Arroz con Pollo Peruvian

Medium·20 min

Peru's beloved chicken-and-rice one-pot, where the rice turns vivid green from a generous puree of cilantro, simmered with chicken pieces, aji amarillo, beer, peas, carrots and peppers.

A Peruvian staple of Spanish-paella lineage adapted with Andean cilantro and aji amarillo; it appears across Peruvian home and restaurant menus and on of Peruvian dishes.

Fragrant and herbaceous, the rice carries deep cilantro greenness brightened by beer and gentle aji amarillo warmth. The chicken is fall-apart tender and the peas and peppers add sweet pops. A tangy salsa criolla cuts the richness.

Cooking the rice directly in the cilantro-and-beer braising liquid infuses every grain with color and aroma, while simmering the chicken first builds a savory base the rice then absorbs.

Variations

With duck instead of chicken (arroz con pato, a northern specialty), with dark beer for color, or served arroz tapado style.

On the Palate

Where Arroz con Pollo Peruvian sits in the Peruvian flavor cloud

Ingredients

Serves 4

1 kg piecesChicken

2 cupsRice

1 large bunchCilantro

How it's made

8 steps · 20 min

1
8 min
Brown seasoned chicken pieces in oil, then set aside.
Watch out
Brown the chicken hard until the skin takes deep colour — those stuck-on golden bits are the savoury base the rice will soak up.
2
4 min
In the same pot saute onion, garlic and aji amarillo paste until fragrant.
3
3 min
Blend a large bunch of cilantro with a little broth and add to the pot.
Watch out
Blend the cilantro with just a splash of broth so it stays a vivid deep green — that green is what dyes and perfumes every grain of rice.
4
18 min
Pour in beer and chicken stock, return the chicken, and simmer until tender.
5
2 min
Lift out the chicken and stir the rinsed rice into the green liquid.
6
15 min
Add peas, carrots and diced pepper, cover, and cook until the rice is fluffy.
Watch out
Cover and leave the rice alone until the green liquid is fully absorbed and it's fluffy — stirring or peeking mid-cook turns it gummy.
7
5 min
Nestle the chicken back on top to warm through.
8
5 min
Rest a few minutes, then serve with salsa criolla.