Peru's Green Dream: A Hearty Chicken & Cilantro-Garlic Soup (Aguadito de Pollo)
Details
A vibrant green soup that's part chicken soup, part cilantro-garlic explosion.
Ingredients
Instructions
Prepare the Cilantro-Garlic Base
In a blender, combine the cilantro leaves, minced garlic, ají amarillo paste, and about 1/4 cup of the chicken broth. Blend until you have a smooth, vibrant green paste. Set aside.
Sear the Chicken
Heat the vegetable oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Season the chicken pieces with salt and pepper and sear them on all sides until golden brown. Remove the chicken from the pot and set it aside.
Sauté the Aromatics
In the same pot, add the chopped onion and red bell pepper. Sauté for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onion is soft and translucent.
Build the Soup
Pour the green cilantro-garlic paste into the pot and cook for a few minutes until fragrant. Return the seared chicken pieces to the pot, along with the optional giblets. Add the remaining chicken broth, diced potatoes, carrots, corn, rinsed rice, and cumin.
Simmer to Perfection
Bring the soup to a boil, then reduce the heat to a gentle simmer. Cover and cook for 25-30 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through and the potatoes and rice are tender.
Final Touches
Just before serving, stir in the peas. Taste the soup and adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper as needed. For a traditional touch, you can remove the chicken, shred the meat off the bones, and return the shredded chicken to the soup.
Serve
Ladle the hot soup into bowls. Serve immediately with fresh lime wedges on the side for squeezing over, which brightens up all the flavors.
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