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Peruvian Grilled Chicken with Creamy Green Sauce (Aji Verde)

Peruvian grilled chicken with creamy green sauce (aji verde) featuring deeply spiced, burnished skin and a vivid jalapeño-herb sauce. Marinated for 2 hours (or overnight) and grilled until charred with juicy, flavorful meat at 165°F.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 35 minutes
Marinating 2 hours
Total Time 2 hours 55 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: Peruvian
Calories: 850
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Chicken
  • 1 whole chicken or 4 bone-in chicken pieces
Marinade
  • 0.25 cup olive oil
  • 4 garlic cloves
  • 3 tbsp soy sauce
  • 2 tbsp lime juice
  • 1 tbsp cumin
  • 1 tsp smoked paprika
  • 1 tsp dried oregano
  • 1 tsp black pepper
  • 0.5 tsp cinnamon
Green Sauce (Aji Verde)
  • 0.5 cup mayonnaise
  • 0.5 cup sour cream
  • 2 jalapeños
  • 1 cup fresh cilantro
  • 3 garlic cloves
  • 2 tbsp lime juice
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 tsp salt

Equipment

  • 1 grill
  • 1 food processor
  • 1 roasting pan

Method
 

Marinate the chicken
  1. Blend olive oil, garlic cloves, soy sauce, lime juice, cumin, smoked paprika, dried oregano, black pepper, and cinnamon until smooth. Coat the chicken thoroughly, then marinate for 2 hours or overnight in the refrigerator.
Make the aji verde (green sauce)
  1. Blend mayonnaise, sour cream, jalapeños, fresh cilantro, garlic cloves, lime juice, olive oil, and salt until smooth and creamy. Refrigerate while the chicken grills.
Grill (or roast)
  1. Preheat the grill to medium heat. Grill the chicken starting bone-side down and turn every 10 minutes.
  2. Continue grilling until deeply charred and the internal temperature reaches 165°F, about 35–40 minutes total. Turn pieces as needed to keep the skin burnished.
  3. Alternatively, preheat the oven to 425°F and roast until the chicken is cooked through and well-browned, about 35–45 minutes total. Check for 165°F in the thickest part before serving.
Rest and serve
  1. Rest the chicken for 10 minutes before serving. Serve with the creamy green sauce pooled beside the chicken.

Notes

For the best char, keep a steady medium heat and avoid moving the chicken too early—turn every 10 minutes as directed. Refrigerate leftover chicken and green sauce separately for up to 3 days; freeze chicken up to 3 months (freeze sauce only if you’re okay with a slight texture change after thawing). If you want it lighter, use Greek yogurt in place of sour cream for a tangier green sauce.