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Arroz con Pollo Peruano

Green-tinted, cilantro-scented rice cooked with juicy chicken in one pot — the Sunday lunch that fills Peruvian homes with color and aroma.

⏱ 20 minPrep time
🔥 45 minCook time
🍽 6Servings
🏷 DinnerCategory
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Arroz con Pollo Peruano

Arroz con pollo is Peru’s answer to comfort food: chicken and rice simmered together in a vivid puree of cilantro, aji amarillo, and beer until every grain is fragrant and tinted green. Each region has its twist, but the coastal version with peas, carrots, and a crisp beer is the one most Peruvians grew up on.

One pot, seriously green, impossibly fragrant

The rice absorbs the chicken stock and cilantro puree, becoming tender, lightly oily, and packed with herbal flavor, while the chicken turns spoon-tender. The pop of sweet peas and carrots against the savory rice makes every forkful a little celebration.

Get the rice right every time with our How to Cook Perfect Rice Every Time.

Step by stepInstructions

  1. Blend the cilantro with the red bell pepper and 1/2 cup of water into a smooth, vivid green puree.
  2. Season the chicken with salt and pepper, and brown it in the oil in a large pot over medium-high heat for 4 to 5 minutes per side; remove and set aside.
  3. In the same pot, cook the onion for 4 minutes until soft, then add the garlic, cumin, and aji amarillo paste and cook 1 minute more.
  4. Stir in the rice and toast it for 2 minutes, then pour in the beer or stock and the cilantro puree.
  5. Nestle the chicken pieces into the rice, add the peas and carrots, and bring to a boil.
  6. Cover, reduce to the lowest simmer, and cook for 25 minutes without lifting the lid until the rice is tender and has absorbed the liquid.
  7. Rest off the heat for 10 minutes, then fluff the rice and serve the chicken on top.

💡 Chef tips & storage

Resist lifting the lid while the rice cooks — the steam does the work. Leftovers keep 3 days refrigerated and reheat well with a splash of stock to loosen the rice.

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Recipe details

Prep20 min
Cook45 min
Servings6
CategoryDinner
PublishedAugust 17, 2026
Emily — the cook behind My Comfort Recipes

Hi, I'm Emily 🧡

Hi, I'm Emily — the cook behind My Comfort Recipes. Simple, tested comfort food for real weeknights, written down the way grandma would. Pull up a chair. More about me →