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Peruvian Chicken and Rice Soup - Aguadito de pollo

This is a cilantro based hearty, chicken, vegetable and rice soup packed with flavour and textures. Its a one pot meal ready to keep you warm any day of the week.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes
Total Time 50 minutes
Servings: 4 people
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Peruvian
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

CILANTRO PASTE
  • 1 cup cilantro leaves
  • A quarter of a yellow or red bell pepper
  • 1/4 cup water
  • --------------------------------------------------
SOUP
  • 4 chicken drumsticks and/or thighs
  • 2 tbsp oil
  • salt and pepper
  • --------------------------------------------------
  • 1 small onion or 1/2 large onion finely chopped
  • 2 cloves of garlic finely chopped
  • 1 tbsp aji amarillo paste or 1 diced jalapeno or serrano pepper
  • 1 tsp turmeric powder
  • 1/4 tsp dried oregano
  • salt and pepper
  • --------------------------------------------------
  • 1 large carrot roughly chopped
  • 1 celery stalk roughly chopped
  • 3- 4 cups chicken broth or water just enough to cover the chicken
  • 2 medium potatoes chopped into chunks
  • 1/2 cup long grain rice - washed and drained
  • 1/2 a red or yellow bell pepper cut into strips
  • 1/2 cup frozen or fresh peas
  • *optional 1 lime cut in quarters to serve with soup

Equipment

  • 1 Pot
  • 1 Blender

Method
 

  1. Put the cilantro leaves, 1/4 bell pepper and water into a small blender and blend into a watery paste. Set aside
    1 cup cilantro leaves, A quarter of a yellow or red bell pepper, 1/4 cup water
  2. Season chicken with salt and pepper
    4 chicken drumsticks and/or thighs, salt and pepper
  3. Add oil to a medium pot and heat on medium high heat.
    2 tbsp oil
  4. Once hot, carefully add chicken to the hot oil and quicly brown all sides, do not cook all the way through.
  5. Remove the browned chicken from the pot and transfer to a plate. Set this aside and lower the heat to medium.
  6. Add the finely chopped onion to the pot and soften, using it to scrape off any brown bits on the bottom of the pot.
    1 small onion or 1/2 large onion
  7. Once the onions are soft, add your garlic, aji amarillo, turmeric, oregano, salt and pepper. Cook till golden brown and looks "curdled"
    2 cloves of garlic, 1 tbsp aji amarillo paste, 1 tsp turmeric powder, 1/4 tsp dried oregano, salt and pepper
  8. Add the celery, carrots, and browned chicken with all its juices into the pot.
    1 large carrot, 1 celery stalk
  9. Mix all the ingredients together and add the chicken broth (or water) till the chicken is just covered with liquid.
    3- 4 cups chicken broth
  10. Add the cilantro paste you blended earlier.
  11. Bring the soup to a boil on high heat. Once boiling lower heat to medium, and simmer covered until your chicken is halfway cooked (about 15 min)
  12. Add potatoes, washed rice, bell pepper and peas to the pot.
    2 medium potatoes, 1/2 cup long grain rice - washed and drained, 1/2 a red or yellow bell pepper, 1/2 cup frozen or fresh peas
  13. Cook till the rice splits and potatoes are just tender and immediately take off the heat. The broth will thicken and the soup will turn a darker green.
  14. Add salt and pepper to taste. Serve hot with a wedge of lime and enjoy!

Notes

*If you would like to make this soup vegetarian then you can just replace the chicken with more vegetables and the chicken broth for water or vegetable broth.