Peruvian Chicken

© 2012 Jessie Kaufman

Last year at this time my husband and I were wrapping up our time in NYC. We had lived in Brooklyn for five years at that point, had grown tired of the city, grown bored of the attitudes, and had all but given up on ever being able to afford a house there. I shouldn't say given up. We knew there was no way we'd be able to afford a $480,000 one bedroom townhouse, which was right down the street from our then apartment. Marc (the husband and English Professor) had been applying and interviewing to jobs for the previous two years trying to get us out of New York.

He even had an interview with a college in Washington State where they had something called "The World Famous Suicide Race." While we were excited at the prospect of witnessing such a spectacle, we were hoping to be somewhere closer to our families, who live in Michigan, Florida, and Puerto Rico.



That's about when Joliet called. Four hurried flights and two interviews later we found out we were moving to Illinois. I began packing immediately. It probably wasn't the best idea, because our apartment then was barely 500 square feet, and the boxes soon overtook the place.

Miles liked it though.

Speaking of. Boy do I miss Fresh Direct.

We eventually got all those boxes packed up and we drove a stuffed Uhaul from Brooklyn, NY to Naperville, IL on June 12th. Miles was a hit with all of the toll road gate attendants.

And this year, we're happy in the Chicago suburbs and in the process of buying that illusive house that we could never imagine back then. Miles has a new little brother named Jinx. They are best friends.

Jinx

What a difference a year makes.

For our last night in NYC we had our favorite Peruvian Chicken from a place around the corner from our Brooklyn Apartment. Don't think fancy. Think hole-in-the-wall place that you probably shouldn't check for health violations, but beyond good. Too good. The best.

March 31 was the day that Marc got the job offer, so I thought I should commemorate it with my spin on our last meal in Brooklyn.

Peruvian Chicken

makes 1 5lb chicken

marinate 2+ hours

cook 1hour 45 minutes

1 whole chicken

1 cup orange juice

4 tbsp white vinegar

3 tbsp apple cider vinegar

3 tbsp coconut oil

 juice of one lime

2.5 tbsp garlic powder

2 tbsp paprika

1.5 tbsp cumin

2 tsp black pepper

1 tsp sea salt

Combine all ingredients to form a loose paste. Place chicken in a ziplock bag and pour mixture over chicken. Shake and cover the chicken. Let marinate breast down in refrigerator for at least two hours before cooking. The longer it marinates, the better it tastes. (up to 1 day)

Peruvian chicken is classically roasted on a rotisserie, but I don't have one. So I put the chicken on a raised roaster rack and baked it in a roaster. 

Preheat the oven to 350. Add to your pan or rotisserie. Drizzle with any remaining marinade. Cook for an hour an 45 minutes, or 20 minutes for each pound. 

Let stand for at least 10 minutes before cutting. When I cook roasts I like to cover it with foil and let it rest for 30 minutes before cutting into it. An hour for turkey. Dip in green chili sauce:

Green Chili Sauce

Green Chili Sauce

1 bunch cilantro

3 jalapenos

1 garlic clove

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 cup olive oil

3 tbsp mayonnaise

Remove stem & seeds form jalapenos. Blend all ingredients together in a food processor or blender and chill. Serve cold.


By the way- if you're ever in Dyker Heights, Brooklyn. That restaurant is Ruben's Peruvian Chicken. 
1533 70th Street  Brooklyn, NY 11228
(718) 331-8821
 It's on the corner of New Utrecht and 70th st. Right off the 71st Street D train stop.