Peruvian Chicken
by Sommer Collier — on May 12, 2025 
This Peruvian Chicken recipe features juicy and tender thighs marinated in a citrusy, savory-sweet marinade. Make Peruvian chicken on the grill in as little as 10 minutes, and serve it with homemade green sauce (aji verde) for an easy dish with incredible flavor!
Sommer’s Recipe Notes
We are BIG fans of the smoky, vibrant flavors often found in South American recipes. Foods like Choripan Argentino (Argentinian chorizo sandwich), pork and black bean soup (Feijoada) and this creamy chimichurri sauce are regularly on the menu in our house, and readers can’t get enough either!
We already have a fabulous, authentic Peruvian green sauce (AKA aji verde sauce) recipe here on the site. Today, we’re showing you how to make the easy grilled chicken recipe to serve with it!
Why You’ll Love This Peruvian Chicken Recipe
- Prep Ahead Win – The marinade comes together in 5 minutes. Then you can marinate the thighs for just a couple of hours, or up to a whole 24 hours before cooking.
- Versatile Grill-ability – This simple, but exciting Peruvian Chicken can be cooked on the charcoal grill, gas grill, or on a grill pan on the stovetop.
- Amazing Flavor – The combination of fresh-squeezed lime juice, brown sugar, and a handful of smoky, savory spices is complex, yet familiar and utterly delicious.
And it couldn’t be easier to make… Whip up the marinade, marinate the chicken in the fridge, and grill for about 10 minutes. Prepare to meet your new favorite summer grilling dish!
Ingredients and Tips
- Chicken thighs – I prefer skinless and boneless chicken thighs. You can use bone-in thighs – you’ll just need to add about 10 extra minutes to the cooking time on each side.
- Olive oil – EVOO (extra-virgin olive oil) is the best oil for marinating chicken, in my opinion. However, feel free to use other oils for the marinade, like avocado or vegetable oil.
- Lime juice – Fresh-squeezed is best, but in a pinch, bottled lime juice will work.
- Brown sugar – Light brown sugar is flavorful without creating a taste that is too sweet. (Honey is a good substitute.)
- Garlic – No need to mince the cloves, just peel them before adding to the food processor.
- Spices – Salt, smoked paprika, ground cumin, dried oregano, and black pepper.
How to Make Peruvian Chicken with Green Sauce
Tip for Success – For ease, I’m making the marinade in a food processor. You can also use a blender, or finely mince the garlic and mix it in a bowl if you prefer.
Find the full Peruvian Chicken recipe with detailed instructions, storage tips, and a video tutorial in the printable form at the bottom of the post!
Storage Notes
- Storing Leftovers – Store cooled pieces of chicken in an airtight container and keep in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- Freezing – Peruvian chicken thighs are great to freeze! Wrap each piece of chicken individually in aluminum foil or plastic wrap, then place all of the pieces in a large freezer-safe ziploc bag. Store in the freezer for up to 3 months, and thaw the chicken in the fridge overnight.
- Reheating – Warm the leftovers in a microwave for 1-2 minutes at 50% power.
Serving Suggestions
Serve Peruvian-style chicken with plenty of green sauce (aji verde) on the side. I suggest giving everyone at the table a ramekin of the spicy cilantro sauce, so they can drizzle it onto the grilled thighs or use it for dipping!
Really make the smoky flavors pop and garnish the chicken with sliced jalapeños, chopped fresh cilantro leaves, slices of avocado, or lime wedges.
I love to make it a full meal with some fluffy rice. We have some fabulous recipes for you to try, like yellow rice (arroz amarillo), green rice (arroz verde), and cilantro rice (a copycat of Chipotle’s rice!). And the combination is bold and vibrant and can be served with all sorts of roasted or fresh vegetable dishes!
Frequently Asked Questions
This Peruvian chicken recipe includes a classic preparation in Peru where the chicken is marinated in oil, citrus, and spices, then grilled and served with a creamy green sauce, called Aji Verde. The chicken is zesty, savory, and lightly sweet, and the flavors are intensified by grilling the thighs. Delicious!
The star of the recipe is that bold marinade made with lots of seasonings, lime, and brown sugar. This gets deep into the meat, making the grilled chicken wonderfully flavorful, juicy, and tender. Delicious!
Yes, we are using boneless chicken thighs, but you can use whole bone-in chicken pieces, including thighs, wings, chicken breasts, and legs. When using bone-in chicken, be sure to increase the cooking time to 15-20 minutes per side.
Be sure to add these ingredients to your grocery list: Fresh cilantro, mint leaves, garlic, jalapeno, mayonnaise, cotija cheese, aji amarillo paste, limes, and salt.
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Peruvian Chicken Recipe with Green Sauce
Video
Ingredients
- 3 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs (or 5 lbs bone-in thighs)
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 3 tablespoons fresh lime juice
- 2 tablespoons water
- 1 tablespoon light brown sugar
- 7-8 cloves garlic
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- For the Marinade: Place the olive oil, lime juice, water, brown sugar, whole garlic cloves, salt, paprika, cumin, oregano, and black pepper in the food processor. Cover and purée until smooth.
- Set out a large baking dish. Place the chicken thighs in the dish. Pour the marinade over the top and use tongs to move the chicken pieces around until fully covered in marinade. Cover the top of the baking dish with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, but up to 24 hours.
- When ready to grill, preheat the grill to medium heat, approximately 350-400°F. Place the chicken thighs on the hot grill and cook for approximately 4 to 6 minutes per side.*
- Serve with creamy Aji Verde Sauce!
Notes
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- Storing Leftovers – Store cooled pieces of chicken in an airtight container and keep in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
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- Freezing – Peruvian chicken thighs are great to freeze! Wrap each piece of chicken individually in aluminum foil, then place all of the pieces in a large freezer-safe ziploc bag. Store in the freezer for up to 3 months, and thaw the chicken in the fridge overnight.
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- Reheating – Warm the leftovers in a microwave for 1-2 minutes at 50% power.
Amazing! I grilled the chicken and it turned out perfect – charred on the outside, tender on the inside. The green sauce is now a permanent fixture in my fridge!
Better than any Peruvian restaurant I’ve tried! Super easy to follow, and my whole family went back for seconds. The marinade is next-level!!
This recipe blew me away! The chicken was incredibly juicy and flavorful, and that green sauce? I could drink it. Will definitely be making this again!