🍗 Peruvian green arroz con pollo
Peruvian arroz con pollo is chicken and rice cooked together in a bright green base of blended cilantro, onion and garlic, which gives the rice its colour and fresh herbal taste. Pieces of bell pepper add sweetness, and the chicken stays juicy because it simmers in the same pot. It is a classic family lunch, often served with a squeeze of lime and a tangy onion salsa.
Diets
Allergens
None of the 14 major allergens in a typical recipe.
What it is made of
Recipe
Ingredients
- 4 chicken thighs or legs (about 800 g)
- 350 g long-grain rice
- 2 large bunches cilantro (about 100 g)
- 1 onion, finely chopped
- 1 red bell pepper, cut into strips
- 3 garlic cloves
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil, 1 tsp ground cumin, salt and pepper
- 750 ml water
- Lime wedges to serve
Method
- Season the chicken and brown it in the oil on both sides, then set it aside.
- Blend the cilantro and garlic with 150 ml of the water until smooth.
- Fry the onion in the same pot until soft, add the cilantro purée and cumin and cook for 3 minutes.
- Return the chicken, add the remaining water and simmer covered for 20 minutes.
- Stir in the rice and bell pepper, season, cover and cook on low heat for 18–20 minutes until the rice is tender. Rest for 5 minutes and serve with lime.
How to make it lighter
- Remove the chicken skin before cooking to cut a good part of the fat.
- Brown the chicken in 1 tablespoon of oil instead of 2 — each tablespoon is about 120 kcal.
- Keep the rice to about a cup per plate and add a big salad or extra peppers on the side.
History
Chicken and rice came to Latin America with Spanish cooking, and each country developed its own version. In Peru the dish turned green with a generous purée of cilantro, and it is now one of the most common home and set-menu lunches in Lima and across the country.
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Values are estimates per 100 g for a typical recipe; home and restaurant versions vary. Diets and allergens are worked out from the ingredients of a typical recipe — always check with whoever cooked the dish. Not medical advice. Nutrition data: Me Nutrition dish database v13. How we count →