Peruvian Roast Chicken (Gluten-Free)

This Peruvian Roast Chicken is tender, moist, and packed full of delicious flavors of South American cuisines. It is truly finger licking good and perfect all year long. I hope you make it soon and enjoy it as much as we did!

This month’s Progressive Eats theme is Boozy Cooking hosted by Megan Myers of Stetted. The whole team has made foods that use beer, wine or spirits. It’s going to be a rip roaring party with #ProgressiveEats this month! Make sure you check out the links below the recipe.

It is my pleasure to share a new recipe highlighting South American flavors with all of you. Similar to the Mexican cuisine available in most of America, South American foods have very little heat but a ton of flavor. They use a variety of chiles, mostly mild on the heat index, a lot of citrus, and fresh herbs that will have your taste buds singing without stinging.

I also used the national liqueur of Peru, Pisco brandy, to infuse a little extra flavor and provide a moist cooking environment for the chicken. This is a delightful alcohol for both mixed drinks and cooking. It is sweet with hints of citrus and other fruits, and is used to make Pisco Sours, the Peruvian cocktail. Just by adding a splash, it is a fun way to spike up ordinary meals. Best of all, it is naturally gluten-free! You can find it at BevMo, most liquor stores, or online. 

This was one of the best chickens I have ever cooked. Tender, moist, and full of flavor, it would be perfect as the main component of chicken salad, used in sandwiches, or eaten as we did, fresh out of the oven for dinner. It is remarkable and easy to make with very little clean up needed. You can also make it on the barbecue in a grill-safe baking dish. 

If you have never cooked a whole chicken, you really should give it a go. It is incredibly easy and creates a tender, moist chicken that your family will love. It doesn’t require any attention while it is roasting, giving you more time to make the rest of your meal while the chicken cooks.

If cutting up a whole cooked chicken makes you nervous, take a look at this video from my friends at The Kitchn, which gives you step-by-step directions. Start by taking off the leg/thigh on each side, then the wings (or leave them attached to the breasts), and finally separate the breasts from the rib cage. Try it once and you’ll get the hang of it — from then on it’s a piece of cake. I do it regularly and wonder now why it ever scared me!

I served this Peruvian Roast Chicken, and The Artist, our guests, and I couldn’t stop exclaiming about how delicious it was. It was amazing that there were any leftovers at the end of the meal. This is truly finger-licking good chicken!

I hope you try this Peruvian roast chicken. Don’t be afraid of it being too spicy because there isn’t any heat in the marinade. If you like spicy foods, switch out cayenne, chipotle, or habanero for some of the mild chiles I used. And if you have the inclination, pour a little Pisco to sip alongside your meal – Wahoo!!

Have a wonderful day and enjoy your weekend!

Did you enjoy this recipe? Let me know in the comments and leave a star rating, I love hearing from you!

 

Ingredients needed for Peruvian Roast Chicken:

• Chicken, limes, onion, cilantro, olive oil, garlic, bell pepper,
• Shallot, paprika, crushed chili peppers, chili powder, cumin
• Oregano, Pisco brandy, chicken stock, water, salt

 

PRO Tip:

Pisco is a brandy which makes it extremely flammable. Do not forget to add the water and stock to the pan. This dilutes the brandy to soften the flavors as well as protect you from unexpectedly flaming the brandy!

 

PRO Tip:

As it cooks, liquid will collect in the cavity of the chicken. Pour it out before you try to move the chicken so you don’t burn yourself. A long carving fork is the best tool to help with this or use a long pair of tongs.

 

How to make Peruvian Roast Chicken:

1. Marinate the Chicken: Combine the marinade ingredients in a food processor or blender and pulse until pureed and smooth; place the chicken in a large plastic bag or deep bowl and pour half the marinade inside the chicken and the rest over the top, rubbing it on all sides of the chicken and cavity
2. Seal the bag or cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate 4 to 6 hours and up to overnight, turning the chicken over several times to make sure it is covered evenly with the marinade; you can do a quick marinade, 30 to 60 minutes if needed
3. Roast the Chicken: Pour the Pisco, stock, and water in the bottom of the roasting pan, remove the chicken from the bag or bowl and place breast side up in the pan; insert the lime and onion pieces and some cilantro in the cavity, discarding remaining marinade
4. Place the chicken in a 400°F oven and cook for 15 minutes then reduce the temperature to 350°F and continue cooking an additional 30 to 45 minutes or until an instant read thermometer reads 162°F in the breast; remove from the oven and transfer to a large cutting board, tent with foil and let rest 15 minutes
5. Carve as desired and serve immediately

 

PRO Tip:

If you are looking for a large plastic bag to marinate the chicken, you can use an oven roasting bag which are sold at grocery stores or online.

 

PRO Tip:

Using individual chile powders allows you to customize the flavor profile of your dishes. If you do not have specialty chile powders you can substitute 1 tsp generic chili powder instead. Chipotle chile powder will provide more heat and a smokier flavor.

 

Recommended Tools (affiliate links; no extra cost to you):

• Chef’s knife
• Paring knife
• Large cutting board
• Citrus reamer
• Food processor or blender
• Large bowl
• Roasting pan
• Instant read thermometer
• Carving fork or tongs
• Slicing knife

 

Gluten-Free Tips:

This recipe is naturally gluten-free!

All recommended ingredients are gluten-free as of the writing of this article. Always check to be sure the products haven’t changed and are still safe to consume.

*NOTE: The major gluten-free organizations have declared that distilled alcohols are gluten free. But some distillers may use caramel coloring or flavorings which sometimes contain gluten. For some very sensitive people this may cause issues. Distilled from wine or fermented fruit juice, Pisco is naturally gluten-free with no additives or colorings!

 

 

 

 

 

Create a New Tradition Today!

 

This recipe is part of our monthly progressive dinner party, Progressive Eats. See the links below for more inspiration and great recipes!

Boozy Cooking

Appetizers

• Beer Cheese Dip in a Bread Bowl from Never Enough Thyme
• Tequila Lime Chicken Wings from Spice Roots

Soups & Stews

• Carbonnade Beef and Beer Stew from Mother Would Know
• One Hour Ham and White Bean Soup from Miss in the Kitchen

Main Course

• Rum Jerk Chicken from Stetted
• Peruvian Pisco Roast Chicken (Gluten-Free) from The Heritage Cook (you are here)
• Red Wine and Pork Pasta Sauce Food Hunter’s Guide
• Sous Vide Chinese Drunken Wine Chicken from Jeanette’s Healthy Living

Desserts

• Guiness Chocolate Cupcakes with Irish Whiskey Frosting from Creative Culinary
• Irish Cream Pots de Creme from That Skinny Chick Can Bake
• Chocolate Peanut Butter Porter Ice Cream Sauce from Pastry Chef Online

 

 

Welcome! The suggestions here are not intended as dietary advice or as a substitute for consulting a dietician, physician, or other medical professional. Please see the Disclaimers/Privacy Policy page for additional details. Unauthorized use, distribution, and/or duplication of proprietary material from The Heritage Cook without prior approval is prohibited. If you have any questions or would like permission, please contact me. We participate in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com. As an Amazon Associate, I earn a small amount from qualifying purchases without any additional cost to you. This page may contain affiliate links. This post was first shared in Feb 2016. The article was updated in 2022.