Oven Baked Chicken with Aji Verde (Peruvian Green Sauce)
Oven Baked Chicken with Aji Verde (Peruvian Green Sauce)
Ingredients
For the Oven Baked Chicken
- 1 whole chicken, about 3-4 pounds
- 1 tablespoon kosher salt, or to taste
- 1 teaspoon black pepper, freshly ground, or to taste
- 1 tablespoon chicken bouillon powder
- 1 tablespoon dried oregano
- 1 packet sazon seasoning, with annatto
- 1 tablespoon garlic powder
- 1 paprika
- 2 lemon, 1 for squeezing, 1 for stuffing and slicing
- 3 garlic cloves, peeled, for stuffing
- 1 yellow onion, 1/2 for stuffing, 1/2 sliced into rings for baking dish
For the Aji Verde (Peruvian Green Sauce)
- 1 cup fresh cilantro, packed, stems removed
- 1/4 cup fresh coriander leaves, packed
- 1/2 cup lime juice, from about 4 limes
- 1/2 cup mayonnaise
- 2 tablespoons aji amarillo paste
- 2 jalapeños, seeded and roughly chopped (adjust to taste)
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste
For Serving
- 4 cups cooked white rice
- 2 avocado, sliced
Instructions
- 1
Preheat your oven to 400°F. Remove the whole chicken from its packaging, remove any giblets from the cavity, and thoroughly clean it under cold running water. Pat the chicken completely dry with paper towels, inside and out. This is crucial for crispy skin.
⏱️ 5 min•🌡️ 400
- 2
In a small bowl, combine the kosher salt, black pepper, chicken bouillon powder, dried oregano, sazon seasoning, garlic powder, and paprika. Mix well to create your seasoning blend.
⏱️ 2 min
- 3
Place the dried chicken in a large roasting pan or oven-safe dish. Generously season the entire chicken, inside and out, with the prepared spice blend, ensuring even coverage. Squeeze the juice of one whole lemon over both sides of the chicken.
⏱️ 5 min
- 4
Halve the remaining lemon and onion. Stuff the chicken cavity with the lemon halves, garlic cloves, and one half of the onion. Arrange the remaining sliced onion rings around the chicken in the roasting pan.
⏱️ 3 min
- 5
Bake the chicken in the preheated oven for approximately 1 hour and 30 minutes, or until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh (without touching bone) registers 165°F. Baste the chicken with the pan juices every 30 minutes to keep it moist and promote even browning.
⏱️ 90 min•🌡️ 400
- 6
While the chicken bakes, prepare the Aji Verde. In a blender, combine the fresh cilantro, fresh coriander leaves, lime juice, mayonnaise, aji amarillo paste, jalapeños, olive oil, and salt. Blend on high speed until the sauce is completely smooth and creamy. Taste and adjust salt or lime juice if needed.
⏱️ 10 min
- 7
Once the chicken is golden brown, crispy, and cooked through, remove it from the oven. Let the chicken rest in the roasting pan for 10-15 minutes before carving. This allows the juices to redistribute, resulting in a more tender and flavorful chicken.
⏱️ 15 min
- 8
Carve the chicken into serving pieces. Serve immediately with a side of white rice and sliced avocado. Drizzle generously with the homemade Aji Verde sauce.
⏱️ 5 min
Kitchen Tools
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
Oven Baked Chicken with Aji Verde (Peruvian Green Sauce)
For the Oven Baked Chicken
- 1 whole chicken, about 3-4 pounds
- 1 tablespoon kosher salt, or to taste
- 1 teaspoon black pepper, freshly ground, or to taste
- 1 tablespoon chicken bouillon powder
- 1 tablespoon dried oregano
- 1 packet sazon seasoning, with annatto
- 1 tablespoon garlic powder
- 1 paprika
- 2 lemon, 1 for squeezing, 1 for stuffing and slicing
- 3 garlic cloves, peeled, for stuffing
- 1 yellow onion, 1/2 for stuffing, 1/2 sliced into rings for baking dish
For the Aji Verde (Peruvian Green Sauce)
- 1 cup fresh cilantro, packed, stems removed
- 1/4 cup fresh coriander leaves, packed
- 1/2 cup lime juice, from about 4 limes
- 1/2 cup mayonnaise
- 2 tablespoons aji amarillo paste
- 2 jalapeños, seeded and roughly chopped (adjust to taste)
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste
For Serving
- 4 cups cooked white rice
- 2 avocado, sliced
Instructions
- 1
Preheat your oven to 400°F. Remove the whole chicken from its packaging, remove any giblets from the cavity, and thoroughly clean it under cold running water. Pat the chicken completely dry with paper towels, inside and out. This is crucial for crispy skin.
⏱️ 5 min•🌡️ 400 - 2
In a small bowl, combine the kosher salt, black pepper, chicken bouillon powder, dried oregano, sazon seasoning, garlic powder, and paprika. Mix well to create your seasoning blend.
⏱️ 2 min - 3
Place the dried chicken in a large roasting pan or oven-safe dish. Generously season the entire chicken, inside and out, with the prepared spice blend, ensuring even coverage. Squeeze the juice of one whole lemon over both sides of the chicken.
⏱️ 5 min - 4
Halve the remaining lemon and onion. Stuff the chicken cavity with the lemon halves, garlic cloves, and one half of the onion. Arrange the remaining sliced onion rings around the chicken in the roasting pan.
⏱️ 3 min - 5
Bake the chicken in the preheated oven for approximately 1 hour and 30 minutes, or until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh (without touching bone) registers 165°F. Baste the chicken with the pan juices every 30 minutes to keep it moist and promote even browning.
⏱️ 90 min•🌡️ 400 - 6
While the chicken bakes, prepare the Aji Verde. In a blender, combine the fresh cilantro, fresh coriander leaves, lime juice, mayonnaise, aji amarillo paste, jalapeños, olive oil, and salt. Blend on high speed until the sauce is completely smooth and creamy. Taste and adjust salt or lime juice if needed.
⏱️ 10 min - 7
Once the chicken is golden brown, crispy, and cooked through, remove it from the oven. Let the chicken rest in the roasting pan for 10-15 minutes before carving. This allows the juices to redistribute, resulting in a more tender and flavorful chicken.
⏱️ 15 min - 8
Carve the chicken into serving pieces. Serve immediately with a side of white rice and sliced avocado. Drizzle generously with the homemade Aji Verde sauce.
⏱️ 5 min