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5 from 2 votes

Peruvian-Style Roast Chicken with Cilantro-Lime Mayo

Prep Time30 minutes
Cook Time50 minutes
Resting Time15 minutes
Total Time1 hour 35 minutes
Course: dinner
Cuisine: peruvian
Keyword: cilantro, cumin, gluten free, mayonnaise, paprika, roast chicken
Servings: 4 people
Author: GFchow @ gfchow.com

Ingredients

Chicken Wet Spice Rub:

  • 3 garlic cloves finely chopped
  • 1 tablespoon ground cumin
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon paprika
  • 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt divided
  • 1 lemon zested and juiced
  • 1 4-4 1/2-pound whole spatchcocked chicken (Bell & Evans, if possible)

Cilantro-Lime Mayo:

  • 1 cup packed cilantro leaves with tender stems
  • 1–2 medium jalapeños coarsely chopped
  • 1 garlic clove coarsely chopped
  • 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
  • 2 1/2 teaspoons fresh lime juice
  • 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1/3 cup mayonnaise

Garnish:

  • Lime slices
  • Cilantro sprigs

Instructions

  • Arrange rack in middle of oven; preheat to 400°F on Roast setting. If your oven doesn’t have Roast, use Bake setting.
  • Mix garlic, cumin, oil, paprika, pepper, oregano, 1/2 tsp. salt, lemon zest and juice in a medium bowl.
  • If spatchcocking the chicken yourself: Place chicken breast side down on work surface. Spatchcock chicken by cutting along both sides of backbone with kitchen shears. Remove backbone; reserve for stock if so inclined. Turn chicken breast side up and splay open. Press down on breastbone with palms until you hear it crack and chicken is as flat as possible. Pat chicken dry with paper towels.
  • Using your fingers gently loosen skin from breasts and thighs, being careful not to tear skin. Continue using your fingers to gently spread 2 heaping tablespoons of spice mixture under the skin (reserve remaining spice mixture), then season chicken all over with remaining 1 teaspoon salt. Transfer chicken, spread flat and skin side up, to a roasting pan or large oven-proof skillet.
  • Roast chicken 20 minutes. After 20 minutes, begin brushing the chicken in 10 minute intervals with the reserved spice mixture and pan juices. Approximate total cook time is 50 minutes or until juices run clear when thigh is pierced with a fork or an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh registers 165ºF. (If your chicken needs more time in the oven, do it in 5-minute increments to avoid over-roasting.)
  • While chicken is roasting, put cilantro, jalapeños, garlic, oil, lime juice, and salt into a blender or food processor and process until combined. Add mayonnaise and process until well blended. Transfer to a small bowl, cover, and chill until ready to use.
  • Let chicken rest for 10-15 minutes.
  • Then transfer chicken to a platter and serve with the Cilantro-Lime Mayo. Garnish with cilantro and lime slices, if desired.

Notes

Feel free to baste more often.
If you like heat, add more jalapenos to the cilantro-lime mayo.
I haven't tried substituting cilantro with basil or flat-leaf parsley but if you're not a cilantro fan, try it.
If you're watching your calories, low-fat mayonnaise can be used.
Spatchcocked chickens take less time to cook than a whole roaster.
If you can't find a spatchcocked chicken or you don't feel like spatchcocking yourself, you can use cut-up chicken parts.  In my opinion, it's best to use a combination of chicken thighs and legs. Cooking time will be less, approximately 35-40 minutes total.  If you choose to use white meat the cooking time will be closer to 30 minutes.  So, if you use a combination of dark and white meat, you will have to take the white meat out of the pan while the dark meat continues to cook to avoid drying out the chicken.
The chicken can be marinated overnight after the spice rub has been applied.  If doing so, cover the remaining wet spice rub with plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to use.
If there's extra Cilantro-Lime Mayo, refrigerate it and try it on baked potatoes, quesadillas, or even eggs!