Aguadito de Pollo Recipe (Peruvian Chicken Soup)

5 from 12 votes

Aguadito de Pollo Recipe (Peruvian Chicken Soup)

This Aguadito de Pollo is a Peruvian Chicken Soup. The broth is a mixture of cilantro, spices and hot pepper. It's simmered with chicken and rice. It's the perfect soup to make when it's cold outside and you're feeling a bit under the weather.

Prep Time15

Cook Time30

Total Time45

Course: Dinner

Cuisine: Latin America, Latino Food, Peruvian

Servings:

Author: Adrianna Adarme

Cost: $10

Ingredients

1 1/2 cup cilantro leaves from 1 bunch, divided
1 serrano pepper (or you could use aji amarillo) halved and de-seeded
4 garlic cloves peeled
4 cups chicken broth divided
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 chicken thighs skin-on and bone-in
2 chicken drumsticks skin-on and bone-in
1/2 yellow onion or frozen peas (thawed) diced
1 red bell pepper diced
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 cup white rice or brown rice if using brown rice see note below!
1 ear of corn cut off the cob or 1/3 cup frozen corn
Kosher salt to taste
3 limes cut into wedges

Instructions

Add 1 cup cilantro leaves, serrano pepper, garlic cloves and 1/4 cup of chicken broth to a blender. Blend until mixture is pureed. Set aside.
In a large pot, heat olive oil over medium-high heat. When hot, carefully add chicken thighs and drumsticks, skin-side down. Cook on first side for 4-5 minutes, and until skin is crisp and slightly browned. Flip and cook for an additional 5 minutes. Remove from pot and set aside.
If the chicken absorbed all of the oil, add a teaspoon of olive oil. If it released too much fat, pour it out, reserving about a teaspoon. Add yellow onion and cook until translucent, about 3 to 4 minutes. Next, add red bell pepper and ground cumin, allowing to cook for 1-2 more minutes.
Add the rice and cilantro liquid mixture to the pot and mix, being sure to completely coat the rice. Gently add the chicken back to the pot and cover with about 3 1/2 cups of chicken broth. The broth should almost cover the chicken. Bring the soup to a simmer and then immediately turn the heat down to medium low. Cover the pot and cook for 20-30 minutes, and until rice is fully cooked.
Add the remaining 1/2 cup cilantro leaves to the blender and 1/4 cup chicken broth. Just before serving, add the mixture to the soup. This will give it a bright green color.
When you’re ready to serve, add salt to taste. This will all depend on how salty your chicken broth was. I needed to add about 1 1/2 teaspoons of kosher salt. Mix in corn right before serving.
Add a few cilantro leaves to each bowl of soup, along with a few wedges of lime. It’s important.

Notes

Substitutions:

*If using brown rice in place of white rice, the soup will most likely take longer, closer to 40 minutes.

*Quinoa would also be super delicious and it will take about 20 minutes to cook.

*I sometimes add 1 peeled carrot that I slice up to the step with the onions.

Here is the aji amarillo paste I love that you could use in place of the serrano pepper: Aji Amarillo Paste

Equipment:

Dutch Oven | Vitamix Blender | Ninja Blender | Lime Squeeze |

Nutrition