Peruvian Chicken with Green Sauce
Winner, Winner, Chicken Dinner! This savory, smoky, totally delicious chicken is a new staple in KilKenney Kitchen. Add the bright green sauce with a kick and you'll be surprise how fast it disappears.
Servings 4 people
Ingredients
The Peruvian Chicken
- 1 cut up roasting chicken or your favorite chicken pieces
- 1 large lemon
- 1 tablespoon ground cumin
- 1 tablespoon ground paprika
- 2 cloves garlic crushed
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
The Green Sauce
- 1 bunch fresh cilantro
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- large jalapeno seeded and chopped
- 4 cloves garlic chopped
- 2 tablespoons mayonaise
- 1/4 cup Greek yogurt
- 2 large limes
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
Instructions
Make the Chicken
- Zest the lemon and combine the zest, lemon juice, olive oil, cumin, garlic, paprika, salt and pepper in a small jar
- Give the jar a good shake - isn't it pretty?
- Place the chicken pieces in a large bowl and add the sauce
- Massage the sauce into the chicken, being sure all sides are coated. Cover and set aside for 30-60 minutes, or refrigerate overnight
- Grill the chicken until the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees and it has a lovely crispy skin. If you don't want to grill it, you can roast it at 375 degrees for 40-50 minutes
Make the Green Sauce
- Wash and drain the cilantro then chop off the tough stems
- Combine the cilantro, garlic, jalapeño, mayonaise, Greek yogurt, juice of the limes, salt and pepper in a blender or Vitamix
- Blend it like crazy until the sauce is smooth and beautifully green. Taste and adjust the seasonings
- Store it in a jar or bowl and place in the refrigerator. It will thicken slightly as it chills.
- Serve the chicken with leafy greens and a side of green sauce and enjoy! I use the green sauce as a salad dressing too, but feel free to dress with greens with your favorite vinaigrette.
Notes
This recipe is adapted from a Melissa Clark NY Times recipe