Peruvian Grilled Chicken with Creamy Green Sauce

Peruvian Grilled Chicken with Creamy Green Sauce tastes smoky, citrusy, a little spicy, and wildly herby, like rotisserie chicken that went on vacation and came back cooler. It works for busy weeknights or casual weekend dinners, and you can pull the whole thing off in about 1 hour, including marinating time if you move quickly. I’ve cooked this for everything from date nights to my own “solo with Netflix” dinners, and it never lets me down.

Why Make This Peruvian Grilled Chicken with Creamy Green Sauce at Home

You control the flavor and the heat level, which means you can keep it kid friendly or go full-on chili lover. The marinade soaks into the chicken and gives you juicy meat with crisp, charred skin that tastes better than most restaurant versions.

You also get that famous Peruvian green sauce in a big enough batch to actually spoon it the way you want. I treat it like a universal sauce for the week on bowls, sandwiches, and roasted veggies, so the recipe works harder than a single dinner.

“This Peruvian Grilled Chicken with Creamy Green Sauce tastes like restaurant takeout in the best way, only juicier, smokier, and with extra sauce to spare. ★★★★★”

Ingredients You Need

Chicken

• 1 whole chicken, about 3.5 to 4 pounds, spatchcocked
  • Ask the butcher to spatchcock it if you do not want to cut out the backbone yourself.
  • You can swap in 4 to 5 pounds of bone-in chicken thighs if you prefer dark meat only.

Marinade for Peruvian grilled chicken

• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 3 tablespoons fresh lime juice
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
  • Use regular soy sauce; if you need gluten free, use tamari.
• 1 tablespoon white vinegar or apple cider vinegar
• 6 cloves garlic, minced or grated
• 2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
• 2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 to 2 teaspoons dried oregano
• 1 to 2 teaspoons sugar or honey
  • This helps browning and balances the acidity.
• 1 to 2 teaspoons aji amarillo paste
  • This gives classic Peruvian flavor. If you cannot find it, use a mix of hot sauce and a little extra smoked paprika.
• Optional: 1 teaspoon chili powder or cayenne if you want more heat

Creamy Green Sauce (Aji Verde style)

• 1 cup fresh cilantro leaves, lightly packed
  • Include tender stems; they blend well and add flavor.
• 1 to 2 jalapeños, seeded for mild, with seeds for more heat
• 2 green onions, roughly chopped
• 2 cloves garlic
• 1 tablespoon aji amarillo paste
  • If you do not have it, use 1 teaspoon hot sauce plus 1 teaspoon yellow mustard.
• 1 tablespoon lime juice
• 1 tablespoon white vinegar
• 1/2 cup mayonnaise
  • Use a good quality mayo; I like Hellmann’s or Kewpie for extra richness.
• 1/4 cup sour cream or plain Greek yogurt
• 2 to 4 tablespoons neutral oil (like avocado or canola)
  • Thin the sauce to your preferred texture.
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, more to taste
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Pantry shortcuts and notes

• Use jarred minced garlic if you need speed, though fresh garlic gives better flavor.
• Use bottled lime juice in a pinch, but fresh lime juice gives brighter flavor.
• Use pre-washed cilantro and pre-trimmed green onions to cut prep time.

Equipment list

• Grill: gas or charcoal
• Sharp kitchen shears or a sturdy knife to spatchcock the chicken
• Large bowl or zip-top bag for marinating
• Food processor or blender for the creamy green sauce
• Instant read thermometer for checking doneness
• Tongs and a thin metal spatula
• Sheet pan and wire rack if you finish the chicken in the oven

Tips & Mistakes

• Pat the chicken very dry before marinating so the marinade sticks and the skin crisps.
• Tuck some marinade under the skin on the breasts and thighs so the flavor reaches the meat, not just the surface.
• Do not skip the salt in the marinade; it seasons the meat and helps it stay juicy.
• Let the chicken sit at room temperature for 20 to 30 minutes before grilling so it cooks more evenly.
• Heat only one side of the grill to high and keep the other side at medium or off so you have a cooler zone.
• Start the chicken skin side up over indirect heat so the fat renders gently and avoids flare ups.
• Do not walk away from the grill; chicken skin can char quickly over direct heat.
• Use an instant read thermometer and pull the chicken when the thickest part of the breast hits 160 F and the thigh hits 175 F.
• Rest the chicken for at least 10 minutes before carving so the juices settle.
• Blend the green sauce until completely smooth, then taste and adjust salt, lime, and heat before serving.
• Keep the green sauce chilled and covered; it tastes best cold and thick.
• Do not overblend the sauce once it turns silky or it can turn slightly bitter from the herbs.

