Aguadito de Pollo (Peruvian Green Chicken and Rice Soup)

About This Recipe

Aguadito de pollo is a substantial Peruvian soup, its name meaning roughly 'watery' though the finished dish is anything but thin, thickened naturally by rice cooked directly in a vivid green cilantro broth. Chicken pieces simmer with a blended cilantro base, aji amarillo paste and beer, developing a deeply savory, herbal broth before rice, carrots and peas join in to cook together into a hearty, one-pot meal. Traditionally associated with recovering from a late night out, aguadito's warming, restorative qualities have made it a beloved comfort food across Peru, served with lime wedges and a side of white rice for those who want extra.

Ingredients

Serves 6

• 800 gbone-in chicken pieces
• 2 tbspvegetable oil
• 1onion(diced)
• 4 clovesgarlic(minced)
• 2 tbspaji amarillo paste
• 2 cupsfresh cilantro
• 1 cupbeer or chicken stock(for blending)
• 6 cupschicken stock
• 3/4 cupwhite rice
• 2carrots(diced)
• 1 cupfrozen peas
• 2potatoes(diced)
• 1.5 tspsalt
• 1lime(cut into wedges, for serving)

Instructions

1. 1

   Blend the cilantro

   Blend cilantro with beer or stock until smooth.

2. 2

   Brown the chicken

   Heat oil in a large pot and brown the chicken pieces, about 8 minutes; remove.

3. 3

   Cook the aromatics

   Cook onion until soft, add garlic and aji amarillo paste, cooking 2 minutes.

4. 4

   Combine and simmer

   Add the blended cilantro mixture, chicken stock and the browned chicken; bring to a simmer and cook covered 20 minutes.

5. 5

   Add rice and vegetables

   Add rice, carrots and potatoes, continuing to simmer 20 minutes until the rice and vegetables are tender.

   Stir occasionally as the rice cooks to prevent it from sticking to the bottom of the pot as the soup thickens.

6. 6

   Add peas

   Stir in peas during the last 5 minutes of cooking, and season with salt.

7. 7

   Serve

   Serve hot with lime wedges.

Variations

• •

  Some versions use duck instead of chicken for a richer, more traditional take (aguadito de pato).

• •

  A version with seafood replaces the chicken for a lighter, coastal variation.

• •

  Adding diced squash gives extra body and a subtle sweetness.

Storage

Refrigerate up to 3 days in an airtight container; the rice will continue absorbing liquid, so add a splash of stock when reheating.

Frequently Asked Questions