Peruvian Chicken Breast with Green Sauce | Lite Cravings | WW Recipes (2024)

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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!

Peruvian Chicken Breast with Green Sauce | Lite Cravings | WW Recipes (1)

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!

Peruvian Chicken Breast with Green Sauce | Lite Cravings | WW Recipes (2)

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.

Peruvian Chicken Breast with Green Sauce | Lite Cravings | WW Recipes (3)

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 Chicken Breast with Green Sauce | Lite Cravings | WW Recipes (4)

Print Recipe

5 from 8 votes

Peruvian-Style Chicken with Green Sauce

Put a South-American twist on your usual chicken dinner with this classic Peruvian dish, altered a bit so I could lighten it up. You'll be blown away by the flavorful marinade and sauce!

Prep Time1 day d

Cook Time30 minutes mins

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: South American

Servings: 6

Calories: 220kcal

Author: Geri

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

Click hereto determine your WW PersonalPoints for this recipe (if you are logged in to your WW app, it should calculate for you automatically). Calculated using 1/6 of the chicken and 1/6 of sauce.

WW Green SmartPoints: 3 for 1/4 of the chicken if you want to count the oil in the marinade. 2 tbsp of sauce is 1 SP, or 1/4 cup of sauce is 2 SP.

WW Blue SmartPoints: 1 SP for 1/4 of the chicken if you want to count the oil in the marinade. 2 tbsp of sauce is 1 SP, or 1/4 cup of sauce is 2 SP.

WW Purple SmartPoints: 1 SP for 1/4 of the chicken if you want to count the oil in the marinade. 2 tbsp of sauce is 1 SP, or 1/4 cup of sauce is 2 SP.

* If you’re worried about the spice level, use one green bell pepper instead. You could also sub in a Poblano or Anaheim chili for a milder spice level.

Nutrition

Calories: 220kcal | Carbohydrates: 4g | Protein: 28g | Fat: 10g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g

If you’re a fan of this recipe, you should try:

ASIAN CHICKEN SALAD WITH PEANUT DRESSING

Peruvian Chicken Breast with Green Sauce | Lite Cravings | WW Recipes (5)
Peruvian Chicken Breast with Green Sauce | Lite Cravings | WW Recipes (2024)

FAQs

What is Peruvian chicken made of? ›

The basics are simple: Butterflied chicken with a vinegar and spice rub gets slow-cooked on the grill, then quickly cooked directly over the coals to crisp the skin. It comes out tender and juicy, and goes perfectly with a simple spicy and creamy sauce made with jalapeños and ají amarillo peppers.

How to infuse flavor into chicken breast? ›

  1. Make a dry brine. 1 tbsp salt for every 5 lbs, fresh herbs such as thyme, tarragon, oregano etc. Pulse herbs and add to salt. ...
  2. 1 hr before cooking bring to room temp. Pulse together unsalted butter, fresh herbs. Rub all on top, under skin and inside.
  3. Lastly.. stuff chicken cavity with onions, oranges or lemons.
Oct 28, 2021

How to add taste to chicken breast? ›

Medjool dates and fresh herbs:

Then roughly chop a handful of pitted Medjool dates, pistachio nuts, and fresh herbs such as parsley and sage. Mix together with breadcrumbs and the cooked onion and stuff into your chicken breast before baking. You can also swap the dates for a different dried fruit, like cranberries.

Why is Peruvian chicken so good? ›

What makes Peruvian-style rotisserie chicken so uncommonly delicious? It's the spice rub. Not only does it taste amazing, the thick wet rub also creates a sensational crust that seals in juices. The result is a bird that's incredibly juicy with a super-flavorful crispy crust.

Is Peruvian chicken unhealthy? ›

A full serving of Peruvian chicken also contains significant amounts of zinc- which helps boost the immune system. Another important nutrient in Peruvian chicken is selenium. The body needs it to support the immune system and reduce inflammation. It acts as an antioxidant and neutralizes the freeradicals.

