Say goodbye to bland chicken soup. Aguadito de pollo is an incredibly flavorful, mildly spicy, hearty soup from Peru. This is comfort food at its best: chunks of rotisserie chicken, tender potatoes, a variety of colorful vegetables and healthy brown rice. Its gorgeous bright green color and bright flavor comes from an entire bunch of cilantro, blended smooth with Peruvian aji amarillo (spicy yellow pepper) paste and fresh lime juice.
Peruvian cuisine and aguadito de pollo
Aguadito de pollo reflects the rich cultural heritage and history of Peru, showcasing the fusion of various culinary traditions that have come together to create a truly distinct and delicious cuisine. These influences include those of the indigenous population, including the Incas, the Spanish conquistadors and settlers, African slaves and later, Japanese and Chinese immigrants.
Aguadito de pollo is believed to have originated from the indigenous cuisine of the Andes region, where the use of herbs and spices such as cilantro was common along with core crops like corn and potatoes. The Spanish conquistadors and settlers introduced rice and chicken, neither of which were native to Peru. And African slaves brought their own cooking styles and flavors to the country, particularly the use of chili peppers, like aji amarillo. So, in aguadito de pollo, these cultural influences have combined to create a unique and flavorful dish that is considered a hallmark of Peruvian cuisine.
My dear Peruvian friend, Jannet, introduced me to this wonderful soup, which is wildly popular in Lima and other parts of Peru. She made it right after Thanksgiving using a rich broth from the turkey bones and used turkey meat instead of chicken. That version is called aguadito de pava. It was so flavorful and so delicious! I know you will enjoy this chicken-based version. Although we use a rotisserie chicken here, think of it also as a great recipe to use whenever you roast poultry. This recipe is an adaptation of one on the wonderful gimmesomeoven blog.
Aguadito de pollo is hearty enough to be served as a main course. Serve it with a fresh salad such as Citrus Salad with Avocado, Mint and Pistachio and you’ve got a delicious, healthy meal that will please the whole family.
Ingredients
Aji amarillo
Aji amarillo is a type of chili pepper grown all over Peru. In Spanish, “aji” means chili pepper and “amarillo” means yellow, although as it matures, it’s color changes to bright orange. Aji amarillo has a distinct, fruity flavor that balances its moderate to high heat level (30,000 to 50,000 Scoville units). Its so ubiquitous in Peruvian cooking that the famous Peruvian chef and restauranteur Gastón Acurio has called aji amarillo the most important ingredient in Peruvian cooking. Aji amarillo is used in many classic Peruvian dishes, like ceviche, and in many sauces, where it adds a bright complex flavor as well as its distinctive yellow/orange color.
I find the heat is just perfect; it doesn't burn your tongue. but leaves a warm mellow heat that is delightful. Aji amarillo peppers are high in vitamin C and other antioxidants, so it adds a healthy zip to your cooking.
Inca’s Food and Belmont are both excellent brands of jarred aji amarillo and are available in Latin American grocery stores and online here. A newer organic brand, Costa Peruana, is also now available and is highly rated. You can buy it here:
Other ingredients
- rotisserie chicken
- water
- sea salt
- olive oil
- poblano pepper
- yellow onion
- garlic
- corn
- yellow potatoes
- red bell pepper
- brown rice
- peas
- cumin
- cilantro
- lime juice
- black pepper
See recipe card for quantities.
Instructions
Make the stock
If your rotisserie chicken is freshly cooked and still hot, shred the breast meat with 2 large forks. Then use your fingers to slide the meat off the wings, legs and thighs. Separate the meat from the skins, cartilage and bones. Put the meat in a medium bowl, cover and refrigerate until ready to use.
Put the skin, cartilage and bones into a Dutch oven or large soup pot. Add 10 cups of water to the pot with 1 teaspoon salt and bring to a boil. Lower the heat to a medium low and simmer for 1 hour. A rotisserie chicken should produce a fragrant, richly colored broth. Cool the broth and then strain into a large bowl or preferably at 2 quart measuring cup. You should have 6-7 cups of gorgeous, rich broth. If you’re short of that amount, add some water to get to at least 6 cups. Discard the bones and skin.
