Peruvian Chicken Rice Green Sauce (Printable Version)
Marinated chicken, spiced yellow rice, and vibrant cilantro green sauce create a flavorful Peruvian meal.
# What You'll Need:
→ Marinated Chicken
01 -
800–900 g chicken thighs or breasts, boneless or bone-in, skin-on or skinless
02 -
2–3 garlic cloves, minced
03 -
30 ml lime juice or white vinegar
04 -
30 ml neutral oil
05 -
15 g ground cumin
06 -
5 g smoked paprika
07 -
5 g kosher salt
08 -
2.5 g freshly ground black pepper
→ Green Sauce
09 -
25 g fresh cilantro leaves
10 -
120 g mayonnaise
11 -
60 g sour cream
12 -
2 whole jalapeño chiles, roughly chopped
13 -
2 garlic cloves
14 -
15 ml olive oil
15 -
15 ml fresh lemon or lime juice
16 -
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
→ Peruvian Yellow Rice
17 -
200 g jasmine rice
18 -
15 ml butter or neutral oil
19 -
40 g onion, diced
20 -
2–3 garlic cloves, minced
21 -
5 g turmeric powder
22 -
1 g ground cumin
23 -
1 g onion powder
24 -
1 g salt
25 -
1 g black pepper
26 -
480 ml chicken stock
27 -
140 g frozen peas
# Steps to Follow:
01 -
In a medium bowl, combine garlic, lime juice or vinegar, neutral oil, ground cumin, smoked paprika, kosher salt, and freshly ground black pepper. Mix thoroughly.
02 -
Reserve one-fourth of the marinade in a separate dish. Add chicken pieces to the remaining marinade. Turn to coat evenly. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or up to overnight for enhanced flavor.
03 -
When ready to cook, preheat grill to medium-high or oven to 230°C. For grilling, cook chicken for 5–7 minutes per side, brushing with reserved marinade halfway through, until internal temperature reaches 74°C. For baking, arrange chicken on foil-lined baking tray and bake for 30 minutes, brushing with reserved marinade halfway, until fully cooked.
04 -
Rinse jasmine rice under cold water until clear. Soak rice for 10–15 minutes, then drain. In a saucepan, heat butter or oil over medium heat. Sauté diced onion and minced garlic until softened. Stir in rice, turmeric, cumin, onion powder, salt, and black pepper. Cook for 1 minute until aromatic. Add chicken stock, bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes. Stir in frozen peas, cover, and let rest off heat for 5–10 minutes. Fluff with fork before serving.
05 -
In a blender, combine cilantro leaves, mayonnaise, sour cream, jalapeño chiles, garlic, olive oil, and lemon or lime juice. Blend until smooth and creamy. Season with kosher salt and black pepper to taste.
06 -
Divide yellow rice among serving plates, arrange cooked chicken on top, and drizzle generously with green sauce.
# Additional Notes:
01 -
For optimal flavor, marinate the chicken overnight and prepare the green sauce in advance to let the flavors meld.
02 -
Jasmine rice delivers a fluffy, aromatic base; rinsing and soaking ensures non-sticky grains.
03 -
Personalize spice level by adjusting the number of jalapeños in the green sauce.