Aji amarillo peruvian chicken thighs

 

Original recipe:  https://www.seriouseats.com/peruvian-style-grilled-chicken-with-green-sauce-recipe

adapted to use chicken thighs 

Peruvian-Style Grilled Chicken Thighs with Green Sauce

Chicken

Ingredients

• 8 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs, about 3½ to 4 lb total
• 4 tsp Diamond Crystal kosher salt
  • or about 2½ tsp Morton kosher salt
• 2 Tbsp ground cumin
• 2 Tbsp paprika
• 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 3 medium garlic cloves, minced or grated
• 2 Tbsp white vinegar
• 2 Tbsp neutral oil or olive oil

Green Sauce

Ingredients

• 3 jalapeños, roughly chopped
  • remove seeds/ribs for milder sauce
• 1 cup fresh cilantro leaves and tender stems
• 2 medium garlic cloves
• ½ cup mayonnaise
• ¼ cup sour cream
• 1 Tbsp ají amarillo paste, optional but great
• 2 tsp fresh lime juice
• 1 tsp white vinegar
• 2 Tbsp olive oil
• Salt and pepper, to taste

Make the chicken

1. Mix the rub.
   In a bowl, combine the salt, cumin, paprika, black pepper, garlic, vinegar, and oil into a loose paste.
2. Season the thighs.
   Pat the thighs dry. Rub the seasoning paste all over the chicken, working some under the skin where you can. Use all of the rub.
3. Rest before grilling.
   Refrigerate for at least 1 hour, or up to overnight. For best skin, place the thighs on a rack set over a sheet pan and leave them uncovered in the fridge.
4. Make the sauce.
   Blend the jalapeños, cilantro, garlic, mayonnaise, sour cream, ají amarillo paste, lime juice, and vinegar until smooth. With the blender running, drizzle in the olive oil. Season with salt and pepper. Refrigerate until serving. The sauce may seem loose at first and will thicken as it sits.
5. Set up the grill.
   Prepare a two-zone grill: one side medium-high/direct heat, the other side indirect heat. Clean and oil the grates.
6. Cook indirect first.
   Place the thighs skin-side up on the indirect side. Cover and cook until the thickest part of the thighs reaches about 165–175°F, usually 25–35 minutes, depending on size and grill temperature.
7. Crisp the skin.
   Move the thighs to direct heat, skin-side down, and grill until the skin is browned, lightly charred, and crisp. This usually takes 3–6 minutes. Watch closely because the paprika and garlic can scorch.
8. Finish to ideal thigh texture.
   Thighs are safe at 165°F, but they are often better around 175–185°F, where they become more tender. Pull them when they are in that range and the skin looks good.
9. Rest and serve.
   Rest the chicken for 5–10 minutes. Serve with the green sauce on the side.

Suggested sides

A great plate would be: cilantro-lime rice, grilled corn, and avocado-tomato salad. Roasted sweet potato wedges or black beans would also fit really well.