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Recipe photo for Aguadito de Pollo

Aguadito de Pollo

by United by Taste

Aguadito de Pollo

This is a look into Aguadito de Pollo, a soul-warming Peruvian chicken and cilantro soup often referred to as a or "reviver." It is a thick, vibrant green potage where the brightness of cilantro meets the deep, earthy heat of the ají amarillo pepper.

by United by Taste

🌶️Spicy 💪High-Protein
🇵🇪 Peru ·South America · $$
Prep
Cook
Total
(1)
4 portions

Aguadito de Pollo is much more than a simple chicken soup; it is a cultural staple in Peru, traditionally served late at night after a celebration or the next morning to "rebuild" one’s energy. It is often affectionately called levanta muertos (death-awakener) because of its restorative properties.

While it is essentially a "chowder" style soup made with rice, chicken, and vegetables, its defining characteristic is the massive amount of blended fresh cilantro that gives it a signature emerald hue. The origin is deeply rooted in Peruvian criollo cooking, reflecting the fusion of indigenous ingredients like potatoes and peppers with Spanish influences like rice and chicken.

While this version uses chicken, you will find variations across Peru using duck (Aguadito de Pato), turkey, or even seafood. In some regions, the consistency is kept thinner like a broth, while in others, it is cooked down until the rice nearly breaks, turning the soup into a thick, porridge-like stew.

Ingredients

Cilantro Base

1.5 cup fresh cilantro discard the stems
1 cup water or chicken broth for blending

Soup

2 piece bone-in chicken pieces about 900g, thighs and drumsticks preferred
1 tsp ground cumin
2 tbsp vegetable oil
1 piece red onion medium, finely diced
4 clove garlic minced
2 tbsp ají amarillo paste
8 cup chicken broth
1 piece corn on the cob cut into 2-inch rounds
2 piece potatoes medium, peeled and cubed
1 piece carrots large, diced
1 cup long-grain white rice
0.5 cup frozen peas
0 pinch salt
0 pinch black pepper

Garnish

0 handful fresh cilantro chopped
0 piece lime wedges

Ingredients

4 portions

Cilantro Base

1.5 cupfresh cilantro discard the stems
1 cupwater or chicken broth for blending

Soup

2 piecebone-in chicken pieces about 900g, thighs and drumsticks preferred
1 tspground cumin
2 tbspvegetable oil
1 piecered onion medium, finely diced
4 clovegarlic minced
2 tbspají amarillo paste
8 cupchicken broth
1 piececorn on the cob cut into 2-inch rounds
2 piecepotatoes medium, peeled and cubed
1 piececarrots large, diced
1 cuplong-grain white rice
0.5 cupfrozen peas
pinchsalt
pinchblack pepper

Garnish

handfulfresh cilantro chopped
piecelime wedges

Instructions

Prepare the Cilantro Base

  1. 1

    Blend the cilantro

    Add the packed cilantro leaves and tender stems to a blender along with 1 cup of water or chicken broth. Blend on high until completely smooth and vibrant green. Set aside.

Build the Soup

  1. 1

    Sear the chicken

    Heat the vegetable oil in a large heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high heat. Season the chicken pieces with salt, pepper, and cumin. Sear the chicken on all sides until golden brown, about 3–4 minutes per side. Remove and set aside.

  2. 2

    Sauté the aromatics

    Reduce the heat to medium and sauté the red onion until translucent. Stir in the garlic and ají amarillo paste, cooking until the mixture is fragrant and the oil begins to separate from the solids. This ensures the chili is fully cooked and the flavors are properly concentrated.

  3. 3

    Add broth and vegetables

    Pour in the chicken broth and bring to a boil. Return the seared chicken pieces to the pot. Add the cubed potatoes, diced carrot, and corn rounds. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes.

  4. 4

    Add the rice

    Stir in the rinsed white rice. Continue simmering uncovered for 12–15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the rice is cooked through and the potatoes are tender.

  5. 5

    Finish with cilantro and peas

    Remove the chicken pieces and shred the meat off the bone. Return the shredded chicken to the pot. Add the frozen peas and the cilantro purée. Stir well and cook for 2–3 minutes — do not boil vigorously, as this will dull the vibrant green color. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Serve

  1. 1

    Garnish and serve

    Ladle the soup into deep bowls, making sure each serving has chicken, rice, corn, and vegetables. Top with freshly chopped cilantro and serve with lime wedges and sliced ají amarillo or rocoto on the side.

Blog

I’ve had this on my "to-cook" list for about two months now. I couldn't find ají amarillo paste in any of my usual stores, so I finally ordered it online. I’m so glad I did; while the paste doesn't overpower the dish, it introduces a flavor that was entirely new to me.

My wife and I agreed: it tastes like a vacation in a bowl. It is a soul-warming "reviver" of a dish, traditionally served to restore your energy after a long night out.

It wasn't too difficult to make, and I’ll definitely be cooking this one again! Now I just need to figure out how to use the rest of this paste.

Photo 1

Tips & Notes

To do this dish justice, one must respect the balance between the herbs and the base. Here are the non-negotiables if you want the result to be a true Aguadito:

  • The "Mother" Paste: You cannot simply throw the ingredients into water. The foundation is a sofrito of red onion, garlic, and most importantly, Ají Amarillo paste. If you substitute this with a different chili, the flavor profile shifts entirely away from Peru. The paste must be sautéed until the oil starts to separate—this is where the depth of flavor is born.

  • The Cilantro Timing: To maintain that vibrant green color and fresh "zing," the cilantro should be blended with a bit of liquid (broth or water) and added after the initial aromatics have cooked, but not boiled so long that it turns a muddy brown.

  • The Rice Factor: The rice is cooked directly in the soup. It releases starches that thicken the broth naturally. Be careful not to overcook it to the point of mush, though some texture should remain.

  • The Potato: Use a firm, yellow potato (like Yukon Gold or the traditional Peruvian papa amarilla). It should be tender but hold its shape.

  • Serving and Storage: This dish is best enjoyed fresh. Because of the rice, it will continue to absorb liquid as it sits. If you eat it the next day, it will likely have thickened into a rice dish rather than a soup; you can thin it out with a little extra broth, but the "bright" cilantro notes will have faded.

  • The "Secret" Acid: A traditional Aguadito is almost always finished with a squeeze of fresh lime juice right before serving. This cuts through the richness of the chicken and lifts the earthy cilantro. Without the lime, the dish feels heavy and incomplete.

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