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Herby, garlicky, spice-rubbed Peruvian-inspired chicken is roasted until golden and paired with a vibrant, creamy green sauce. An easy, crowd-pleasing dinner that’s ideal for weeknights or casual entertaining.
January can sometimes feel like a quiet, colorless month. We’re deep in winter, the days are short, and sunshine feels limited. But I actually love this time of year because it’s when I shift from cozy holiday recipes to dishes that are still comforting — just a little more vibrant and nourishing.
Right now, I’m feeling so inspired to cook with fresh herbs, colorful fruits and vegetables, and lots of warming spices. That midwinter shift always sparks new creativity and feels refreshing in the best way.
Last week, I created this herby, garlicky, Peruvian-inspired chicken after my brother mentioned the idea of a chicken bowl with a creamy green sauce. I immediately loved the sound of it.
I tossed mixed chicken pieces with garlic, herbs, and spices, then roasted them until tender and juicy. While the chicken cooked, I whipped up the sauce, cooked a pot of rice, and chopped fresh mango and avocado.
Everything came together quickly, and the end result was colorful, cozy, and deeply flavorful. It’s satisfying, great for meal prep, and somehow even better the next day.
These are the details
Ingredients – for the chicken
- chicken thighs or breast – I use boneless
- olive oil or melted butter
- garlic cloves
- jalapeño
- ground cumin
- smoked paprika
- salt and pepper
- cilantro and parsley
- mango, chopped
- avocado, chopped
Ingredients – for the creamy green sauce
- mayo
- plain Greek yogurt
- fresh cilantro
- fresh parsley
- jalapeños
- garlic cloves
- lime juice
- toasted sesame oil
What you need in the kitchen
I use a casserole dish to bake the chicken. You’ll also need a blender or food processor to make the creamy sauce. Aside from that, a cutting board, knife, and some utensils are all you need!
The Steps
Step 1: Prepare the chicken
In a baking dish, toss together the chicken pieces. I like to use a mix of chicken thighs and chicken breasts. Add olive oil, garlic, cumin, smoked paprika, and a chopped jalapeño. Finish with equal amounts of chopped cilantro and parsley.
If cilantro isn’t your thing, use parsley only, or swap in parsley and basil instead.
Step 2: Bake the chicken
Bake the chicken for about 25 minutes. I use a casserole-style baking dish so the chicken can cook gently in the oil without drying out.
Once the chicken is tender and lightly crisping around the edges, remove it from the oven.
Step 3: Make the sauce
Add all of the sauce ingredients to a blender and blend until smooth and creamy. I use a mix of yogurt and mayo along with cilantro, lime juice, and sea salt.
Step 4: Serve
Serve the chicken and sauce over rice. Top with mango and avocado, or use fresh pineapple instead. Both fruits are common in Peruvian cooking and pair beautifully with the fresh, spicy flavors.
Altogether, this takes less than an hour — closer to 40 minutes, depending on your pace.
We’ve made this a few times over the past week, and we all agree the sauce is what really makes the bowl. So good!
Looking for other busy weeknight recipes? Try these!
One Skillet Saucy Chicken Tortilla Enchilada Rice Bake
Crockpot Crispy Chicken Tinga Tacos with Avocado Jalapeño Crema
Sheet Pan Honey Mustard Salmon with Caesar Roasted Potatoes
One Skillet Cheesy Green Chile Chicken
Lastly, if you make this Peruvian Chicken with Creamy Green Sauce, be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Above all, I love hearing from you guys and always do my best to respond to every comment. And, of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!
