Peruvian Chicken with Creamy Green Sauce

• 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

Prepare the chicken

1. 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.
2. If cilantro isn’t your thing, use parsley only, or swap in parsley and basil instead.
3. Bake the chicken
4. 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.
5. Once the chicken is tender and lightly crisping around the edges, remove it from the oven.
6. Make the sauce
7. 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.
8. Serve
9. 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.
10. Altogether, this takes less than an hour — closer to 40 minutes, depending on your pace.
11. 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!
12. 25 Minute Chili Oil Egg Ramen
13. 1. Preheat oven to 425°F.
14. 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.
15. 3. Bake for 25-30 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through and begins to crisp.
16. 4. To make the sauce, combine all ingredients in a food processor or blender. Season to taste with salt.
17. 5. Serve the chicken over bowls of rice with creamy sauce, mango, and avocado chunks. Enjoy!