Peruvian Chicken with Spicy Peruvian Green Sauce
A simple recipe for Peruvian Chicken with spicy Peruvian Green Sauce is bursting with flavor and can be made with either chicken or portobellos ( a tasty vegetarian option) or both for mixed households. Served with Spicy Cilantro Sauce, Avocado Cucumber & Tomato Salad and optional rice, these can be made into individual Bowls, or served separately.
- Prep Time: 20
- Cook Time: 20
- Total Time: 40 minutes
- Yield: 4-6 1x
- Category: Main
- Method: Adaptable
- Cuisine: South American
Ingredients
- 1 ½ –2 pounds chicken ( thigh or breast, boneless, skinless- see notes) Or substitute portobellos.
Marinade
- 4 garlic cloves- finely minced
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 tablespoons lime juice
- 2 teaspoons honey, agave or sugar
- 1 tablespoon cumin
- 2 teaspoons paprika or smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon coriander
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano ( or 1 tablespoon fresh) or sub thyme or marjoram
- 1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon soy sauce ( optional)
Cilantro Sauce
- ½ cup sour cream ( or sub mayo or vegan mayo)
- ½ jalapeño (use less for less spicy)
- 1 garlic clove
- 1 cup chopped cilantro- thin stems ok.
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- squeeze of lime ( 1 tablespoon, save other half for salad)
Avocado Cucumber Tomato Salad
- 2 cups diced or sliced english or turkish cucumber
- 1 large perfectly ripe avocado, diced
- handful cherry tomatoes ( yellow and red are nice )
- cilantro leaves for garnishing
- olive oil for drizzling
- generous, 5 finger pinch kosher salt
- squeeze of lime
Optional Bowl Additions- cooked rice or beans…. or both.
Instructions
Preheat grill to medium high.
If making rice, start this now on the stove.
Make the marinade in a small bowl. Using a garlic press, finely mince the garlic and place it the bowl. Add oil, lime juice, cumin, paprika, coriander, oregano and salt and optional soy sauce. Stir. Toss it with the chicken in bowl, coating all sides well, and/ or brush it onto the portobellos.
Make the Cilantro sauce by placing all the ingredients in a blender and blending until relatively smooth, scraping down the sides if necessary.
When the grill is hot, grill the chicken and/ or portobellos, searing both sides well ( using a metal spatula to flip) then turn heat down or move to a cooler side of the grill to allow chicken to cook through. Portobellos will cook faster, so plate and cover with foil to keep warm.
Make the salad by placing the diced cucumber in a wide shallow bowl. Add avocado, spacing it out evenly. Add a few cherry tomato halves. Sprinkle generously with salt and pepper and drizzle lightly with olive oil. Squeeze with lime juice. Garnish with cilantro leaves.
Serve with the rice. If making bowls, place ¾ cup rice on the bottom of the bowl, add sliced chicken or portobellos to one side, avocado salad on the other side and drizzle with the cilantro sauce. Enjoy!
Notes
Feel free to use bone in, skin-on chicken, although cooking time will increase on the grill. Instead of grilling you can also roast in the oven at 400F, or pan-sear, then finish in the oven. Traditionally, in Peru, a whole chicken is marinated then roasted in the oven, but to save time here, I used boneless, skinless thighs, and breast would work just as well.
Keywords: Peruvian Chicken, Peruvian Chicken Recipe, Grilled peruvian chicken, Peruvian Green Sauce, peruvian green sauce recipe