Make the soup
Dice the onions and poblano (discard the seeds) and roughly chap the garlic. Heat the oil in the same pot on medium-high heat. Add the onion, poblano and garlic and sauté for 5-7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables soften. Do not let the vegetables burn. Turn down the heat if necessary. When soft, remove from the heat, let cool slightly and then place vegetables in a blender.
While the onions and peppers cook, cut the kernels off the corn cobs and set aside. Cut the potatoes into 1 inch cubes (there is no need to peel them). Cut the red peppers into ½ inch dice.
Wipe out the pot again and put all but 1 cup of the chicken stock back into the pot. Stir in 3 cups of the reserved chicken meat (use any remaining meat for another purpose), along with the corn, potatoes, red pepper, brown rice, peas and cumin. Heat to a gentle boil on medium-high and then lower the heat to medium or medium-low and cook, most covered, stirring occasionally, for 50 minutes. The soup should be gently bubbling as it cooks. Adjust the heat accordingly. At the end of 50 minutes, check to be sure the potatoes are tender and the rice is fully cooked. Continue to cook if needed.
Chop the thicker stems off the bunch of cilantro, add the cilantro (reserve ½ cup of the leaves for serving), lime and aji amarillo to the blender with the onion, poblano and garlic. Puree until very smooth and then stir into the soup along with ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper. Taste for seasoning and then add additional salt if necessary. Serve hot, topped with additional chopped cilantro.
Substitutions
- White rice - white rice can be substituted for brown rice in this recipe. Some people prefer the flavor and texture of white rice, although brown rice is certainly healthier. If you use white rice, reduce the cooking time of the soup to 30 minutes.
- Frozen corn - I love fresh corn on the cob and fortunately, my local grocery stores tend to have it year round. But frozen corn is certainly an acceptable substitute and is much easier to deal with. Use 1 cup of frozen corn instead of the two ears of corn for this recipe
- What can I substitute for aji amarillo? - if you don't have access to aji amarillo, you can use fresh jalapeño or serrano peppers to add heat to your aguadito de pollo. Your soup will still be delicious but the flavor will not be authentic aguadito de pollo.
Variations
- Jannet's version - My Peruvian friend Jannet would not think of putting potatoes, cumin or lime in her aguadito de pollo. That's the beauty of recipes like this, the infinite variations by region and even by family tradition! I can vouch that Jannet's rice-only version, without cumin and lime is equally delicious, just different! And it's the inspiration for this post.
- Turkey - There is an incomparable richness to turkey stock and turkey meat. Try this aguadito de pollo recipe next Thanksgiving, using your leftover turkey carcass for the broth and leftover turkey meat. In Peru, this is called Aguadito de Pava. Delicious!
Equipment
For the cilantro and aji amarillo mixture. you can use a food processor, but it will not give you a really smooth mixture and you will see flecks of cilantro. This won't affect the taste, just the look of the aguadio de pollo. To get the ideal smooth consistency, you need a high speed blender. The gold standard is Vitamix for unparalleled smooth sauces and soups. You can spend hundreds of dollars on high end Vitamix blenders, and they last forever. But people love the relatively inexpensive, more compact Vitamix ONE, available on Amazon.
Storage
Store leftover aguadito de pollo covered in the refrigerator up to 5 days. Also, aguadito de pollo freezes well. Make a big batch and freeze dinner-sized portions. Then you can whip up dinner quickly when you're having a busy day.
Top tip
If you want your peas to retain their bright green color, add them in the last 10 minutes of cooking time.
FAQ
Aji amarillo has a distinct, fruity and slightly sweet flavor. People say that it smells a bit like a raisin and has a taste that includes the subtle tropical flavors of mango and passionfruit. This chili pepper can be hot, scoring between 30,000 to 50,000 units on the Scoville scale That makes it similar to the heat of a jalapeño pepper. It's a wonderfully versatile chili pepper that adds unique flavor and heat to a variety of dishes in Latin American cuisine.
