When my Grandma and I get on the phone it’s usually an hour convo about what she’s cooking for her friends or how she’s been swimming and going to zumba.
She’s my spirit animal and she makes the best muffins you’ll ever eat. Big, fat amazing blueberry muffins that melt in your mouth. Oh and her raisin bran muffins? TO DIE FOR. Especially with a little pat of creamy butter.
The last time I talked to my Grandmother, she told me about these Peruvian chicken burgers she had when she went to Peru a few years ago. (Yep, she traveled solo!)
She said the burgers were filled with garlic and spices, topped with a spicy sauce then sandwiched between two fried plantains. Seriously, how good does that sound?! Of course, I had all intentions of making the burgers over the summer, but life got the best of me and I completely forget.
Since the warmer days are behind us (or ahead of us?), I figured it wasn’t the best idea to bring you grilled burgers. Instead I opted to bake up beautiful chicken drumsticks with the same amazing spices. Ohh la la is right.
These Peruvian-inspired chicken drumsticks are marinated with yogurt, garlic, spices and fresh lime juice for a bit of tang. I like to bake them on a baking rack to ensure that the drumsticks get a little crisp.
And my favorite part? An avocado lime dipping sauce that you’ll be putting on everything.
Want to get everything you need for this recipe? Head over to Peapod.com and get everything you need.
Okay, gotta go. It’s my birthday tomorrow… still trying to decide on a dessert. xo!
More healthy appetizers you’ll love:
Baked Paleo Chicken Tenders with Honey Mustard Dip
Sweet and Spicy Bacon Wrapped Plantains
Jalapeño-Goat Cheese Grilled Stuffed Mini Peppers
Tofu Vegan Nachos with Cashew Cheese Sauce
Ambitious Kitchen
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125 Ridiculously Good For You, Sometimes Indulgent, and Absolutely Never Boring Recipes for Every Meal of the Day
Baked Peruvian-Inspired Chicken Drumsticks with Avocado Lime Dipping Sauce
Ingredients
- 8 chicken drumsticks (about 3 oz each), skin removed
- 1/4 cup nonfat plain greek yogurt
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 3 tablespoons fresh lime juice, from 1 lime
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 teaspoons cumin
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon paprika
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon honey or organic sugar
- For the avocado lime sauce:
- 1 medium ripe avocado, peeled and seed removed
- 1/4 cup nonfat plain greek yogurt
- 1/4 cup chopped cilantro
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice, from 1 lime
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- To make the marinade: In a small bowl, whisk the greek yogurt, olive oil, lime juice and garlic together.
- In a large bowl, season the chicken with the cumin, oregano, paprika, cayenne pepper, salt and sugar; use your hands to coat chicken. Pour the yogurt mixture over the top of the seasoned chicken and use a spoon to stir. Refrigerate for 1 hour.
- Once ready to bake preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Place a oven-safe rack on a large baking sheet and grease with nonstick cooking spray so that the chicken doesn’t stick to the pan. Place the drumsticks on the pan with the thicker part of the drumstick to the outside.
- Bake for 40-50 minutes or until cooked through.
- For the avocado lime dipping sauce: Add ingredients for the dipping sauce to a high powered blender of food processor and blend until well combined. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- You can drizzle over the top of the chicken or just dip your chicken in the sauce. I like adding a little hot sauce too!
Nutrition
This recipe is in partnership with Peapod, a brand I trust. Thanks for supporting brands that help make this site possible! You can see more of my recipes on FromthePod.com.
Looks great! Would thighs work for this recipe? Thanks!
YUM!!! Happy early birthday!
i love marinades with yogurt (esp tandoori chicken mmm). and the avocado sauce sounds delicious and perfect to help cool the cayenne a bit.
Happy early birthday! I had a great time in Peru a couple years ago!
These looks amazing and I’ll be making asap after Christmas! Happy birthday to you! As it’s summer in my part of the world could you link me to the burger recipe? Thanks!
These look amazing! Happy Birthday!!
I made these last night. Super YUM!
Awww so happy you liked them!
The mixture of the marinade and the dipping sauce sounds AMAZING. Need these in my life as soon as possible!
Do you know where she got those burgers (in between plaintains) I am from Peru and never heard or had them like that. Actually, plantains were not that popular (in Lima) until a few years back. They were more for garnish, but I looooove them. And I wonder if they use some aji colorado or amarillo or rocoto sauce as ingredients. It is making me hungry though. Thanks for the share 🙂
I found a Puerto Rican recipe that sounds good http://thelatinkitchen.com/r/recipe/plantain-hamburger
Monique, do you back them on the oven rack uncovered or covered?
Looks great! do you think you could use coconut milk instead of yogurt if doing paleo?
I’ve made this recipe multiple times, but I used chicken breasts instead and cut them into bite sized pieces. I served them as baked chicken bites at parties with the avocado sauce on the side. It is always a hit and super healthy! Thank you for this delicious recipe!
Perfect! Glad everyone loves these 🙂
I’ve just discovered this recipe! Can the chicken be FROZEN in the marinade, as with a tandoori marinade?
I think that would work well!
Love these drumsticks with plantains! So good!
WOW this is such a delicious and easy recipe. I typically make full roasted chickens on Friday nights and this is a great alternative with so much less prep when I am feeling lazy but want something decadent hahaha. I don’t eat dairy and plain coconut yogurt worked very well. I used cocojune brand. The dipping suace was SO good and I used a jumbo avocado so it was a little thicker, but I served with burnt broccoli and carrot fries and it was perfect. Thanks for this recipe! Your chicken marinades are also amazing and have saved me during quarantine. Your recipes make it easy to switch things up and my boyfriend loves it.
Peruvians don’t do this. This is not traditional. The flavors are completely off. You added a lot of things. This is disrespectful. Don’t use the country’s name if your not going to do traditional or represent. Your misrepresenting the country.
Hi, Richard. Thanks so much for the note — you’re completely right. We mean to say that this dish was inspired by my grandmother’s trip to Peru + a dish she had there, but you’re correct that these are not authentic. Thank you for calling this out. We’re going to update the post!
My husband LOVED this!
I’m so glad — thank you!
Can I marinate the chicken in the refrigerator longer than 1 hour?
Yes! You can even let it marinate overnight if you’d like.
This came out great. Thanks for sharing. I thought the chicken with its seasonings held up on its own without the avocado lime sauce. My wife liked the avocado sauce so much and I had made too much of it and she now puts it on her toast in the morning instead of butter.
Haha love that! The perfect sauce 🙂
I was looking for a recipe for dinner club that used chicken drumsticks and I came across this recipe. I happened to have 1 avocado I needed to use so I thought I’d try this recipe. Wow! It was so good. Everyone at dinner club loved it and now it will be on our rotation of dinner ideas. Some people put the sauce all over the rice I served with it too.
Amazing! So happy to hear that!