Peruvian Chicken with Creamy Green Sauce
Ingredients
- 6-8 chicken thighs or breasts
- 1/3 cup olive oil or melted butter
- 6 cloves garlic
- 1 jalapeño, seeded if desired and chopped
- 1 tablespoon ground cumin
- 1 tablespoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon each salt and pepper
- 1/4 cup chopped cilantro and/or parsley
- 1 mango, chopped
- 1 avocado, chopped
Creamy Green Herb Sauce
- 1/2 cup mayo
- 1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt
- 1/2 cup fresh cilantro
- 1/4 cup fresh parsley
- 2 jalapeños, seeded if desired
- 2 cloves garlic
- 3 tablespoons fresh lime juice
- 2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil
Instructions
- 1. Preheat oven to 425°F.2. In a casserole dish, toss together the chicken, olive oil or butter, garlic, jalapeño, smoked paprika, cumin, cilantro, and parsley - season with salt and pepper. If time allows, marinate 1 hour or overnight in the fridge. 3. Bake for 25-30 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through and begins to crisp. 4. To make the sauce, combine all ingredients in a food processor or blender. Season to taste with salt.5. Serve the chicken over bowls of rice with creamy sauce, mango, and avocado chunks. Enjoy!
Nutrition
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Did you make this recipe? Please rate & comment below.
Made this tonight for dinner and it was incredible! Thank you for this win of a recipe!
Hey Dean,
Happy Monday! Big thanks for making this recipe and sharing back. So glad it hit the spot!
Love the thought of marinating overnight! Could you make the sauce ahead (night before) too?
Hey there,
Totally, that would work nicely for you! I hope you love this dish! have a great week:)
DELICIOUS! So simple and my whole family loved it. Definitely recommend trying it
Hey Carmel,
Happy Sunday! Thanks a bunch for making this recipe and taking the time to comment. So glad it was a winner!
This was delicious and so easy. Followed the recipe as written, marinated overnight, everyone loved it – will definitely make this again soon. I took the jalapeño seeds out because I’m the only one who likes spicy food
Hey Holly! Thank you for trying out the recipe! So glad to hear it was a hit with everyone! Have a great weekend 🙂 xT
This is great. Love that I can marinate the night before. We’ve made it twice already!
Thanks so much, Amanda! Love to hear this recipe was enjoyed, I appreciate you making it!
This was delicious! The sauce was so fresh, it paired very well with the zesty chicken. I enjoyed the slight kick from the spice added to the marinade. We serve the chicken with rice as suggested, but we also made a cabbage slaw that was phenomenal with the sauce. This recipe will be a new family favorite we will make on repeat.
Thanks so much, Victoria! Love to hear this recipe was enjoyed, I appreciate you making it!
Made this tonight and it was a big hit! Thank you so much!
Hey there,
Happy Monday! Thrilled to hear this recipe was a hit, thanks for making it and your comment!
Making this for the second time today. I had to double the recipe as last time everyone was looking for more!
Thanks so much, Vicky! Love to hear you have been enjoying this recipe! Happy Monday!
Hi there- love this recipe. Very tasty! Can the sauce be frozen?
Hey Kris,
Fantastic! I appreciate you making this recipe and your comment, so glad it was a hit! Yes, you can freeze the sauce.
Happy Friday!
Love your site, books and recipes. Questioning the volume of mint shown in every picture of the Peruvian chicken w green sauce but not the recipe. Do you use mint in this other than a garnish? Always looking to use mint.
Thanks so much, Marc! I just used the mint for garnish in this dish:) You could totally add some to the green sauce if you wanted.
I hope you love this recipe!
Made it today and it’s really goood. My daughter and I enjoyed the ease of the whole recipe and the marinade was amazing. Plan to make this my standard marinade going forward. Too good.
Hey Viraja,
Wonderful! Big thanks for making this recipe and sharing back. So glad it hit the spot!
This is one of my favorites and I have made a lot from your site! Everything was on point. Thank you so much!
Hey Erica,
Awesome! Love to hear you enjoyed this recipe, thanks so much for making it and your comment!
Hi! Do you use thin chicken breasts or regular?
Thanks
Hey Marcela,
I used regular chicken breasts for this dish. Please let me know if you have any other questions!
This was easy to make and delicious. The sauce is amazing.
Hi Aimee,
Happy Sunday!! Thanks a bunch for making this recipe and your comment, I’m so glad to hear it was a winner!
Really delicious and extremely straightforward to make. This one will become an immediate staple in our house.
Hey Jessica,
Fantastic! So glad to hear you enjoyed this dish, I appreciate you making it!
Do you throw the cloves in whole or mince them?
Hi Erica,
I added them whole:) Please let me know if you have any other questions!