This Peruvian Chicken Recipe is spiced with cumin and paprika and served with a crisp arugula-corn salad and a green sauce.

A plate filled with Peruvian chicken, a fresh salad, creamy avocado slices, and a vibrant green sauce, creating a healthy and delicious meal.
chelsea

author’s note

Restaurant Flavor With Weeknight Ease!

I have a favorite spot for Peruvian chicken. The first time I had it, I could not stop thinking about the char, the spices, and that dreamy green sauce. I wanted the same vibe at home without roasting a whole bird (pollo a la brasa), so I built this quick, Peruvian-inspired version around boneless chicken and a blender sauce.

I tested the spice blend a few times until the cumin and paprika hit just right. I kept the green sauce creamy with a kick. Then I tossed arugula with corn for a sweet crunch. I knew it was a keeper when I found myself making it again two nights in a row.

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Preparing a delicious marinade and adding the meat to soak in the flavorful mixture for a mouthwatering meal.

How To Make This Peruvian Chicken Recipe

  1. Chicken: Pound chicken to make sure it’s even thickness so it cooks evenly.
  2. Make Green Sauce: Make it ahead of time. Letting it sit brings out the flavors.
  3. Grill Chicken: Oil the grill to prevent sticking.
  4. Prep Salad: Add dressing just before serving to keep it crisp.
  5. Serve: Serve chicken with salad and green sauce.

Featured Comment

We have eaten this out at restaurants before but I never thought I would be able to replicate the flavor and boy was I wrong! This recipe knocks it out of the park. It’s so good, thank you!

– Jen
23 More Reviews

The Best Green Sauce

  • Jalapeños: Remove seeds and ribs for a milder sauce.
  • Cilantro: You can use stems as well as the leaves, they blend well and add flavor.
  • Garlic: Use fresh garlic for the best flavor.
  • Olive Oil: Look for a extra virgin olive oil.
  • Mayo: Regular or light mayo both work well.
  • Yellow Mustard: Don’t skip, it balances the sauce.
  • Lime Juice: Fresh-squeezed lime juice tastes best.
  • Sour Cream: Greek yogurt can be swapped in a pinch.

How To Make It

Blend all ingredients until smooth. Let it sit for 15–30 mins to really bring out the flavor before serving.

Blending together a mix of fresh ingredients in a blender to create a smooth and flavorful green sauce.

Peruvian Chicken Recipe Tips For Success

  • Pound the chicken so it cooks evenly and stays juicy.
  • Chill the sauce for at least 15 minutes. It thickens and blooms.
  • Dress the salad last so it stays crisp.
  • Let the chicken rest under foil before slicing to keep the juices in.
  • Salt to taste at the end. Lime and salt make the flavors pop.

Quick Tip

To keep grilled corn kernels from scattering, use a Bundt pan. Stand the cob in the center hole and slice downward—the kernels will collect in the pan!

A plate of vibrant arugula salad with colorful ingredients, served alongside the peruvian chicken recipe for a healthy and delicious meal.

Peruvian Side Dishes

  • Try serving this Peruvian Chicken recipe over rice instead of with the salad!
  • Add a hard-boiled egg (see my tutorial on this deviled egg recipe) to the dish.
  • Add a side of beans.
  • For a starchy side dish, try boiled potatoes tossed with butter and parsley (papitas al perejil).
  • Another starchy side option: fries!

Storage

Store leftover Peruvian chicken, salad, and sauce separately in airtight containers. Refrigerate for up to 3 days.

Reheat chicken before serving, and toss the salad fresh to keep it crisp.

More Delicious Chicken Meals:

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5 from 8 votes

Flavorful Peruvian Chicken Recipe

By Chelsea Lords
Peruvian Chicken pairs perfectly with a crisp arugula-corn salad and a tangy green sauce that’s downright addictive. Peruvian Chicken may look complex, but it’s simpler than it seems—many ingredients are used multiple times, but written out twice (or three times) for easier reading.
Prep Time: 25 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Marinating Time: 6 hours
Total Time: 6 hours 40 minutes
Servings: 4 servings

Equipment

Ingredients

Chicken marinade
  • 1.5 pounds chicken breasts 2 large, halved horizontally and pounded to even thickness
  • 1 tablespoon lime juice
  • 1 teaspoon honey
  • 1/2 teaspoon minced garlic
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
  • Salt and pepper
Salad
  • 2 ears fresh corn
  • 1 large red bell pepper
  • 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
  • 2 tablespoons lime juice
  • 2 teaspoons honey
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 3 to 4 ounces arugula
  • Cotija cheese optional
  • 1 large avocado optional, thinly sliced or chopped
Green Sauce
  • 2 to 3 large jalapeños coarsely chopped, see note 1
  • 1 cup cilantro lightly packed and coarsely chopped; some stems are fine
  • 1 teaspoon minced garlic
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1/2 cup mayo
  • 1/2 tablespoon yellow mustard
  • 1 tablespoon lime juice
  • 1/4 cup sour cream

