Juicy Peruvian inspired chicken thighs baked over flavorful tomato rice and served with a creamy aji verde and fresh cucumber-tomato salad. Marinate the chicken the night before for an even easier weeknight dinner.

Ingredients:

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For the Peruvian Chicken

•   4 Bone in Chicken Thighs
•   1 tbsp Avocado Oil
•   1 tbsp Fresh Lime Juice
•   1 tbsp Soy Sauce
•   4 Garlic Cloves (minced)
•   2 tsp Smoked Paprika
•   1 1/2 tsp Ground Cumin
•   1 tsp Dried Oregano
•   1 tsp Kosher Salt
•   1/2 tsp Ground Pepper

Rice

•   1 1/2 cup Uncooked Basmati Rice
•   2 Roma Tomatoes (diced)
•   1/2 Red Bell Pepper  (diced)
•   1/2 Medium Red Onion (diced)
•   3 Garlic Cloves (minced)
•   1 tbsp Avocado Oil
•   1 tsp Ground Cumin
•   1/2 tsp Smoked Paprika
•   1/2 tsp Dried Oregano
•   1/2 tsp Kosher Salt
•   2 cups Chicken Broth (hot)
•   1/2 cup Frozen Peas

Aji Verde

•   1/2 cup Sour Cream (or Plain Greek Yogurt)
•   1/4 cup Mayo
•   1 packed cup Fresh Cilantro
•   1 Jalapano (Roughly chopped)
•   1 Garlic Clove
•   2 tbsp Grated Parmesan
•   Juice of 1 Lime
•   1/2 tsp Kosher Salt
•   1-2 tbsp Olive Oil or Water (to taste)

Cucumber Tomato Salad

•   1 English Cucumber 
•   1 cup Cherry Tomatoes (halved)
•   1/2 Red Onion (thinly sliced)
•   1/2 cup Chopped Cilantro
•   2 tbsp Olive Oil
•   2 tbsp Apple Cider Vinegar
•   1 tbsp Fresh Lime Juice
•   1/2 tsp Kosher Salt
•   Black Pepper (to taste)

Ingredients are subject to availability at local stores. Unavailable items will be automatically substituted at best-effort.

Directions

1. Marinate the chicken. Combine the oil, lime juice, soy sauce, garlic, smoked paprika, cumin, oregano, salt and pepper. Toss with the chicken until well coated. Marinate for at least 30 minutes or overnight for easy weeknight prep.
2. Sear the chicken. Preheat the oven to 375°F. Heat a large oven-safe skillet or braiser over medium-high heat. Sear the chicken for 2–3 minutes per side, until browned but not cooked through. Transfer to a plate.
3. Build the tomato rice. Reduce the heat to medium and add the oil. Sauté the red onion and bell pepper for 2–3 minutes. Add the tomatoes and cook another 2–3 minutes to allow some of their moisture to cook off.
4. Add the garlic, cumin, smoked paprika, oregano and salt and cook for about 30 seconds. Stir in the rinsed basmati rice and toast for 1 minute.
5. Bake. Pour in the hot chicken broth and stir to evenly distribute the rice. Nestle the chicken thighs on top. Bring the liquid to a gentle simmer, cover tightly and bake for 30 minutes.
6. Uncover and add the peas, if using. Bake for another 5–10 minutes, or until the rice is tender and the chicken has reached at least 165°F. Remove from the oven and rest, covered loosely, for 10 minutes before fluffing the rice.
7. Make the aji verde. Blend the sour cream, mayonnaise, cilantro, jalapeño, garlic, Parmesan, lime juice and salt until smooth. Add a little olive oil or water until the sauce reaches your desired consistency.
8. Make the cucumber salad. Toss the cucumber, cherry tomatoes, red onion and cilantro with olive oil, apple cider vinegar, lime juice, salt and black pepper. Let sit for 10–15 minutes before serving.
9. Serve. Spoon the tomato rice onto each plate and top with the Peruvian chicken. Drizzle generously with aji verde and serve the cucumber-tomato salad alongside.

Whitney’s Tip: Marinate your chicken the night before and dinner comes together much faster the next day. And don’t skip that 10-minute rest after baking—the rice needs that time to finish absorbing the liquid and fluff up.