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If you are looking to change up your chicken recipe you must try this Peruvian Chicken with green sauce. The chicken thighs are grilled to perfection, the marinade adds levels of flavor and the dipping sauce has bursts of savoriness and zest. It’s a fast and easy dinner option for those busy weeknights. Make the marinade the night before, grill and eat the next day.
Table of Contents
Step 1: The marinade
This chicken marinade has layers of intricate and authentic Peruvian flavors. Simple and easy to make, it transforms the taste of plain chicken to levels I’ve never had before. The longer you marinate the meat, the better the outcome. That is why I highly recommend you do this the night before. If you need it the same day, marinate the chicken for at least 1 hour.
To get started, add garlic, soy sauce, lime juice, oil, cumin, paprika, oregano, salt and black pepper in a food processor and blend them together. Place chicken thighs into a ziplock bag or glass container and pour the marinade all over them. Make sure to cover every inch. Place it in the fridge and for best results, let it marinate for 8 to 24 hours.
Recipe Tip
- I used bone-in chicken thighs for that extra flavor and tenderness from the bone. Also, leaving the skin on allows you to crisp it up on the grill adding great texture. Boneless thighs, breasts, or whole chicken will work just as well. Cook the cut you enjoy most.
Dad’s Seasonings
Must have grillin seasonings!
Step 2: Peruvian Green Sauce
This Peruvian green sauce is creamy, zesty, herby with a little bit of kick from the garlic and jalapenos. It’s the perfect compliment to the marinated chicken. Best of all, it’s super easy to make.
In a blender, add 2 sliced up jalapenos with seeds removed. Next add in green onion, olive oil, 2 garlic cloves, a hand full of cilantro, freshly squeezed lime juice, mayo and plain greek yogurt. Blend the ingredients together and season with salt and pepper to the preferred level of taste.
Set aside in the fridge while the chicken cooks on the grill.
Step 3: Grill the Peruvian chicken thighs
For the best grilled chicken thighs with the skin on, you will need to set your grill for dual zone cooking. This means you will need to have the ability to cook on the indirect side first and then move it over to the direct side for a nice sear at the end.
Preheat your grill to 375 degrees and place the marinated chicken thighs skin up on the indirect side. Cook for about 40 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 175 degrees. At this point the chicken thighs are fully cooked. Next, move them to the direct side and sear the chicken for 1-2 minutes per side just to get some color on the outside and crisp up the skin.
Remove the thighs off the grill and let them rest for 10 minutes. It’s very important to rest any protein after a cook. This process helps redistribute all those wonderful juices that will create a beautifully tender slice of meat. Enjoy the delicious Peruvian chicken in green sauce.
Grilled Chicken Thigh Tips
- Cook dark meat to 175 degrees internal temperature for the perfect texture and tender meat.
- Grill skin side up over indirect heat to avoid it from burning.
Frequently Asked Questions:
All my recipes can be replicated in the oven, stove top or gas grill. You do not need a big green egg or weber grill to replicate any of my recipes.
Yes, any chicken thigh recipe can be replaced with a breast. The breast is leaner than the thigh, therefore you need to remove the meat earlier at 160 degrees and let it rest. This will ensure a tender and juicy chicken breast.
Printer friendly recipe below:
Peruvian Chicken with green sauce
Ingredients
Chicken Marinade Ingredients
- 2 lbs Bone-in chicken thighs
- 1/2 cup Soy sauce
- 5 Cloves of garlic
- 1 lime
- 2 tbsp Olive oil
- 2 tbsp Cumin
- 1 tbsp Paprika
- 1/2 tbps Dried oregano
- Salt and pepper
Green Sauce Ingredients
- 2 Jalapenos
- 2 Green onions
- 2 Cloves of garlic
- 1 Lime
- 1 cup Fresh cilantro leaves
- 1/2 cup Mayonnaise
- 1/3 cup Plain greek yogurt
- 2 tbsp Olive oil
- Salt and pepper
Instructions
Chicken Marinade Instructions
- Add garlic, soy sauce, lime juice, oil, cumin, paprika, oregano, and black pepper in a food processor and blend them together.
- Place chicken thighs into a ziplock bag or glass container and pour the marinade all over them. Place it in the fridge and marinate for 8 to 24 hours.
Green Sauce Instructions
- In a blender, add sliced up 2 jalapenos with seeds removed. Next add in green onion, olive oil, garlic cloves, cilantro, freshly squeezed lime juice, mayo and plain greek yogurt. Blend the ingredients together and season with salt and pepper to the preferred level of taste.
Grill Chicken Thighs Instructions
- Preheat your grill to 375 degrees and place the marinated chicken thighs skin up on the indirect side. Cook for about 40 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 175 degrees.
- Next, move them to the direct side and sear both sides. 1-2 minutes per side just to get some color on the outside and crisp up the skin.
- Remove the thighs off the grill and let them rest for 10 minutes.
Nutrition
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My favorite way to cook chicken! Can’t get over the flavor, especially with the dipping sauce. I have just made the dipping sauce and froze in ice cube trays to add flavor to other meals. Great stuff!
What other meals do you add to? We’re obsessed with the sauce too!
This was a winter winner! Whole family loved it
This sounded so good but I was craving wings for my B-Day so I switched it up a bit. . I did the full 24 hr marinade. I cooked them on my pellet grill to just a nice crisp. They were fantastic as is. But beyond amazing with the green sauce. Friend and family were raving. Thanks this is a keeper. Will be doing it again soon with thighs, can’t wait.