Spicy Peruvian Roast Chicken with Sweet Potatoes & Cilantro-Feta Salsa

Ingredients

• 2 lb chicken thighs (Boneless, skinless)
• 2 small bunches cilantro (Leaves shaved from stems; stems discarded and leaves minced)
• 4 oz crumbled feta cheese
• 4 cloves garlic (Minced; used in the spice paste and salsa)
• 2 jalapeño peppers (Quartered lengthwise, seeded, ribs removed, and minced)
• 2 limes (One is zested and juiced for the spice-paste bowl; the other is juiced for the salsa)
• 2 lb sweet potatoes (Peeled and sliced into ½-inch-thick rounds)
• black pepper (For seasoning the sweet potatoes)
• brown sugar (Added to the spice paste and salsa; source does not specify an amount)
• cayenne pepper (For the spice paste; source does not specify an amount)
• ground cumin (Added to the spice paste and salsa; source does not specify an amount)
• extra-virgin olive oil (Used for the sweet potatoes, spice paste, skillet, and salsa; source does not specify amounts)
• dried oregano (For the spice paste; source does not specify an amount)
• salt (For the sweet potatoes and salsa; source does not specify amounts)

Steps

1. 1

   Preheat the oven to 425°F. Position the racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven, and line a large baking sheet with aluminum foil.

2. 2

   Wash and dry the fresh produce.

3. 3

   Peel and slice the sweet potatoes into ½-inch-thick rounds. Place them in a large bowl, drizzle with olive oil, and season with salt and black pepper. Toss until evenly coated.

4. 4

   Arrange the sweet potatoes in a single layer on the lined baking sheet. Place the sheet on the lower oven rack and bake, flipping the rounds halfway through, until fork-tender, about 25 minutes.

5. 5

   Meanwhile, zest and juice one lime into the bowl used for the sweet potatoes. Set the remaining lime aside.

6. 6

   Peel and mince the garlic. Add it to the bowl with olive oil, brown sugar, cayenne pepper, ground cumin, and dried oregano. Stir to combine into a spice paste.

7. 7

   Preheat a large ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat.

8. 8

   While the skillet heats, pat the chicken thighs dry with paper towels. Add them to the bowl with the spice paste and turn to coat thoroughly.

9. 9

   Once the skillet is hot, add olive oil and swirl to coat the bottom. Add the chicken in a single layer and cook on one side until golden brown and caramelized, about 5 minutes.

10. 10

    Flip the chicken and cook for 1 minute more, then remove the skillet from the heat. The chicken will not yet be fully cooked.

11. 11

    Transfer the skillet to the upper oven rack and roast until the chicken is cooked through, 12–15 minutes.

12. 12

    Meanwhile, juice the remaining lime into a medium bowl.

13. 13

    Quarter the jalapeños lengthwise. Use a spoon to remove the seeds and ribs, then mince the peppers and add them to the bowl with the lime juice. Avoid touching your eyes; wash your hands thoroughly after handling the peppers or wear gloves.

14. 14

    Shave the cilantro leaves from the stems, discard the stems, and mince the leaves. Add the cilantro to the bowl.

15. 15

    Peel and mince the additional garlic. Add it to the bowl with the crumbled feta, olive oil, brown sugar, ground cumin, and salt. Stir to combine the cilantro-feta salsa.

16. 16

    To serve, divide the roasted sweet potatoes and chicken among plates. Spoon the cilantro-feta salsa over the chicken and serve.

Notes

The structured recipe data does not specify quantities for the oil, salt, pepper, sugar, cayenne, cumin, oregano, or garlic division between components. The chicken should be fully cooked after roasting, but no internal temperature is provided in the source.

Nutrition per serving

• main
• Latin American
• Peruvian-inspired
• roasted
• oven-baked
• high-protein
• gluten-free