Peruvian Grilled Game Hens or Chicken

Golden brown skin and terrific flavor with a hint of spice. I prefer to grill when I can, but roasting works well for this recipe. If you are fortunate enough to have Peruvian aji paste, then by all means use it instead of the Sriracha and chile powder. Anything Peruvian calls for a potato side - we love this with potato salad. Adapted from NYT Cooking.
Yield 4 servings
Ingredients

6 garlic cloves, finely minced
3 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon sriracha or other chile paste
2 tablespoons lime juice
1 teaspoon pasilla chile powder
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
2 24-ounce game hens, or 1 (3.5- to 4.5-pound) chicken, or 4 pounds bone-in, skin-on chicken parts
Olive oil, if oven roasting
1 lime, cut into sections


1 For the marinade: In a large bowl, whisk together garlic, soy sauce, Sriracha, lime juice, chile powder, mustard, pepper and salt.
2 Prepare the poultry: for game hens, split down the backbone and flatten. For a whole chicken, split in half. Place meat in large zipper bag, then add marinade, turning to coat well. Cover and refrigerate at least 1 hour and up to 12 hours.
3 Grill method: Remove from refrigerator while heating a grill. Remove from marinade and grill over medium heat, turning every 7 minutes or so, until done, about 25 minutes total (halves of whole chicken may take 5 minutes longer).
4 Oven method: Remove from refrigerator while oven preheats to 450°F. Remove from marinade and arrange skin-side up on a rimmed baking sheet and drizzle with oil. Roast until skin is golden and meat is cooked through, 30 to 40 minutes (game hens or parts will cook more quickly than chicken halves).
5 Arrange on platter and surround with lime wedges. Encourage diners to squeeze a bit of lime over the meat before eating.

notes
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