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Peruvian Grilled Chicken with Creamy Green Sauce (Pollo Asado)

Peruvian grilled chicken with aji verde delivers deeply spiced, burnished skin with a vivid jalapeño-herb green sauce. Marinated chicken is grilled until charred and cooked through, then served with creamy green sauce.
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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: 760
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Whole chicken
  • 1 whole chicken or 4 bone-in chicken pieces Use bone-in for best charred skin.
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 Season to taste; start with 1 tsp.

Equipment

  • 1 grill
  • 1 sheet pan

Method
 

Marinate the chicken
  1. Blend the marinade ingredients (olive oil, garlic, soy sauce, lime juice, cumin, smoked paprika, dried oregano, black pepper, and cinnamon) until smooth. Coat the chicken thoroughly so every surface is covered, then cover and marinate for 2 hours or overnight in the refrigerator.
Make the creamy green sauce (aji verde)
  1. Blend the green sauce ingredients (mayonnaise, sour cream, jalapeños, fresh cilantro, garlic, lime juice, olive oil, and salt) until smooth and creamy. Refrigerate while the chicken finishes marinating.
Grill the chicken
  1. Preheat the grill to medium heat and set up a steady cooking zone. Grill the chicken starting bone-side down and close the lid to help it brown, then cook through without moving too early.
  2. After 10 minutes, turn the chicken and continue grilling on the next side. Repeat turning every 10 minutes to build an even burnished, mahogany-red skin.
  3. Check for doneness at about 35–40 minutes total, grilling until the internal temperature reaches 165F. Keep grilling as needed for deeper char while maintaining 165F in the thickest part.
  4. Remove the chicken to a plate and rest for 10 minutes before serving. Serve hot with the refrigerated creamy green sauce pooled beside the chicken.
Roast alternative
  1. If roasting instead of grilling, preheat the oven to 425F. Place marinated chicken on a sheet pan and roast for 35–45 minutes, until the skin is browned and the internal temperature reaches 165F.
  2. Let the chicken rest for 10 minutes before serving. Serve with the creamy green sauce.

Notes

For the deepest caramelized crust, pat the chicken dry before marinating and keep the grill at steady medium heat so the spices brown instead of burning. Refrigerate leftovers in a sealed container for up to 3 days; freeze cooked chicken for up to 2 months (freeze sauce separately for best texture). For a lighter option, use light mayonnaise or replace sour cream with Greek yogurt to keep the green sauce creamy.