recipe stalker … Peruvian Roast Chicken with Spicy Green Sauce

This recipe has been stalking me. True story. It first appeared in The New York Times in October of 2017 and has shown up in my social media feeds regularly ever since. Last summer it showed up in my feeds every single week for two months. Maybe it’s stalked you too. Every single time that bright green sauce caught my eye I thought, I’m going to make that one day. Well, that day is here. I needed something to bring to a holiday BBQ and thought, well here we go.

Right off the bat, the recipe gave me pause as it calls for two ingredients I’d never heard of: aji amarillo and aji panca chile pastes, both types of Peruvian chiles. Hmmm. Though the recipe also lists substitutes – sriracha, sambal and ground pasilla – they seemed a bit not so Peruvian. If I was going to do this, maybe I should try to do it right. So I thought I’d start with the shelves of my favorite Hispanic market and if they had them, great, if not I’d go with the substitutions. It took me a bit of time to find them, as they were on the top shelf and I’m very short with a propensity to not look up, but sure enough both jars were there. They were a bit pricey, at around 6 bucks each, and I wondered what I’d do with the remaining amounts as the recipe really only calls for a few teaspoons each. Oh well. What’s two more jars in a fridge 50% full of jars of stuff? Maybe I should have stuck with the substitutions, jars of which are definitely in my fridge

Back home, I opened the jar of aji amarillo and took a taste. It was a beautiful, bright yellow color with a nice spicy kick and a fruity finish. Interesting and though I’m not sure sriracha or sambal would have the same flavor profile. The aji panca was a deep brick red with smoky and subtly spicy backnotes and I could easily see the parallel to pasilla chilies. I was all in at this point and also seeing the possibilities of using these pastes in other recipes.

I marinated the chicken early in the morning for as long as possible, about 6 hours in my case, then roasted it in the oven on a relatively high heat as directed, wanting to bring a finished dish to the party. I bet this would grill beautifully and if I had a grill I would have gone that route because really, who doesn’t want to fire up the oven to 475°F on a hot summer day? Groan.

Then I was onto that vibrant green sauce, the siren song of this recipe. Everything jammed into the blender for a good whirl and it was ready. Bright, fresh, herbally with a hint of heat from the jalapenos, it was quite delicious. It kind of reminded me of a zingy Green Goddess sort of concoction. I could easily see this drizzled on tacos, mixed with sour cream or yogurt for a creamy dressing or with other meats such as pork or a skirt steak. In reading the recipe comments on the NYT site, it seems folks use this marinade and sauce for a multitude of things. Good to know.

Overall, this chicken was really delicious. Looking back I think, despite now having two jars of chiles pastes in my refrigerator that I’m too not sure what to do with, I’d track down the aji amarillo but pass on the aji panca since only 1 teaspoon is required. Ground pasilla would likely work very well in it’s place. It might not be as authentically Peruvian, but it’d be easier, cheaper and pretty similar. Now to figure out what to do with these two jars …

STRESS THERAPY BAKING FACTOR: SUNNY BBQ DAYS. If you’re already getting tired of your standard grilled dishes, throw this one into the mix. It was familiar and yet unlike anything I’d ever made and was a big hit at my party. Despite heating my un air-conditioned apartment to a blazing hot temperature on a blazing hot day, this chicken was damn delicious. Once you round up all the ingredients, it wasn’t all that difficult either. The fruity marinade is nicely offset with the herbally bright green sauce and the chicken roasts up nice and moist, with flavorful crispy skin. I didn’t think of it at the time but I wish I had brought some tortillas to the party. The chicken and sauce would make some fabulous tacos.

nine years ago: Roasted Tomato & Asparagus Quiche
eight years ago: Rhubarb Custard Pie
seven years ago: Banana Tarte Tatin
six years ago: Pear Frangipane Tarts
five years ago: Pickled Garlic, Morel Hunting
four years ago: Guinness Crème Anglaise
three years ago: Flourless Chocolate Cookies
two years ago: Pete’s Special – Teriyaki Chicken & Vegetable Rice Bowl, Summer Fruit Ice Pops
last year: Cold Cucumber Buttermilk Soup

PERUVIAN ROAST CHICKEN WITH SPICY GREEN SAUCE  – from The New York Times
makes 4 servings

for the chicken:
6 garlic cloves, finely grated or minced
3 Tablespoons soy sauce
1 Tablespoon aji amarillo chile paste (or another chile paste such as sriracha or sambal)
1 Tablespoon fresh lime juice
1 teaspoon aji panca chile paste (or 1 teaspoon pasilla chile powder)
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
½ teaspoon kosher salt
1 (3 ½-4 ½ pound) chicken, halved or 4 pounds bone-in, skin-on chicken parts
olive oil, as needed

For the sauce:
1 cup cilantro leaves and tender stems
3-4 jalapeños, roughly chopped
¼ cup/1 ounce crumbled feta cheese
1 garlic clove, chopped
1 ½ Tablespoons fresh lime juice, more to taste
2 teaspoons chopped fresh oregano
¾ teaspoon kosher salt, more to taste
½ teaspoon Dijon mustard
½ Tablespoon aji amarillo chile paste (or another chile paste such as sriracha or sambal)
½ teaspoon honey
½ teaspoon ground cumin
½ cup extra-virgin olive oil
Lime wedges, for garnish

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. Place the chicken halves (or pieces) in a large, heavy duty Ziploc bag, add the marinade, seal and turn to coat.
3. Place the bag in a large bowl (just in case it leaks) and refrigerate at least 2 hours and up to 12 hours.
4. Preheat the oven to 450°F with a rack in the lower third.
5. Remove chicken from marinade and shake off any excess marinade. Discard any leftover marinade.
6. Arrange skin-side up on a foil lined rimmed baking sheet and drizzle with a few Tablespoons of olive oil.
7. Roast until skin is golden and chicken is cooked through, 35-45 minutes (if using chicken parts, remove the breasts after 25-35 minutes). Note: the wing tips tend to brown rather quickly, cover the tips halfway through baking with a bit of foil if you like.
8. Remove from oven and let sit, loosely covered with foil, for 10 minutes before serving.
9. For the sauce: In a blender, blend cilantro, jalapeños, feta, garlic, lime juice, oregano, salt, mustard, aji amarillo paste, honey, and cumin until smooth.
10. With the motor running, slowly drizzle in oil until mixture is emulsified. Taste and adjust the seasonings with salt or lime juice or both.
11. Carve the chicken and serve with the sauce and lime wedges on the side.
12. 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.