Description
Hearty Peruvian Chicken and Rice with Green Sauce brings zesty Latin American flavors to your dinner table. Bold cilantro-packed sauce and tender chicken create a delightful meal you’ll crave again and again.
Ingredients
Scale
Meat and Protein:
- 56 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
Grains and Base:
- 1 cup uncooked jasmine or basmati rice, washed
- 2 cups chicken broth
Seasonings and Additions:
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- ½ cup sun-dried tomatoes in oil, drained and chopped
- ¼ cup fresh basil, chopped (or about 10 leaves)
- ½ cup Parmesan cheese, shredded
Instructions
- Prepare the protein by generously seasoning chicken thighs with salt and pepper, ensuring even coverage.
- Warm a large skillet over medium heat and introduce olive oil, creating a sizzling surface for searing.
- Carefully place seasoned chicken thighs skin-side down, allowing each piece to develop a rich golden crust for approximately 4-5 minutes.
- Flip the chicken and continue cooking until both sides achieve a beautiful caramelized exterior.
- Infuse the pan with minced garlic, releasing its aromatic essence for about 30 seconds.
- Pour chicken broth into the skillet, creating a flavorful liquid environment for the meat.
- Cover the pan and reduce heat, allowing the chicken to gently simmer and tenderize for 12-15 minutes.
- Introduce washed rice directly into the braising liquid, ensuring even distribution.
- Lower the heat and cover, permitting the rice to absorb the savory broth for approximately 12 minutes.
- Once liquid is completely absorbed, remove from heat and let the rice rest, allowing residual steam to complete cooking.
- Carefully extract the chicken thighs from the pan.
- Fold sun-dried tomatoes, fresh basil, and Parmesan cheese into the rice, creating a vibrant and textured side dish.
- Nestle the chicken thighs back into the rice mixture.
- For an extra crispy skin finish, briefly sear the chicken thighs skin-side down in a dry nonstick pan for 3 minutes before serving.
Notes
- Chicken Skin Perfection: Pat chicken thighs completely dry with paper towels before searing to achieve maximum crispiness and golden-brown exterior.
- Low and Slow Rice Technique: Use long-grain white rice for best texture and ensure gentle simmering prevents burning or sticking at the bottom of the pan.
- Flavor Boost Hack: Bloom minced garlic briefly in olive oil before adding chicken to release deeper, richer
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Sautéing
- Cuisine: Peruvian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 56
- Calories: 500
- Sugar: 2 g
- Sodium: 600 mg
- Fat: 28 g
- Saturated Fat: 8 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 18 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 45 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 30 g
- Cholesterol: 120 mg