Peruvian Chicken Rice Green Sauce (Printable)
Tender chicken and fluffy rice paired with zesty herbaceous green sauce for a comforting weeknight meal.
# What You’ll Need:
→ Chicken and Rice Base
01 - 1 ½ lbs boneless, skinless chicken thighs or breasts
02 - 2 cups long-grain rice
03 - 1 medium onion, finely chopped
04 - 3 garlic cloves, minced
05 - 1 red bell pepper, diced
06 - 1 cup frozen green peas
07 - 1 cup fresh cilantro, loosely packed
08 - 2 cups chicken broth
09 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
10 - 1 teaspoon ground cumin
11 - ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
12 - Salt to taste
13 - Lime wedges for serving
→ Peruvian Green Sauce (Aji Verde)
14 - 1 cup fresh cilantro leaves
15 - 2 jalapeños, seeded and chopped
16 - 2 medium garlic cloves
17 - ½ cup mayonnaise
18 - ¼ cup sour cream
19 - ¼ cup cotija cheese or feta cheese, crumbled
20 - 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
21 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
22 - Salt and pepper to taste
# Steps:
01 - Combine cilantro leaves, jalapeños, garlic cloves, mayonnaise, sour cream, cotija cheese, lime juice, olive oil, salt, and pepper in a blender. Blend until completely smooth and creamy. Transfer to a container and refrigerate until ready to serve.
02 - Pat chicken pieces dry with paper towels. Season generously on both sides with salt, black pepper, and ground cumin, rubbing the spices into the meat.
03 - Heat olive oil in a large skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add seasoned chicken and sear for 3–4 minutes per side until deep golden brown. Remove chicken from pan and set aside on a plate.
04 - In the same pan, add chopped onion, minced garlic, and diced red bell pepper. Sauté, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are softened and fragrant, about 4 minutes.
05 - Add rice to the pan and stir constantly for 1–2 minutes to coat grains with the aromatic oils and lightly toast. Meanwhile, blend fresh cilantro with ½ cup chicken broth until smooth. Pour the green cilantro mixture over the rice and stir well to combine.
06 - Return seared chicken to the pot. Pour in remaining chicken broth and bring to a boil. Immediately reduce heat to low, cover tightly with a lid, and simmer for 20 minutes.
07 - Remove lid and scatter frozen green peas over the rice. Stir gently to distribute without breaking up the chicken. Cover again and cook for 5–7 more minutes until rice is tender, liquid is absorbed, and chicken reaches internal temperature of 165°F.
08 - Remove from heat and let stand covered for 5 minutes. Fluff rice gently with a fork, being careful not to shred the chicken. Serve hot with generous spoonfuls of chilled green sauce drizzled over the top and fresh lime wedges on the side.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- The rice absorbs all those incredible chicken juices while it cooks, making every single grain taste like it's been blessed by flavor magic
- That green sauce is basically liquid gold and you will want to put it on everything forever
02 -
- I learned the hard way that lifting the lid too early makes the rice gummy and sad, so trust the process and wait
- Blending the cilantro with broth before adding it prevents the rice from turning into an odd green mush
03 -
- Marinate the chicken in lime juice and cumin for an hour if you have time, it makes such a difference
- Let the pot rest covered for 5 minutes after cooking before fluffing, the rice comes out perfectly separate