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Peruvian Grilled Chicken with Creamy Green Sauce (Pollo Asado)

Peruvian grilled chicken with deeply spiced, burnished skin served with vivid Peruvian green sauce (aji verde). Marinated chicken is grilled until charred with a mahogany-red exterior, then rested and served with creamy jalapeño-herb 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: 780
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Whole chicken
  • 1 whole chicken or 4 bone-in chicken pieces Use one whole chicken or 4 bone-in pieces (about equal sizes for even cooking).
Marinade
  • 0.25 cup olive oil
  • 4 garlic Cloves, for marinade.
  • 3 tbsp soy sauce
  • 2 tbsp lime juice Fresh 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 Use fresh jalapeños for heat and color.
  • 1 cup fresh cilantro
  • 3 garlic Cloves, for green sauce.
  • 2 tbsp lime juice Fresh lime juice.
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 salt

Equipment

  • 1 grill

Method
 

Marinate the chicken
  1. Blend olive oil, garlic, soy sauce, lime juice, cumin, smoked paprika, dried oregano, black pepper, and cinnamon until combined. Coat the chicken thoroughly in the marinade.
  2. Marinate the coated chicken for 2 hours or overnight. Keep refrigerated while marinating.
Make the creamy green sauce
  1. Blend mayonnaise, sour cream, jalapeños, fresh cilantro, garlic, lime juice, olive oil, and salt until smooth and creamy. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
Grill or roast the chicken
  1. Preheat the grill to medium heat and place the chicken on it starting bone-side down. Grill with steady heat, keeping the lid closed when possible.
  2. Turn the chicken every 10 minutes to develop evenly charred, burnished skin. Continue grilling until deeply charred.
  3. Cook until the internal temperature reaches 165F, about 35-40 minutes total. Use a thermometer inserted into the thickest part without touching bone.
  4. Alternatively, preheat the oven to 425F and roast the marinated chicken for 35-45 minutes. Roast until deeply cooked and reach 165F internal temperature.
  5. Rest the chicken for 10 minutes after grilling or roasting. Serve with the creamy green sauce pooled beside it.

Notes

Pro tip: marinate longer for deeper, more complex spice flavor—overnight gives the best mahogany-red color. Refrigerate leftover chicken in a covered container for up to 3 days; the green sauce keeps for up to 4 days. Freeze cooked chicken for up to 2 months (sauce is best frozen separately only if needed). For a lighter option, swap mayonnaise/sour cream for a lighter mayo or plain Greek yogurt while keeping the jalapeño-cilantro flavor.