Delicious Peruvian Chicken Recipe for Family Meal Bliss

This easy Peruvian chicken recipe delivers juicy, flavorful bites that your family will love. With a vibrant green sauce and fragrant yellow rice, it’s perfect for weeknight dinners or meal prepping. Bring a taste of Peru to your kitchen today!

Ingredients needed

Chicken and Marinade Ingredients

• 1.5-2 pounds chicken (thighs, breasts, or any preferred cut)
• 2-3 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tablespoons lime juice or white vinegar
• 2 tablespoons oil (of choice)
• 1 tablespoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Green Sauce Ingredients

• 1 cup fresh cilantro leaves
• 1/2 cup mayonnaise
• 1/4 cup sour cream
• 2 whole jalapeño chiles, roughly chopped
• 2 cloves garlic
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon or lime juice
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Peruvian Yellow Rice Ingredients

• 1 cup jasmine rice
• 1 tablespoon butter or oil
• 1/4 cup onion, diced
• 2-3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 teaspoon turmeric
• 1/4 teaspoon each of cumin, onion powder, salt, and pepper
• 2 cups chicken stock
• 1 cup frozen peas

How to make this recipe

Marinating the Chicken

Start by marinating the chicken. Combine all marinade ingredients in a bowl. Set aside 1/4 of the mixture. Coat the chicken with the remaining marinade and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or overnight for maximum flavor.

Cooking Methods: Grilling vs. Baking

Next, preheat your grill to medium-high or set your oven to 450ºF. If you choose to grill, cook the chicken for 5-7 minutes on each side, basting with reserved marinade halfway through. For baking, place the chicken on a foil-lined sheet pan and bake for 30 minutes.

Preparing the Peruvian Yellow Rice

Meanwhile, prepare the rice. Rinse the jasmine rice until the water runs clear. Soak for 10-15 minutes, then drain. Sauté onion and garlic in butter until soft. Add rice and seasonings, stirring for one minute. Pour in chicken stock, bring to a boil, cover, and reduce heat. Cook for 15 minutes, then stir in peas and let rest.

Making the Green Sauce

To make the green sauce, blend all ingredients until creamy. Adjust salt and pepper to taste, and set aside to allow the flavors to meld.

Serving Suggestions

Serve by placing a generous scoop of rice on each plate, topping with succulent chicken, and drizzling with the vibrant green sauce. This colorful presentation is sure to impress!

Helpful tips

Best Practices for Marinating

For optimal flavor, marinate the chicken for at least one hour. Overnight marination is ideal, but avoid exceeding that time to maintain texture.

Ensuring Even Cooking

Use chicken pieces of similar size for even cooking. Smaller pieces will cook faster, so check their doneness first.

Checking for Doneness

A digital thermometer should read at least 165ºF in the thickest part of the chicken for safe consumption. This ensures juicy, perfectly cooked chicken every time.

Variations

Alternative Chicken Cuts

Feel free to use whole chicken cut into pieces or skin-on chicken for a different texture and flavor.

Healthier Sauce Options

For a lighter sauce, substitute mayonnaise with Greek yogurt. This still offers creaminess while cutting calories.

Serving Alternatives

Consider serving with roasted potatoes instead of rice for a delicious twist on this classic dish.

Storage recommendations

Storing Leftover Chicken

Store leftover chicken separately from the rice and sauce in airtight containers in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.

Storing Peruvian Yellow Rice

The Peruvian yellow rice can also be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.

Storing Green Sauce

Green sauce stays fresh for up to 5 days in the refrigerator, making it perfect for leftovers or meal prep.

FAQs

Related Recipes to try

• Grilled Lemon Herb Chicken
• Spicy Garlic Chicken Thighs
• Honey Mustard Glazed Chicken

Conclusion

This Peruvian chicken dish brings a refreshing twist to your dinner table. For more inspiration, check out our Pinterest page for countless recipes and ideas that will excite your palate. Enjoy this flavorful journey and happy cooking!

Delicious Peruvian Chicken Recipe for Family Meal Bliss

A flavorful Peruvian chicken dish perfect for family meals, served with zesty green sauce and aromatic yellow rice.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 1 hour hr

Cook Time 30 minutes mins

Total Time 1 hour hr 30 minutes mins

Course Dinner

Cuisine Peruvian

Servings 4 people

Calories 600 kcal

Equipment

• grill
• oven
• mixing bowl
• foil-lined sheet pan
• pot for rice
• blender

Ingredients

  

• 1.5-2 pounds chicken (thighs, breasts, or any preferred cut)
• 2-3 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tablespoons lime juice or white vinegar
• 2 tablespoons oil (of choice)
• 1 tablespoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 cup fresh cilantro leaves
• 1/2 cup mayonnaise
• 1/4 cup sour cream
• 2 whole jalapeño chiles, roughly chopped
• 2 cloves garlic
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon or lime juice
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 cup jasmine rice
• 1 tablespoon butter or oil
• 1/4 cup onion, diced
• 2-3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon turmeric
• 1/4 teaspoon each of cumin, onion powder, salt, and pepper
• 2 cups chicken stock
• 1 cup frozen peas

Instructions

 

• Marinate the chicken by mixing all marinade ingredients, reserving 1/4 of the mixture, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
• Preheat the grill to medium-high or the oven to 450ºF and prepare the rice.
• Grill the chicken for 5-7 minutes on each side until it reaches 165ºF, brushing with reserved marinade.
• Bake the chicken on a foil-lined sheet pan for 30 minutes, brushing with reserved marinade halfway through.
• Rinse and soak the rice, then sauté onion and garlic in butter, add rice and seasonings, pour in chicken stock, and cook.
• Blend all green sauce ingredients until creamy, adjusting seasoning to taste.
• Serve rice topped with chicken and drizzled with green sauce.

Notes

For optimal flavor, marinate chicken for at least 1 hour, preferably overnight. Use chicken pieces of similar size for even cooking, and check smaller pieces for doneness first.

Keyword chicken recipe, family meal, grilled chicken, peruvian chicken