How to Make Peruvian Grilled Chicken with Creamy Green Sauce

Prep the chicken

1. Place the chicken breast side down on a cutting board. Use kitchen shears to cut along both sides of the backbone and remove it.
2. Flip the chicken breast side up and press firmly on the breastbone until it flattens.
3. Tuck the wing tips behind the breasts so they do not burn. Pat the whole chicken very dry with paper towels.

Mix the marinade

1. In a large bowl, whisk together olive oil, lime juice, soy sauce, vinegar, garlic, cumin, smoked paprika, salt, pepper, oregano, sugar or honey, and aji amarillo paste.
2. Taste a tiny bit and adjust with more salt, lime, or chili if you want. The marinade should taste salty, tangy, and a little spicy.

Marinate the chicken

1. Place the chicken in the bowl or in a large zip-top bag.
2. Pour the marinade over the chicken and rub it all over, including under the skin on the breasts and thighs.
3. Cover and chill at least 30 minutes, up to 12 hours. Longer marinating gives deeper flavor, but even 30 minutes helps.

Preheat the grill

1. Clean the grill grates and oil them lightly.
2. Heat one side of the grill to medium high and leave the other side at medium low or off.
3. Aim for about 375 to 400 F on the cooler side where the chicken will sit most of the time.

Grill the chicken

1. Place the chicken skin side up on the cooler side of the grill. Close the lid and cook about 25 to 35 minutes.
2. Rotate the chicken occasionally so it cooks evenly, but keep it mostly over indirect heat.
3. When the breast reaches about 140 F, move the chicken skin side down over the hotter side to crisp the skin.
4. Grill 5 to 10 minutes, watching closely, until the skin turns deep golden with some charred spots.
5. Check the internal temperature: aim for 160 F in the thickest part of the breast and 175 F in the thigh. Move the chicken back to the cooler side if it browns too fast before it reaches temperature.

Rest and carve

1. Transfer the grilled chicken to a cutting board and tent it loosely with foil.
2. Let it rest 10 to 15 minutes so the juices redistribute.
3. Carve into leg quarters, wings, and sliced breast meat. Keep the skin attached as much as possible for flavor.

Make the creamy green sauce

1. While the chicken grills or rests, add cilantro, jalapeños, green onions, garlic, aji amarillo paste, lime juice, vinegar, mayonnaise, sour cream or yogurt, salt, and pepper to a blender or food processor.
2. Blend until mostly smooth, then drizzle in the oil with the motor running until the sauce turns silky and pourable but still thick.
3. Taste and adjust with more salt, lime, or jalapeño. Chill the sauce until you serve the chicken.

Serve

1. Arrange the carved Peruvian grilled chicken on a platter.
2. Spoon some creamy green sauce over the top and serve the rest in a bowl on the side.
3. Add lime wedges on the platter so everyone can squeeze extra citrus over their pieces.

Variations I’ve Tried

I swap the whole chicken for all thighs when I want maximum juiciness and a shorter cook time. Bone-in, skin-on thighs soak up the marinade and stay tender even if you slightly overshoot the temperature.

I also use the same marinade on boneless skinless chicken thighs for quick weeknight tacos or rice bowls. The chicken cooks in about 10 to 12 minutes on the grill, and I slice it thin over rice with a big drizzle of green sauce.

Sometimes I add a handful of fresh basil or parsley to the creamy green sauce when my cilantro looks a little sad. The mix still tastes bright and herby, just with a slightly different twist that works great on grilled veggies too.

How to Serve Peruvian Grilled Chicken with Creamy Green Sauce

Serve the Peruvian grilled chicken hot off the grill with a generous drizzle of creamy green sauce and extra on the side for dipping. Pair it with simple sides like white rice, cilantro lime rice, roasted potatoes, or crisp fries to soak up all the juices. Add a crunchy salad with lettuce, cucumbers, and tomatoes or some grilled corn to keep things fresh and colorful. I like to pour cold sparkling water or iced tea with lime alongside, which matches the bright citrus in the chicken and sauce.

How to store

• Store leftover Peruvian grilled chicken in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
• Keep the creamy green sauce in a separate sealed container in the fridge for 3 to 4 days.
• Freeze cooked chicken pieces tightly wrapped or in freezer bags for up to 3 months; thaw overnight in the fridge.
• Reheat chicken in a 350 F oven on a baking sheet until warm, about 15 to 20 minutes, or in an air fryer at 325 F for 8 to 10 minutes so the skin crisps again.
• Stir the green sauce after chilling; use it cold from the fridge and do not freeze it since the texture can turn grainy.