Arroz con Pollo Verde

Name: Arroz con Pollo Verde
Total time: 45 min
Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients: 2 cups cilantro leaves and tender stems; 3 tablespoons neutral oil, such as safflower or canola oil; 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs, each thigh halved lengthwise; Kosher salt and black pepper; 1 cup finely chopped yellow onion; 3 garlic cloves, minced; 1 teaspoon ground cumin; 2 cups basmati rice; 1 (15-ounce) can hominy, rinsed and drained; 3 cups low-sodium chicken broth; 2 tablespoons jarred ají amarillo paste; 1 large red bell pepper, cored, seeded and thinly sliced; 1/2 cup thawed frozen peas; Salsa criolla or hot sauce, for serving

By Kay Chun

Updated Jan. 20, 2022

Arroz con Pollo Verde — David Malosh for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Simon Andrews.

Total Time: 45 minutes
Rating: 4(1,112)
Comments: Read comments

Peruvian arroz con pollo stands apart from other versions of chicken and rice across Latin America thanks to the addition of a bright green cilantro purée and aji amarillo, a fruity yellow hot pepper that’s similar in flavor to habaneros or scotch bonnets. Traditionally, the dish contains choclo, very large and chewy Peruvian corn kernels with earthy flavor. Cooked canned hominy makes a great substitute that offers a similar taste and texture. This one-pot homestyle dish is commonly served with salsa criolla, a tangy and spicy red onion relish, but a Louisiana-style hot sauce is a good alternative.

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Ingredients

Yield:4 servings

2cups cilantro leaves and tender stems
3tablespoons neutral oil, such as safflower or canola oil
2pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs, each thigh halved lengthwise
Kosher salt and black pepper
1cup finely chopped yellow onion
3garlic cloves, minced
1teaspoon ground cumin
2cups basmati rice
1(15-ounce) can hominy, rinsed and drained
3cups low-sodium chicken broth
2tablespoons jarred ají amarillo paste
1large red bell pepper, cored, seeded and thinly sliced
½cup thawed frozen peas
Salsa criolla or hot sauce, for serving

Ingredient Substitution Guide

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Preparation

Step 1
In a blender, combine cilantro and 6 tablespoons of water, and purée until smooth. Set aside.
Step 2
In a large Dutch oven or heavy pot, heat 2 tablespoons oil over medium. Add half the chicken, season with salt and pepper, and cook, turning halfway, until browned, 4 to 5 minutes. Transfer chicken to a plate, and repeat with remaining chicken.
Step 3
Add remaining 1 tablespoon oil and the onion to the empty pot, and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 2 minutes. Stir in garlic and cumin until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add rice and hominy, season with salt and pepper, and stir until well combined, 30 seconds. Add broth, aji amarillo paste, bell pepper and reserved cilantro purée, scraping the bottom of the pot to remove any browned bits.
Step 4
Nestle the chicken with any accumulated juices into the pot, and bring to a boil over high. Cover, reduce heat to low and cook until rice is tender and all of the liquid is absorbed, about 20 minutes.
Step 5
Sprinkle with peas, then cover and steam for 3 minutes. Turn off heat, and fluff rice with a fork. Divide arroz con pollo in bowls and serve with salsa criolla or hot sauce.

Ratings

4 out of 5

1,112 user ratings

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Comments

Juliana3 years ago

Cooking this dish with my abuelita in Lima, we would alternate a Pilsner beer (cusqueña) and broth, sometimes using both if we had both. Beer makes the dish pop! Try it with beer instead of broth sometime! Recommendation coming from a Peruvian.

Marie Alice Basso3 years ago

As a Peruvian who loves to cook, I would not use Basmati rice for this dish. My preference would be a short grain rice. Also you could make this dish using risotto rice and cook it as a rissoto with all the Peruvian flavors and it comes out pretty tasty.

Gabriela3 years ago

I am Peruvian, and I love arroz con pollo. Would not recommend using Basmati, it would change completely the texture and flavor of the dish. Stick to "regular" rice. Also, use chicken with bones and skin, it just ads more flavor.

Borborygmus2 weeks ago

One needs a LARGE and/or DEEP skillet for this dish. In fact, a Dutch oven is what I switched to after over flowing ANOTHER over-filled skillet. I finally learned my lesson. Double the cilantro, cumin and garlic for more flavor. This dish is a favorite in our house.

Cristina4 months ago

Really good but bland as written. Per others’ comments, I doubled cumin and garlic and a full onion. Also used half beer half stock per other’s suggestions. Used garbanzo beans as substitution. Topped with lemon. Took 1:15 total.

Austin A5 months ago

This was delicious. All the aji amarillo pastes I could find had a ton of garbage ingredients in them, so I bought powdered aji amarillo. I blended it with the cilantro puree. Also used canned hominy from Whole Foods. Served it with a pineapple-y hot sauce that I had in the fridge and it was excellent. Next time I'll try the beer. Also would add even more cilantro. And would use chicken thighs with skin and bones.

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