Description
Peruvian Chicken and Rice with Green Sauce is a vibrant, flavor-packed dish featuring juicy grilled chicken, golden turmeric rice, and a creamy, zesty green sauce. It’s easy to make, naturally gluten-free, and absolutely perfect for busy weeknights or entertaining guests.
Ingredients
Chicken & Marinade:
1.5–2 pounds chicken (thighs, breasts, or any 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
½ teaspoon black pepper
Green Sauce:
1 cup fresh cilantro leaves
½ cup mayonnaise
¼ cup sour cream
2 jalapeño chiles, roughly chopped
2 garlic cloves
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon lemon or lime juice
Salt and black pepper to taste
Peruvian Yellow Rice:
1 cup jasmine rice
1 tablespoon butter or oil
¼ cup onion, diced
2–3 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon turmeric
¼ teaspoon each: cumin, onion powder, salt, pepper
2 cups chicken stock
1 cup frozen peas
Instructions
Marinate Chicken: In a bowl, combine marinade ingredients. Reserve ¼ of the marinade, then toss the chicken in the remaining marinade. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or overnight.
Cook Chicken:
Grill: Preheat grill to medium-high. Grill chicken 5–7 minutes per side, brushing with reserved marinade halfway through, until internal temp reaches 165ºF.
Oven: Preheat oven to 450ºF. Bake chicken on a foil-lined sheet pan for 30 minutes, brushing with reserved marinade halfway through.
Make Rice: Rinse and soak rice for 10–15 mins. Sauté onion and garlic in butter until soft. Add rice and seasonings; cook 1 min. Add stock, bring to a boil, cover, and simmer 15 mins. Stir in peas, cover, and let rest 5–10 mins. Fluff before serving.
Make Green Sauce: Blend all sauce ingredients until smooth. Adjust salt and pepper to taste.
Serve: Plate the yellow rice, top with grilled chicken, and drizzle with green sauce. Garnish with fresh cilantro and enjoy!
Notes
For milder green sauce, remove seeds from jalapeños.
This dish is great for meal prep—store components separately for best freshness.
You can use Greek yogurt instead of mayo/sour cream for a lighter sauce.
- Prep Time: 15 mins
- Cook Time: 35 mins
- Category: Main course
- Method: Grilling or Baking
- Cuisine: Peruvian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 585 Kcal
- Sugar: 2 g
- Sodium: 720 mg
- Fat: 36 g
- Saturated Fat: 7 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 26 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 34 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 34 g
- Cholesterol: 135 mg