Peruvian Chicken Green Sauce (Printable Version)
# What You'll Need:
→ Chicken Marinade
01 -
1.75 pounds of chicken thighs or breasts, boneless is easier but bone-in's fine too
02 -
2 garlic cloves, minced up
03 -
2 tablespoons oil (grab whatever mild one you've got)
04 -
1 tablespoon ground cumin
05 -
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
06 -
1 teaspoon kosher salt
07 -
0.5 teaspoon freshly-ground black pepper
08 -
2 tablespoons lime juice or a splash of white vinegar—both work
→ Green Sauce
09 -
1 cup packed cilantro leaves
10 -
0.5 cup mayo
11 -
0.25 cup sour cream
12 -
2 garlic cloves
13 -
2 jalapeños, roughly chopped—doesn't have to be perfect
14 -
1 tablespoon lemon or lime juice (whichever's on hand)
15 -
1 tablespoon olive oil
16 -
Kosher salt, however much you like
17 -
Black pepper, freshly cracked, toss in as little or much as you want
→ Peruvian Yellow Rice
18 -
1 cup jasmine rice
19 -
1 tablespoon butter or oil—your call
20 -
0.25 cup onion, chopped up
21 -
2 garlic cloves, diced
22 -
1 teaspoon turmeric powder
23 -
0.25 teaspoon onion powder
24 -
0.25 teaspoon ground cumin
25 -
0.25 teaspoon kosher salt
26 -
0.25 teaspoon black pepper
27 -
2 cups chicken broth
28 -
1 cup frozen peas
# How to Make It:
01 -
Put your garlic, lime juice or vinegar, oil, cumin, paprika, salt, and pepper into a big bowl. Give everything a really good stir. Scoop out a bit and set it aside for basting. Drop in your chicken, flipping it over until it's coated all over. Pop it in the fridge for at least an hour, or let it rest overnight if you've got time, for extra flavor.
02 -
Crank your oven to 450°F (232°C) so it gets hot, or heat up your grill to medium-high if you're going that route.
03 -
Lift your chicken out of the marinade. Grill? Go about 5–7 minutes each side, brushing with your reserved marinade after you flip once. Oven? Lay chicken on foil-lined pan, bake for half an hour, brushing that saved marinade at the halfway point. It's ready when a meat thermometer says 165°F inside.
04 -
Rise that jasmine rice under cold water till it runs clear, then soak in fresh water for 10 minutes and drain. Heat up your pot and melt butter or pour some oil in. Toss the chopped onions and garlic in and cook till they smell good. Toss in the rice, turmeric, cumin, onion powder, salt, and pepper. Stir for about a minute. Pour in chicken broth, bring to a gentle boil, throw a lid on, drop heat low, and simmer for 15 minutes. Add frozen peas, cover back up, take off the heat and leave for 5–10 minutes. Fluff it up with a fork when you're ready to eat.
05 -
Dump your cilantro, mayo, sour cream, jalapeños, garlic, olive oil, and lemon or lime juice right into your blender. Blend about 30 seconds until it turns creamy and green. Sprinkle in salt and pepper, taste, and add more if you want.
06 -
Pile up the yellow rice on your plates first. Next, add the cooked chicken—on the side or on top, totally up to you. Finish with a heavy drizzle of green sauce, or just put the sauce on the table and let folks serve themselves.
# Additional Tips:
01 -
The flavor comes alive if you let your chicken sit in the marinade overnight.
02 -
If you can’t handle much spice, yank out the jalapeño seeds. Love it spicy? Add more peppers.
03 -
Fluff your rice with a fork at the end so it’s light and not sticky.