Peruvian Chicken with Aji Verde Sauce

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.

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

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Peruvian Chicken with Spicy Cilantro (Aji Verde) Sauce

Yield: 4 servings

Prep Time: 2 hours

Cook Time: 40 minutes

Total Time: 2 hours 40 minutes

With the right spice and love, you can be trasnported to Peru for dinner tonight with this juicy chicken and smooth spicy green sauce.

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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

1. 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.
2. Add chicken to the container with the marinade. Let the chicken sit marinate for at least two hours. Overnight is better.
3. 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.
4. Roast the chicken for about 35-45 minutes. The chicken should be cooked to a temperature of 165 degrees.
5. Remove the chicken from the oven and loosely cover it with foil. Let the chicken rest for about 10 minutes before slicing.
6. Enjoy.

Spicy Cilantro Sauce (Aji Verde)

1. 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.
2. Once all ingredients are well combined, drizzle the olive oil in while food is still mixing.
3. Remove from foor processor and pour into container. Add salt and pepper as you need.

Nutrition Information:

Yield: 4 Serving Size: 4 servings
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 300

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!