This wonderfully aromatic chicken is big on flavor – make my Peruvian Spice Blend for an authentic spit-roasted chicken with a tender flesh and crispy skin. Smoky, Salty, Tangy and juicy to the bone!
Ingredients
- 4 pounds fresh chicken
- 3 tablespoons fresh lime juice, (from one juicy lime)
- 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
- 4 medium fresh garlic cloves, peeled
- 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- 1 ½ teaspoon sugar
- ½ teaspoon Aji peppers*, or spicy fresh pepper
- 2 tablespoons Karen's Peruvian Spice Blend, divided
Instructions
- Clean and dry chicken. Butterfly and cut out back bone with a kitchen shear. Or, cut down the side of the backbone, leaving the backbone attached. Place on a clean surface (hint: line with waxed paper.) Flatten the chicken with the heal of your hand, break the breastbone. Slash the chicken twice on each breast, and twice on each thigh. Dry well.
- Place the marinade ingredients in a blender (lime juice through aji peppers.) Add more peppers if you like very spicy. Add 2 t. of Peruvian Spice Blend. Whirl until pureed, about 1 minute. Add chicken to a large, non-reactive bowl. Pour marinade all over and mix in well.
- Refrigerate overnight, or at least 6 hours. Set the grill to low (I have used a gas grill.) Take chicken out of refrigerator for 15 minutes while the grill heats. Wipe off any marinade. Place on a rimmed baking pan (line with wax paper for easy clean up.) Coat the chicken well with reserved seasoning (1 T. & 1 t.) Add the chicken to the grill breast side up and cook until 120 degrees, (about 30 degrees shy of finished) which should take 45 - 50 minutes.
- Turn the temperature to high. Turn chicken over, skin side down. Cook until the skin has darkened and has crisped. Watch the grill for flare ups! - Chicken skin can burn quickly. Place on cooler side of grill, or turn heat down if it's getting too dark. (Alternately, choose a charcoal grill, use a two zone indirect fire.) Crisp until an instant read thermometer inserted into deepest part of breast registers 150°F, about 10 minutes longer.
- Remove from grill to a rimmed baking pan, or a wooden carving board to cool. Add a sprinkling more of the seasoning while warm if desired. Taste for salt. Cut into fourths or eighths. Serve with lime wedges, and the juices from the pan.
- For tacos or salads, remove chicken from the bones and slice.
- * Aji peppers are available fresh, frozen and dried. I have used frozen for the marinade (from the latin section of a supermarket - free of preservatives.)
This recipe can not be reproduced without the permission of its author, Karen Sheer
