Weeknight Ají-Marinated Chicken Thighs with Charred Vegetable Salad

Recipe by @mitchell

Tangy ají amarillo–cumin vinegar marinade meets juicy boneless, skinless chicken thighs, finished with a bright charred vegetable salad for a fresh, healthy balance.

Peruvian-style roast chicken with an ají amarillo–vinegar marinade is tangy, garlicky, and deeply flavorful, with juicy meat and crisp skin. It’s ideal when you want a weeknight roast that tastes like a restaurant chicken—plus a bright, creamy ají verde yogurt sauce to finish it.

IngredientsMetricUS

For the Chicken

• 680 g boneless skinless chicken thighs, patted dry
• 2 g ground cumin
• 2 g dried oregano
• 48 g garlic, minced
• 15 ml ají amarillo paste (or ají amarillo powder rehydrated with 1 tbsp water)
• 80 ml distilled white vinegar
• 45 ml olive oil
• 9 g kosher salt
• 1 g black pepper
• 8 g brown sugar (optional, to balance acidity)

For the Charred Vegetable Salad

• 280 g zucchini, sliced into half-moons
• 225 g red bell pepper, sliced into strips
• 170 g red onion, sliced into wedges
• 30 ml olive oil
• 5 g kosher salt
• 1 g black pepper
• 15 ml lime juice
• 10 g chopped fresh cilantro (optional)

Instructions

1. Pat the chicken thighs very dry.
2. Mince the garlic; measure out the cumin, oregano, ají amarillo paste, vinegar, olive oil, salt, and pepper, plus brown sugar if using.
3. Mix cumin, oregano, minced garlic, ají amarillo paste, vinegar, olive oil, salt, pepper, and brown sugar (if using) until smooth.
4. Rub the marinade all over the chicken thighs until evenly coated.
5. Marinate in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.
6. Preheat the oven broiler (or grill) to high and set a rack about 6 inches (15 cm) from the heat.
7. Arrange the chicken thighs on a foil-lined sheet pan (or grill grate) in a single layer; pour off excess marinade if it pools heavily.
8. Broil roast until the thickest part reaches 165°F (74°C), about 14–18 minutes total (flip once halfway through if broiling on a sheet pan).
9. While the chicken cooks, char the vegetables: toss zucchini, bell pepper, and red onion with olive oil, salt, and pepper; broil or grill until blistered and lightly charred, about 8–12 minutes, tossing once.
10. Toss the charred vegetables with lime juice and cilantro (if using).
11. Rest the chicken 5 minutes, then serve with the charred vegetable salad.

More from @mitchell

Tomahawk-Style Pork Rib Chop with Peach-Tomato Pan SauceTraditional Bread Pudding with Crème AnglaiseBanoffee Pie with Whole BananasTurkey & Three Bean ChiliChicken Shawarma BowlsThai Green Curry with Chicken Breast