Peruvian cuisine is unique due to its blending of indigenous, Spanish, African, Asian and European flavors and cooking techniques. This combination has produced a diverse and flavorful cuisine, that uses fresh ingredients such as corn, potatoes, fish, peppers and a wide range of spices and seasonings. Additionally, Peruvian cuisine also showcases the country's rich cultural heritage and diversity, with regional dishes and cooking styles that reflect the influence of its various immigrant populations. Some popular Peruvian dishes include Ceviche, Lomo Saltado, Ají de Gallina, and the popular cocktail, the Pisco Sour.
Aguadito de Pollo (Peruvian Chicken Soup)
Ingredients
- 1 rotisserie chicken
- 10 cups water
- 2 teaspoon sea salt, plus more to taste
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1 poblano pepper
- 1 yellow onion, medium
- 6 cloves garlic
- 2 ears corn
- 1 lb yellow potatoes
- 1 red bell pepper
- ½ cup brown rice
- 1 cup frozen peas
- 2 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 bunch cilantro, divided
- 3 tablespoon freshly squeezed lime juice, from 1-2 limes
- 3 tablespoon aji amarillo paste
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
Make the stock
- If your rotisserie chicken is freshly cooked and still hot, shred the breast meat with 2 large forks. Then use your fingers to slide the meat off the wings, legs and thighs. Separate the meat from the skins, cartilage and bones. Put the meat in a medium bowl, cover and refrigerate until ready to use.
- Put the skin, cartilage and bones into a Dutch oven or large soup pot. Add 10 cups of water to the pot with 1 teaspoon salt and bring to a boil. Lower the heat to a medium low and simmer for 1 hour. A rotisserie chicken should produce a fragrant, richly colored broth. Cool the broth and then strain into a large bowl or preferably at 2 quart measuring cup. You should have 6-7 cups of gorgeous, rich broth. If you’re short of that amount, add some water to get to at least 6 cups. Discard the bones and skin.
Make the soup
- Dice the onions and poblano (discard the seeds) and roughly chap the garlic. Heat the oil in the same pot on medium-high heat. Add the onion, poblano and garlic and sauté for 5-7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables soften. Do not let the vegetables burn. Turn down the heat if necessary. When soft, remove from the heat, let cool slightly and then place vegetables in a blender.
- While the onions and peppers cook, cut the kernels off the corn cobs and set aside. Cut the potatoes into 1 inch cubes (there is no need to peel them). Cut the red peppers into ½ inch dice.
- Wipe out the pot again and put all but 1 cup of the chicken stock back into the pot. Stir in 3 cups of the reserved chicken meat (use any remaining meat for another purpose), along with the corn, potatoes, red pepper, brown rice, peas and cumin. Heat to a gentle boil on medium-high and then lower the heat to medium or medium-low and cook, most covered, stirring occasionally, for 50 minutes. The soup should be gently bubbling as it cooks. Adjust the heat accordingly. At the end of 50 minutes, check to be sure the potatoes are tender and the rice is fully cooked. Continue to cook if needed.
- Chop the thicker stems off the bunch of cilantro, add the cilantro (reserve ½ cup of the leaves for serving), lime and aji amarillo to the blender with the onion, poblano and garlic. Puree until very smooth and then stir into the soup along with ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper. Taste for seasoning and then add additional salt if necessary. Serve hot, topped with additional chopped cilantro.
Maria Alejandra Pedersen
In my opinion, if you are going to do a Peruvian dish, you should present it as it is meant tk be presented. Poblano peppers? potatoes? I see you state your Peruvian friend would not out that...the. Please change the name of your recipe because this is not aguadito.
Rae Ann Alton
Hi Maria, I did a lot of research on aguadito before I published this recipe. On almost every Peruvian food site I found, potatoes were central to the recipe. That includes sites like comida-peruana.com, perudelights.com and even the aguadito entry on Wikipedia. I'm guessing that aguadito is much like American chicken soup: every kitchen prepares it a little differently. My Mom may use noodles in hers and another family likes rice or barley in theirs. I clearly state differences in aguadito recipes in my post. Was your one star rating of my recipe based on how it tasted to you? Were the instructions difficult to follow? Or did you review it without even making the recipe, giving it one star based on a sense of outrage over its name and out of mean-spiritedness?