What is the secret to moist chicken breast? ›

Brines and marinades help tenderize the meat by bringing more moisture in the protein. With that extra moisture, you lose less when you cook. The simplest way to do this is with a dry brine — unwrap the chicken breasts, salt them on both sides and let them sit in the fridge for at least an hour.

How do restaurants make chicken breast so soft? ›

Restaurants use marinades made from a combination of acidic ingredients (such as vinegar, citrus juice, or yogurt) and flavorful herbs and spices. The acid in the marinade helps to break down the proteins in the chicken, making it more tender.

How to cook chicken breasts so they are moist and tender? ›

  1. Flatten the chicken breasts. ...
  2. Heat the pan. ...
  3. Cook the chicken breasts over medium heat for 1 minute without moving. ...
  4. Flip the chicken breasts. ...
  5. Turn the heat down to low. ...
  6. Cover the pan and cook on low for 10 minutes. ...
  7. Turn off the heat and let sit for an additional 10 minutes. ...
  8. Remove lid and take temperature.

How to make chicken taste like beef? ›

Seriously, boil beef stock cubes with BBQ spice in water, place breasts in a sieve that just touches the broth, cover with the pot's lid and steam until just cooked, rotating the pieces every so often. Then blanch them a couple of times.

Can I ground my own chicken breast? ›

How to Make Ground Chicken at Home. Assuming you have a good food processor, it really is as simple as pulsing it up. First, I trimmed the fat off my chicken. One time I didn't do this first, and the fat just got wrapped around and caught up in the middle of my food processor.

What spices go well with chicken? ›

5 best spice and herbs blends for chicken and meat
  • Paprika and garlic powder. Paprika is a great spice that makes any chicken dish stand out, it comes in many forms sweet, hot, regular and smoky. ...
  • Basil and rosemary. ...
  • Ginger and lemongrass. ...
  • Turmeric and chili. ...
  • Coriander and cumin.

What enhances chicken flavor? ›

Soaking the chicken in a salt and water solution can help to add moisture and flavor to the meat. Marinate the chicken breast before cooking. Using an acidic marinade, such as lemon juice or vinegar, can help to tenderize the meat and add flavor.

What brings out the Flavour in chicken? ›

The reaction of cysteine and sugar can lead to characteristic meat flavour specially for chicken and pork. Volatile compounds including 2-methyl-3-furanthiol, 2-furfurylthiol, methionol, 2,4,5-trimethyl-thiazole, nonanol, 2-trans-nonenal, and other compounds have been identified as important for the flavour of chicken.

What seasoning is in Peruvian food? ›

Ingredients
  • 2 teaspoons ground aji peppers* or cayenne or chiles de árbol for similar heat; Aleppo for fruitiness (but less heat)
  • 2 teaspoons ground cumin.
  • 2 teaspoons ground annatto.
  • 1 teaspoons ground oregano*
  • 2 teaspoons ground dehydrated garlic.
  • 1 teaspoon smoked paprika.
  • 1 teaspoon black pepper freshly ground.

What does Peruvian seasoning taste like? ›

McCormick® Culinary Peruvian Seasoning blends the warm spiciness of cumin, paprika and chili pepper with a flavorful punch of garlic and subtle lime finish for balanced heat and noticeable aromatic quality.

Where is Peruvian chicken from? ›

The dish was developed by Roger Schuler, a Swiss resident of Chaclacayo, Lima, in 1950. Schuler was a Swiss national who found it difficult to return to his home country during World War II, and after migrating around several locations in Chile and Peru, settled in Lima, working in hotels and restaurants.

What kind of meat do they eat in Peru? ›

The four traditional staples of Peruvian cuisine are corn, potatoes and other tubers, Amaranthaceae (quinoa, kañiwa and kiwicha), and legumes (beans and lupins). Staples brought by the Spanish include rice, wheat and meats (beef, pork and chicken).

References

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