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Peruvian Roast Chicken

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The marinade and sauce that flavor this roast chicken give it a South American flair. Pair the hot and crispy bird with a cool and refreshing avocado salad.

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Ingredients

  • For the chicken:
  • 5 garlic cloves, peeled, finely chopped
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons fine sea salt, divided
  • One (4 pound) whole chicken
  • 1 lemon, cut into quarters
  • 3 tablespoons white wine vinegar
  • 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons white wine, divided
  • 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons paprika
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons ground cumin
  • 2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
  • For the salad:
  • 2 avocados
  • 1/2 to 3/4 of a small red onion, very thinly sliced and soaked in ice water for 10 minutes to lessen its bite
  • 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh cilantro leaves, or to taste
  • 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
  • 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
  • Coarse sea salt

Details

Servings 4

Preparation

Step 1

Chicken:
Using the flat side of a knife’s blade, scrape and chop and mash the garlic and 1/2 teaspoon of salt into a paste. Set aside.

Pull off any excess fat surrounding the cavity of the chicken and discard it. Rinse and pat the chicken dry, inside and out, and place the chicken on a plate.

Rub the chicken all over with 2 of the lemon quarters, then discard the used lemon quarters.

Slip a finger under the chicken skin at the edge of the cavity and run it along the breasts and thighs to gently loosen the skin. Gently work a little of the garlic paste between the chicken skin and meat, being careful not to tear the skin. Rub your hand along the surface of the skin to smooth the paste and distribute it evenly under the skin.

In a small bowl, whisk together vinegar, 2 tablespoons of wine, oil, paprika, cumin, black pepper and oregano. Place the chicken in a 2-gallon resealable bag or a baking dish and pour the marinade on top. Turn the bird several times to coat. Seal the bag or cover the chicken and refrigerate 5 to 8 hours, turning the chicken once or twice.

Preheat oven to 425ºF. Adjust the oven rack to the middle position.

Transfer chicken to a baking dish or heavy frying pan, pouring the marinade into a small bowl and scraping any thick bits of spices that cling to the container into the bowl. Set aside.

Squeeze the 2 remaining lemon quarters into the cavity of the bird and toss the lemon quarters into the cavity. Tie the legs together with kitchen string.

Season the chicken all over with 1 teaspoon salt.

Roast 15 minutes, then baste with some of the reserved marinade.

Reduce heat to 375ºF and continue to roast, basting every 20 minutes with the marinade and the pan juices, for an hour. Discard leftover marinade.

Roast for 15 minutes more, for a total of 1 1/2 hours, until the juices of the chicken run clear when the thigh is pierced with a fork and an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh reads 165ºF. Allow the chicken to rest for a few minutes after you remove it from the oven.

Transfer the chicken to a cutting board.

If you have a fat separator, now’s the time to use it. If you don’t have one, tip the baking dish so you can see the oil separating from the pan juices. Using a soup spoon, skim off and discard most of the oil.

Place the baking dish over medium-high heat and bring the juices to a simmer. Add the remaining wine and simmer 3 minutes, scraping any bits from the bottom and sides of the dish. If your baking dish isn’t flameproof, pour the juices into a saucepan before simmering.

Carve the bird and pour the pan sauce into a serving bowl to pass on the side.

Avocado salad:
While chicken is in the oven, peel and halve each avocado. Remove the pits and cut into cubes.

Place avocados, onion, cilantro, lime juice, oil and a generous pinch of salt in a bowl and toss to coat the avocado with lime juice. Set aside to allow the flavors to meld. Toss again before serving.

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