Here's everything you need for these mouthwatering grilled Peruvian chicken sandwiches. This recipe takes 1 hr. and makes four servings.
Ingredients to Gather
For the Chicken:
4 teaspoons kosher salt
3 medium cloves garlic, roughly chopped
2 tablespoons ground cumin
2 tablespoons paprika
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons white vinegar (30ml)
2 tablespoons vegetable or canola oil (30ml)
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (5 to 7 ounces/140 to 200g each), cut into 8 cutlets
For the Sauce:
3 whole jalapeño chilies, roughly chopped (see note)
1 tablespoon (15ml) ají amarillo pepper paste (see note)
1 cup fresh cilantro leaves
2 medium cloves garlic
1/2 cup mayonnaise (120ml)
1/4 cup sour cream (60ml)
2 teaspoons fresh juice from 1 lime (10ml)
1 teaspoon distilled white vinegar (5ml)
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil (60ml)
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
To Serve:
Four sturdy buns, such as telera or ciabatta, toasted on the grill
2 ripe avocados, halved, pitted, and flesh scooped
Thinly sliced red onion
Crisp lettuce leaves, such as romaine
Directions to Follow
For the Chicken: In a large mortar and pestle, pound garlic and salt until a smooth, sticky paste forms. Add cumin, paprika, black pepper, and vinegar and grind them together to form a paste. Drizzle in vegetable oil while grinding (see note).Transfer chicken and marinade to a large bowl and massage with your hands until all the chicken is coated in the marinade. Set aside at room temperature while you make the sauce, or cover and place in the fridge up to over night.
To make the sauce, blend the jalapeños, ají amarillo (if using), cilantro, garlic, mayonnaise, sour cream, lime juice, and vinegar together until smooth, slowly drizzling in the olive oil while the blender is still going. Add salt and pepper to taste, and then pour the sauce into a sealed container and keep in the refrigerator until you're ready to use it.
To cook the chicken, light one chimney full of charcoal, and then after all of the charcoal is lit and is covered with gray ash, pour out the coals and arrange them on one side of the charcoal grate. Position the grate in place and then cover the grill and let it preheat for 5 minutes. Now, place the chicken on the hot side of the grill and cover, moving the chicken pieces occasionally while cooking them. Cook for about 4 minutes, or until there's just a little pink left on the top of the chicken and the chicken is cooked all the way through. Flip the chicken and cook on the other side for about 30 seconds or just until it's done, and then place on a plate.
Now you're ready to assemble the sandwich. To do this, place the buns with the cut side facing down on the hot side of the grill and cook them for about a minute or until toasted and just starting to char, moving them frequently. Place the buns on a cutting board, and then mash half of an avocado onto each bottom bun using a fork. Sprinkle with salt and then top with red onions, lettuce, and two pieces of chicken on each bun. Spread the sauce on the top buns and close the sandwich, and then serve with some extra green sauce on the side.
Wow! Don't these grilled Peruvian chicken sandwiches sound amazing? Have you made them? What did you think of them? Share your thoughts in the comment section below!
Article & Photo Source: Serious Eats
Looks amazing