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Peruvian Chicken with Green Sauce

Peruvian Chicken with Green Sauce

This Peruvian Chicken with Green Sauce is fresh, spicy, and so delicious, featuring marinated chicken thighs served with a flavorful cilantro aji verde sauce.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Marinate Time 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour 25 minutes
Course Main Course
Cuisine South American
Servings 4 people
Calories 485 kcal

Equipment

  • large plastic bag
  • high-powered blender or food processor
  • large skillet

Ingredients
  

For the Chicken

  • 2 cloves garlic grated
  • 2 tablespoons lime juice
  • 2 teaspoons ground paprika
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 0.25 cup olive oil divided
  • 2 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs *
  • 0.25 cup water

For the Green Sauce

  • 2 cups fresh cilantro
  • 1 clove garlic
  • 2 tablespoons lime juice
  • 1 teaspoon honey
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 0.5 cup Greek yogurt
  • 0.5 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1-2 tablespoons water as needed

Instructions
 

Marinate the Chicken

  • Add garlic, lime juice, paprika, oregano, salt, cumin, and 2 tablespoon of olive oil to a large plastic bag. Add the chicken.
  • Seal the bag and massage the marinade into the chicken. Marinate for 1 hour.

Make the Green Sauce

  • While the chicken marinates, make the green sauce. Add serrano pepper, cilantro, garlic, lime juice, honey, olive oil, Greek yogurt, and salt to a high-powered blender or food processor.
  • Blend until smooth. If needed, add a tablespoon or two of water to thin out the sauce.

Cook the Chicken

  • When the chicken has finished marinating, heat a large skillet to medium-high heat. Add remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil.
  • Using tongs, pull the chicken out of the marinade. Let excess marinade drip off. When the oil is hot, add the chicken to the skillet.
  • Sear the chicken on one side until browned, about 4-5 minutes. Flip over and continue searing on the other side until cooked through, about another 3-4 minutes. Remove chicken from the pan and set on a platter.

Serve

  • Reduce heat to low, and add the water to the empty skillet. Use a wooden spoon to scrape up all the bits at the bottom of the pan.
  • Pour deglazing liquid over the chicken.
  • Serve chicken with green sauce; and rice, beans, or potatoes if desired.

Notes

I use boneless skinless chicken thighs for this recipe. You can use skin-on chicken thighs, but they will release more fat. Drain most of the fat before you add the water and scrape up all the brown bits from the bottom of the pan. If using bone-in thighs, increase the cook time. Use as much or as little water as needed to reach your desired consistency.

Nutrition

Serving: 1pieceCalories: 485kcalCarbohydrates: 5gProtein: 47gFat: 30gSaturated Fat: 5gCholesterol: 217mgSodium: 1090mgPotassium: 668mgFiber: 1gSugar: 3gVitamin A: 1175IUVitamin C: 7mgCalcium: 67mgIron: 3mg
Keyword Aji Verde Sauce, chicken thighs, Green Sauce, Marinated Chicken, Peruvian Chicken, spicy chicken
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