Peruvian Chicken

[JoNorvelleWalker]

Inspired by hunger and this post from the recent adventures of @chefmd in Peru I decided to try Peruvian chicken:

https://forums.egullet.org/topic/153954-planning-a-trip-to-lima-peru/?do=findComment&comment=2082033

 

The author of the Huffington Post recipe that @chefmd quotes credits Serious Eats, so I went looking for Kenji's original recipe, which I found here:

http://www.seriouseats.com/recipes/2012/08/peruvian-style-grilled-chicken-with-green-sauce-recipe.html

 

Since I couldn't decide between Mediterranean oregano and Mexican oregano for the recipe I was pleased that Kenji calls for no oregano whatsoever!  Last night I made Kenji's version of the marinade in my recently acquired Waring spice grinder -- substituting dried Peruvian Aji Panca for the ground paprika.  Kenji calls for using "finger tips" for blending -- I'll stand by my Waring.  My old finger tips don't smash cumin seeds and peppercorns to powder.

 

Tonight I prepared the cilantro, garlic (a bit more garlic than Kenji called for), jalapeno sauce -- which the Waring grinder easily reduced to a perfectly smooth consistency without having to scrape down the grinding jar at all.  Here Kenji specifies a blender which is something I do not have.

 

 

 

Note to self:  do not apply nose directly over jalapeno sauce.

 

Next the chicken:

 

 

 

Kenji split and grilled his bird.  I spit roasted mine.

 

 

 

Served with CSO frozen French fries and a salad of Boston bib and tomatoes from my balcony.  Next time I'd apply even more cilantro in the green sauce.  Twenty four hours later the air is still pungently fragrant.

 

Since there's not much consensus on what defines Peruvian chicken -- at least in the U.S. -- I'd love to hear other people's thoughts.  I suspect in Peru they don't use jalapeno for the sauce.

 

[Nancy in Pátzcuaro]

That looks like wonderful chicken--beautifully crisped skin. Did you like it? Any changes other than more cilantro in the sauce? I think I'm going to try this very soon.

 

Thanks for the mouthwateringly-good photos too.

 

Nancy in Pátzcuaro

[JoNorvelleWalker]

11 hours ago, Nancy in Pátzcuaro said:

That looks like wonderful chicken--beautifully crisped skin. Did you like it? Any changes other than more cilantro in the sauce? I think I'm going to try this very soon.

 

Thanks for the mouthwateringly-good photos too.

 

Nancy in Pátzcuaro

 

Thank you, Nancy.  The skin was crisp but not CSO shatteringly crisp, given all the marinade.  @rotuts will understand what I mean.  That kind of crispness would require a dry rub.  Something I may yet assay.

 

Yes, I liked the chicken very much!  For next time I might investigate other peppers besides jalapenos for the sauce, besides upping the cilantro.  The marinade with Aji Panca worked out pretty well as is.  Also, spit roasting in my kitchen is rather a pain and I might go for a shortcut, like the CSO...but oops, how then would I do the French fries?

 

Coincidentally I learned today that my daughter in law -- without any communication between us -- just made Peruvian chicken for the first time.  I'm not yet sure what recipe she followed.

 

In going to the doctor this afternoon my son and I passed a Peruvian restaurant.  I sure would love to try their menu.