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Arroz con pollo peruano
Arroz con pollo — Lima's coriander-green rice with chicken, peas, carrot and red pepper
Across Spanish-speaking America arroz con pollo means yellow rice, but in Lima it comes out deep green, thanks to a big bunch of coriander blended into the cooking liquid. Mothers make it for Sunday lunch and for birthday parties, and street stalls ladle it out with salsa criolla, the sharp onion-and-lime relish that cuts through the rice. Chicken pieces are browned first, then the rice cooks in the same pot so it takes on all their flavour. Chef's tip: blend the coriander with cold stock right before it goes in, so it stays bright green rather than turning khaki.
- Total time
- 70 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
For the chicken and rice
For the salsa criolla
Method
0/9 doneStep 1: Rub 2 ¼ lb chicken thighs and drumsticks, skin on with 1 ½ tsp salt, ½ tsp ground black pepper and ½ tsp ground cumin. Leave in the fridge while you prep the rest, up to a few hours.
Step 2: Heat 3 tbsp vegetable oil in a wide, heavy casserole over a medium-high heat. Brown the chicken skin side down for 6–8 minutes, then turn and brown for 3 minutes more. Lift onto a plate; it will finish cooking in the rice.
11 minStep 3: Lower the heat to medium. Fry 1 red onion in the same oil for 6 minutes until soft, then add 4 cloves garlic and 2 tbsp ají amarillo paste and fry for 2 minutes.
8 minStep 4: Blend 2 ⅞ oz fresh coriander, leaves and tender stems and 1 oz spinach with 3 ¼ cups cold chicken stock until smooth and bright green.
2 minStep 5: Pour the green stock (and ½ cup dark beer (cerveza negra), if using; it contains alcohol, so swap in more stock for an alcohol-free pot) into the casserole and bring to the boil. Return the chicken, cover and simmer for 15 minutes.
15 minStep 6: Stir in 14 oz long-grain white rice, 1 carrot and 1 red pepper (and 3 ½ oz sweetcorn kernels, if using), pushing the chicken down into the liquid. Bring back to a simmer, cover tightly and cook on a low heat for 18 minutes. Common mistake: stirring the rice while it cooks; it breaks the grains and makes it gluey.
18 minStep 7: Scatter 4 oz frozen peas over the top, cover again and turn off the heat. Rest for 10 minutes, until the rice is tender and the liquid absorbed. Check a thigh near the bone: it must read 165°F/165 °F with clear juices.
10 minStep 8: Meanwhile, toss 1 red onion with 3 tbsp lime juice, a pinch of salt and ½ fresh red or yellow chilli, if using. Leave for 10 minutes so it softens.
10 minStep 9: Fluff the rice gently with a fork and serve each plate with chicken and a pile of salsa criolla.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 690 kcal
- Protein
- 40 g
- Carbs
- 86 g
- Fat
- 19 g
- Fibre
- 5 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does arroz con pollo peruano take?
- About 70 minutes in total: 20 minutes to prepare and 50 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 4 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- What can I use instead of ground black pepper?
- Black peppercorns, freshly ground, same amount.
- What can I use instead of ground cumin?
- Cumin seeds, toasted and ground.
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