As far as I know, I had not sampled Venezuelan food before we recently made this chicken dish. I was craving a new and unusual chicken entree for dinner and happened upon this one. Eric made a grocery run for the fresh ingredients we needed and we got started.
Despite its complexity of flavor, guasacaca sauce is simple to make. It is a popular and versatile condiment in Venezuelan cuisine. Often referred to as “Venezuelan Guacamole,” it features some of the same ingredients as Mexican guacamole. This Venezuelan sauce is a bit different, though. Blended until smooth, it is creamy from the addition of avocado and it has a bright and tangy base of herbs and lime. It is a bit more acidic than guacamole due to the rice vinegar added to it. Guasacaca uses copious amounts of both cilantro and parsley. Many versions use both a green bell pepper and a jalapeño pepper in the sauce, although this version only uses a jalapeño.
We fell in love with this dish and especially, the sauce. Much of the parsley and cilantro plants we have growing in pots on the deck will be used to make this appetizing Venezuelan condiment over Summer which will pair well with many grilled veggies & proteins!
Garlic Chicken with Guasacaca Sauce
Garlic Chicken With Guasacaca Sauce (adapted from cooking.nytimes.com) Total Time Required: 45 minutes, Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients:
- 1/2 cup olive oil, divided
- 3 large garlic cloves, peeled
- 1-1/2 pounds carrots, peeled, trimmed, and cut into 2” lengths with 1/2″ widths
- kosher salt and black pepper
- 2-1/2 to 3 pounds chicken breasts, pounded to 1/2″ thick
- 1 avocado, pitted and chopped
- 1 jalapeño, stemmed and chopped
- 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
- zest and juice of 1 lime
- 1 cup chopped parsley leaves with tender stems, divided
- 1 cup chopped cilantro leaves with tender stems, divided
Pound the chicken breasts to 1/2″ thickness.
Directions:
Heat the oven to 425º F. In a medium bowl, combine 1/4 cup oil and grate in 2 of the garlic cloves using a zester. Add the carrots to the bowl and toss them to coat. Lightly season the carrots with salt and black pepper and transfer them to a sheet pan, reserving the garlic oil in the bowl.
Toss the carrots in some olive oil and garlic.
Add the chicken to the bowl and coat it with the remaining garlic oil. Arrange the chicken in a single layer on the sheet pan between the carrots, and season the breasts with salt and pepper.
Toss the chicken in the olive oil and garlic, then season it with salt and pepper, and add it to the baking sheet.
Roast until the carrots until they are tender and the chicken is cooked to an internal temperature of 165ºF, about 25 to 30 minutes.
Roast until the carrots are tender and the chicken is cooked to an internal temperature of 165ºF.
While the carrots and chicken cook, prepare the guasacaca sauce. In a food processor or the large cup of a wand blender, combine the avocado, jalapeño, vinegar, lime zest and juice, remaining garlic clove, half the chopped parsley and cilantro, 1/2 teaspoon of salt and 1/4 teaspoon of black pepper. Purée the ingredients into a coarse mixture. With the machine running, slowly drizzle in the remaining 1/4 cup of olive oil and 1 tablespoon of water. Purée until the sauce is smooth and creamy. Taste and adjust the seasoning with additional salt if necessary.
Make the guasacaca sauce.
When the carrots and chicken are done, scatter the remaining 1/2 cup of both the parsley and cilantro over the meat and veggies. Serve the chicken and carrots with some of the guasacaca sauce on the side for dipping.
Serve the chicken and carrots with the guasacaca sauce.
We’ll definitely be exploring more of the food of Venezuela! ~Linda
Garlic Chicken With Guasacaca Sauce (adapted from cooking.nytimes.com) Total Time Required: 45 minutes, Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients:
- 1/2 cup olive oil, divided
- 3 large garlic cloves, peeled
- 1-1/2 pounds carrots, scrubbed, trimmed, cut into 2” lengths with 1/2″ widths
- kosher salt and black pepper
- 2-1/2 to 3 pounds chicken breasts, pounded to 1/2″ thick
- 1 avocado, pitted and chopped
- 1 jalapeño, stemmed and chopped
- 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
- zest and juice of 1 lime
- 1 cup chopped parsley leaves with tender stems, divided
- 1 cup chopped cilantro leaves with tender stems, divided
Directions:
Heat the oven to 425º F. In a medium bowl, combine 1/4 cup oil and grate in 2 of the garlic cloves using a zester. Add the carrots to the bowl and toss them to coat. Lightly season the carrots with salt and black pepper and transfer them to a sheet pan, reserving the garlic oil in the bowl. Add the chicken to the bowl and coat it with the remaining garlic oil. Arrange the chicken in a single layer on the sheet pan between the carrots, and season the breasts with salt and pepper.
Roast until the carrots are they are tender and the chicken is cooked to an internal temperature of 165ºF, about 25 to 30 minutes.
While the carrots and chicken cook, prepare the guasacaca sauce. In a food processor or the large cup of a wand blender, combine the avocado, jalapeño, vinegar, lime zest and juice, remaining garlic clove, half the chopped parsley and cilantro, 1/2 teaspoon of salt and 1/4 teaspoon of black pepper. Purée the ingredients into a coarse mixture. With the machine running, slowly drizzle in the remaining 1/4 cup of olive oil and 1 tablespoon of water. Purée until the sauce is smooth and creamy. Taste and adjust the seasoning with additional salt if necessary.
When the carrots and chicken are done, scatter the remaining 1/2 cup of both the parsley and cilantro over the meat and veggies. Serve the chicken and carrots with some of the guasacaca sauce on the side for dipping.