Put a South-American twist on your usual chicken dinner with this classic Peruvian Chicken Breast with Green Sauce, altered a bit to lighten it up. You’ll be blown away by the flavorful marinade and sauce!
Lately, I’ve been trying to experiment with recipes outside of my comfort zone. I tend to gravitate to Italian or Asian dishes, and good ol’ American classics are always on rotation.
But the other day, I was watching an old cooking show on public access television (honestly, my favorite shows ever). One of the chefs was making a whole chicken and green sauce that is apparently hugely popular in Peru. It looked SO GOOD.
Even though whole roasted chickens are delicious and easily workable on the WW program, I am just a sucker for chicken breast. It’s easy to impart flavor, quick to cook, and you don’t have to deal with bones. Some people get sick of chicken breast, but I see it as a blank canvas for so many flavor possibilities. So Peruvian Chicken Breast with Green Sauce was born!
I lightened up the classic marinade for this dish just a bit and used those chicken breasts to cut back on some prep/cooking time and calories. The result was incredibly juicy and complexly flavored. A total win!
Green Sauce For the WIn!
Now, let’s talk about that green sauce. Oh. My. Goodness. As much as I loved the chicken, I really think that sauce is the star. It’s the perfect combo of spicy, tangy, and creamy. And if you are a wimp when it comes to spice, I added an alternative to the jalapenos in the recipe.
This sauce is so good that I ended up using it in so many different ways: marinade, sandwich spread, or, my favorite–salad dressing.
I hope you love this recipe as much as we do! If you make it, be sure to tag me on Instagram or Facebook (@litecravings) and use the hashtag #litecravingsrecipes. I sometimes miss a tag here or there, but I always check in on the hashtag.
Peruvian-Style Chicken with Green Sauce
Ingredients
FOR THE CHICKEN
- 1 1/2 lb boneless, skinless chicken breast (about 6 small breasts, or 3 large ones cut in half length-wise)
- 3 garlic cloves, chopped
- 2 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 tablespoon paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 cup lime juice (from about 2 large limes)
FOR THE GREEN SAUCE
- 1 cup packed cilantro leaves
- 2 medium jalapenos, seeds removed and coarsely chopped*
- 2 garlic cloves
- 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
- 3 tablespoons fresh lime juice (from about 2 limes)
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 cup light mayonnaise
- 3/4 cup nonfat, plain greek yogurt
- water, as needed, to thin out the sauce
Instructions
- Add chicken and marinade ingredients to a large bowl. Coat all chicken pieces in marinade, cover, and let sit in refrigerator for at least 2 hours, but preferably over night.
- When ready to cook, remove chicken from marinade and grill over medium-high heat until internal temperature reaches 165 degrees. This takes about 5-6 minutes a side. You could also cook the chicken in a skillet over the same heat.
- While chicken cooks, place all sauce ingredients in a blender or food processor and blend until smooth. Add a tablespoon of water at a time to thin the sauce out, if needed.
- Serve chicken and sauce together however you like. I Have served the two together alongside some rice and grilled veggies. You could also serve it with some tortillas and veggies. Or–possibly my favorite way to eat this–chop up the chicken, serve it over your lettuce of choice, and top with the green sauce as a dressing. The possibilities are endless!
Notes
Nutrition
If you’re a fan of this recipe, you should try:
ASIAN CHICKEN SALAD WITH PEANUT DRESSING
This was such a yummy summer recipe! Perfect level of spiciness and very easy to throw together for a weeknight grill. Thanks!
Thank you, Hayley! I’m so glad you loved it 🙂