Aguadito de Pollo (Peruvian Chicken and Cilantro Soup) is an easy chicken soup with rice. It’s light and fresh with the help of cilantro and lime juice. It’s a great soup for any cold day (or sick day)!
I am back! As I predicted, internet didn’t get fixed until last Thursday. Thanks to Time Warner. We didn’t have TV and internet for almost a week (Ehhh! The end of the world!). We called and called. Even though we told them the service was already activated in the new place, they insisted to send a technician out. When the technician arrived, he contacted the office and got things done in 10 minutes. He couldn’t understand why he had to come out either. Last night, we got a bill from Time Warner to our old place. It said that we didn’t return the cable boxes and they wanted us to pay $600! WTH! Of course, we didn’t return the box. We took them with us to our new place as we were told. Anyhow, we called them and got that fix. I don’t understand where the complication is. Just a simple service transfer! What a waste of time and resources! Too silly.
Other than the cable and internet issue, the move went smoothly. Some of the furnitures were delivered and set up just 2 nights ago. We have so much stuffs/junks that we are still unpacking at the moment. It would be nice to sit back and relax. With all the unsettling going on, I didn’t slack off in the kitchen. The kitchen was the first place that was ready. I got to start cooking on the 3rd day we moved in. Of course, I am still getting used to everything in the kitchen. I am constantly looking for paper towels, that specific cup, my favorite spatula etc. In a week or two, I am sure I will get used to everything.
On the other hand, it rained 2 days last week. Heavy rain too! Rare scene in LA. It is expected to rain again tomorrow. On a cold rainy day, nothing beats a hot chicken soup. Let me introduce you to this Peruvian chicken and cilantro soup. We first had this in a Peruvian restaurant, El Pollo Inka. (If you ever go there, get their Saltado de Pollo, chicken sauteed with onion, tomatoes, & french fries). It is like a good old chicken and rice soup, but with cilantro and lime. That fresh cilantro and tangy lime takes the classic to another level. This recipe is from LA Times that is provided by El Pollo Inka. It tasted just like the one in restaurant. I suggest you to make some extra. Freeze it. Take it out to reheat them when you are not feeling well. I hope you enjoy this comfort soup. Have a great weekend!
Aguadito de Pollo (Peruvian Chicken and Cilantro Soup)
Ingredients
- 1¾ pounds chicken with bones
- 2 medium red potatoes (peeled and diced into 1-inch cubes)
- 4½ tablespoons rice (rinsed and drained)
- ¾ stalk celery (cut in half)
- ¾ tablepsoon garlic (minced)
- 7½ cups water (divided)
- ¾ cup frozen corn, green bean, & carrot
- ¼ bunch cilantro
- 1 lime (cut into wedges for serving)
- salt
- ground black pepper
Instructions
- In a medium pot over high heat, add the chicken, potatoes, rice, celery, garlic, 1 teaspoon of salt, and 7 cups of water. Bring to a boil and reduce to medium heat and cook until the chicken is tender, about 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Add the frozen vegetables and cook for a couple minutes. If desired, carefully remove some of the fat that float to the top with a spoon while boiling.
- Remove from heat. Remove the chicken and celery with tongs. Place the chicken on a cutting board to cool. Discard the celery.
- Meanwhile, in a blender, add the cilantro and ½ cup water. Blend until the cilantro is minced. Stir into the soup.
- When the chicken is cool enough to handle, shred or cut the chicken into bite size. Discard the bones. Place a desired amount of chicken meat back to the soup. Save the rest for some other use.
- Bring the soup to a simmer over medium heat and cook for 5 minutes. Make sure the potatoes are cooked through. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper. Transfer the soup to serving bowls. Serve immediately with a lime wedge on the side. Squeeze desired amount of lime juice into the soup.
Notes
- If you prefer fresh vegetables, feel free to use them.
- This soup is freezable. Let the hot soup cool down to room temperature. Transfer to an airtight container and freeze. Use within 2 – 3 months.
This sounds like the most appealing soup ever. I always loved rice in my soups (still do!) When I was about 9, a teacher walked past me having lunch in school and saw me pouring every last drop of soup into my rice bowl. She determined that I must like “swimming rice.” LOL! So now whenever I boil up some soup, I always make space for some rice to get in & all soaked up with soup because that’s what comfort really is! 🙂
LOL! How cute! I rarely had rice in soup. I like that they makes soup more filling. And you are so right that they absorb all the delicious flavors. Have a wonderful weekend!
I love Peruvian food! Could I use yucca in place of potatoes?
I have never cooked with yucca, so I’m not sure how it is like in soup. Let me know if you ever tried it.
My Nonna used to make soup with rice and potatoes. It’s such a comforting combination. Your post just brought me back to such good memories! I’ll have to try this!
It is truly a comforting soup. I hope you will like the twist of cilantro and lime. Enjoy! Thanks for stopping by. Happy Holidays!
Lovely website~!
Mind checking out my new blog ^^
Would really appreciate it <3
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And Merry Christmas to you all 🙂
Thanks! Will do! Hope you had a great holiday!
I can’t imagine to live without internet for a week! I really can’t. Anyhow, I’m so glad you guys have moved into the new place and everything is getting settled down. I understand the frustration along with the moving and getting everything done, but you’ll survive these!
This a lovely hearty soup and I can drink it all day during the harsh winter here.
Hope you have a great holiday and everything goes smoothly!
Thank you Maggie! 🙂 Yea, internet has become such a big part in our lives. It is hard to live without! Crazy thing!
I am sure Beijing winter is cold and harsh. Hopefully you are eating many soups to keep warm. Stay warm, girl!
The ingredients say 6 and 1/2 cup of water, but why does your direction says 8 cups of water?
Hi Linda,
I’m so sorry! I don’t know how I miss that. It should be 6 cups in the recipe. My mistake! I will correct it in the recipe ASAP.
Will the outcome be the same if I don’t blend the cilantro? Should I maybe try a cilantro paste or maybe chop real thin? I don’t have a blender
Definitely chop the cilantro finely. Chopping them will release more flavors and give a beautiful green color. I have no experience with herb paste, so I am not sure about that. Hope this helps!
Thank you Lokness! I can’t believe I found this recipe! I had this soup once at El Pollo Inka in Hawthorne years ago and it was so good, I never forgot it. I have searched for this recipe years ago and found nothing. Just out of curiosity, I did a search today and found your recipe! Thank you! I can’t wait to try it. Just one question, what do you think about using a roasted cooked chicken from the supermarket instead?
What a find! Thanks again!
Hahaha, I hope you will like this! Let me know what you think! Roasted cooked chicken would totally work! Remove all the meat and use the carcass to make the broth. Then add back some meat (eat the rest of meat for another meal ) in the soup a bit later.
Made this tonight. This soup was so delicious! Should have doubled the recipe because there is not a drop of it left.
Love this soup. Have made it several times.
What I don’t understand is the amount of water you include in the ingredients 11.25 cups of water (divided) and then in recipe instructions you say cook in 7 cups of water. What do you with the remaining 4 1/4 cups of water. Please clarify.
Thank you
Hi Lucy, happy to hear you enjoyed this soup. I have revised the recipe a few years ago, so it’s 7½ cups of water total. 7 cups to start with the chicken and ½ cup to blend with cilantro. Hope this helps.