Instructions 

  • In a small bowl, whisk together lime juice, honey, 1 clove of minced garlic, olive oil, smoked paprika, ground cumin, and dried oregano. Season to preference with salt and pepper; I add 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Halve chicken breasts horizontally. Using a meat mallet or the bottom of your frying pan, pound breasts to even thickness (not super flat, just even in thickness). Place prepared chicken in a large plastic bag and pour the marinade mix over. Seal the bag without air and knead to coat all the chicken in the marinade. Refrigerate for 30 minutes up to 6 hours. If possible, make the green sauce now too, so it has a chance to sit and flavors can intensify.
  • Preheat a grill or grill pan to medium-high heat (about 400°F.) Generously oil the grill (I drench a rolled-up paper towel in vegetable oil and, holding it with tongs, rub it over the grill grates. Don’t skip this step.) Grill pan: add 1 tablespoon oil to the pan. Place marinated chicken on the grill. Discard any leftover marinade. Grill 10–12 minutes, flipping once halfway through, or until chicken juices run clear and internal temperature is 165°F.
  • Salad: Grill the corn on the cob and red pepper (see note 2). In a mason jar, add red wine vinegar, lime juice, honey, olive oil, and salt/pepper to taste (I add 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/8 teaspoon pepper). Shake to combine. In a bowl, toss the arugula, corn cut off the grilled cob (slightly cooled), and chopped bell pepper. Add dressing right before serving (you may not use all the dressing, but I like a generous amount). Toss to combine and taste for seasoning.
  • Sauce: In a high-powered blender, add jalapenos, cilantro, garlic, olive oil, mayo, mustard, lime juice, and sour cream. Season to taste with salt and pepper (I add 1/2 teaspoon salt and a pinch of pepper). Blend until smooth. Taste and adjust to preference. Note: the heat increases as the sauce sits.
  • Serve grilled chicken alongside a generous helping of salad. Sprinkle cheese on top. Add sliced avocado if desired. Serve with a side of green sauce or drizzle it over everything.

Recipe Notes

Note 1: This is about 1 cup chopped jalapenos. Remove ribs and seeds before adding to the blender. Adjust amount to heat preference. The sauce’s heat intensifies as it sits.
Note 2: How to grill corn: Preheat a grill to medium-high heat, around 400°F. Once hot, clean the grill grates. Remove the husks and silk from the corn. Pour about 1 teaspoon vegetable oil on each corn cob and rub that oil into all sides. Very lightly sprinkle salt and pepper on all sides of the corn. (Remember, the cotija cheese is quite salty, so you don’t want to add too much salt.) Place corn directly on grill grates and close the lid. Cook about 3 minutes per side undisturbed. Using tongs, rotate and continue cooking, about 12 minutes total. When all sides are browned, remove from grill.
To grill pepper: Rub vegetable or olive oil over the pepper and sprinkle lightly with salt and pepper. Place on grill; rotate every 3–4 minutes for a total of 10 minutes or until charred to preference. Remove all veggies and let cool before chopping.
Storage: Store the chicken, salad, and sauce separately in airtight containers. Keep the chicken and sauce in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat the chicken before serving, and assemble the salad fresh to keep it crisp.

Nutrition

Calories: 417kcal | Carbohydrates: 10g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 42g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Cholesterol: 20mg | Sodium: 222mg | Potassium: 206mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin A: 2166IU | Vitamin C: 61mg | Calcium: 55mg | Iron: 1mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Like this? Leave a comment below!

 

Meet Chelsea

Hello, and welcome to Chelsea’s Messy Apron! I’m Chelsea, the recipe developer, food photographer, and writer behind the site. I’m passionate about creating simple, reliable, and delicious recipes that anyone can make.

Thanks for stopping by—I hope you find something delicious to make!

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5 from 8 votes

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23 Comments

  1. john says:

    5 stars
    Loved the recipe. Also really appreciate your website. The design is clean and the article has a good balance of photos to content. A lot of sites have terrible formatting and don’t explain the recipe well.

    Reply
    1. Chelsea Lords says:

      Thank you so much for your kind comment John! So glad you enjoyed this recipe! 🙂

      Reply
  2. amy says:

    Can I let this marinate overnight?

    Reply
    1. Chelsea Lords says:

      I wouldn’t recommend it; the acid in the lime will start to dry out the chicken

      Reply
  3. Martha Consolo says:

    Do you think this would pair well with your Mexican Street Corn Pasta Salad? I’m looking for a yummy dinner to impress my “foodie” friends. 🙂

    Reply
    1. Chelsea Lords says:

      I do think it would pair well with that! 🙂 This honey lime chicken might go better though; hope they love it! 🙂

      Reply
  4. Jennifer says:

    5 stars
    This recipe is amazing! I’ve been sharing it with everyone!!

    Reply
    1. Chelsea Lords says:

      Ahh thank you so so much! I’m so glad you enjoyed! 🙂

      Reply
  5. Erin says:

    5 stars
    Love all the great flavors in there, such a great way to spice up chicken!

    Reply
  6. Katerina says:

    mmm..this looks and sounds incredibly delicious!! I can’t wait to try it!

    Reply
    1. Chelsea Lords says:

      Hope you love it!

      Reply
  7. Emma says:

    5 stars
    The marinade is good, but the sauce puts it over the top!

    Reply
    1. Chelsea Lords says:

      Thanks so much!! The sauce really is amazing!!

      Reply
  8. Jen says:

    5 stars
    We have eaten this out at restaurants before but I never thought I would be able to replicate the flavor and boy was I wrong! This recipe knocks it out of the park. It’s so good, thank you!

    Reply
    1. Chelsea Lords says:

      I am sooo happy you enjoyed this!! Thanks so much for your comment! 🙂

      Reply
  9. Toni says:

    5 stars
    I loved how tasty it was! Can’t wait to make it again!!

    Reply
    1. Chelsea Lords says:

      Yay!! Sooo happy you loved it! 🙂

      Reply
  10. Jodi Paige Christou says:

    The recipe looks delicious but i am one of those who hate cilantro, and sub suggestions for the green sauce?

    Reply
    1. Chelsea Lords says:

      Thanks Jodi!! I haven’t personally tried it, but I bet flat leaf Italian parsley would work well in place of the cilantro. Hope you love this dish 🙂

      Reply