Foodies
Like many of you, we like to add a little spark to our food once in a while. Well, this dish will add not only the spark but the umami we crave.
I have never made this dish before but I recently met a man from Peru and during our chat, he told me about his traditional ‘Peruvian Chicken’ dish, giving me an insight into the flavour and explaining that it would be something I would find unique. He wasn’t wrong!
Peruvian Chicken is succulent, juicy, flavorful, and extremely easy to make! Basically, it’s marinated, then barbecued, and is good enough to eat on its own, or with a side of Cilantro Jalapeño Sauce.
If you like fried chicken be sure to try this out, my wife gave it a 10 out of 10 and believe me that was a first.
Here is what you will need:
6 large chicken thighs.
2 cloves garlic peeled and chopped.
1/4 cup light soy sauce
3 teaspoons lime juice
1 ½ tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon dried oregano
Black pepper to taste.
(No salt is required due in part to the soy sauce)
The Super Cilantro Jalapeno Sauce
2 jalapeños roughly chopped.
2/3 cup fresh cilantro leaves chopped.
2 green onions, chopped.
2 cloves garlic peeled.
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup Greek yogurt
1 tablespoon lime juice
Pinch of freshly ground salt and cracked black pepper.
The all important How to:
Marinate the Chicken: Place the garlic, soy sauce, lime juice, olive oil, cumin, paprika, oregano, and black pepper in a large bowl, mix together thoroughly.
Wash the chicken thighs cleaning all the residual blood and fat away. Pat dry then place the chicken inside the bowl of marinade and stir until all the chicken is coated. Seal the top with saran wrap and place in the fridge for at least eight hours. The longer the better.
Making the Cilantro Jalapeño Sauce: Combine jalapeños, cilantro, green onions, garlic, mayonnaise, Greek yogurt, lime juice, salt, and black pepper in a blender. Blend until smooth.
Place inside a sealable container and refrigerate until required.
Preheat the barbecue to medium-high heat (around 350-degrees). Take the chicken out of the fridge discarding the saran wrap. Once the barbecue is at the desired temperature place each piece of chicken on to the grill.
Grill on medium-high for 5-6 minutes per side, closing the lid to retain heat. The chicken is cooked when internal temperature reaches 165°F.
To serve, we had salad and fried baby potatoes, but you can do whatever you want. Enjoy.
Ian Leatt is a trained chef from across the pond.
