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Overview

Aguadito de Pollo

Peruvian Green Chicken Soup, Peruvian Cilantro Chicken Soup, Sopa Verde de Pollo

This aguadito de pollo recipe blends fresh cilantro into a vivid green broth, then simmers chicken thighs with rice, potato, carrots, peas and corn until everything is tender. It is the soup Peruvian families cook when the evening turns cold. One serving is about 720 g.

Aguadito — 'little watery soup' — is Peru's green chicken soup, and its colour comes from a handful of cilantro blended into the broth. The dish took shape in colonial times, when Spanish settlers brought rice and cilantro to the Andes and cooks folded them into the local chicken soups. Today it is a family dinner across Peru, cooked in one pot with whatever vegetables are on hand, and Peruvians swear by it for colds and tired bodies — a cousin of the clear caldo de gallina, but green, herby and built on rice instead of noodles.

Pairs well with: Lime wedges, crusty bread and aji amarillo sauce

Provenance

Peru flag Peru

Peruvian Green Soup Classic

Latin America & Caribbean

Time Dedication

1h 10m

20m prep • 50m cook

Batch Yield

4 Servings

533 kcal per serving

1 serving ≈ 720 g

Technical Skill

Intermediate

Medium (One Pot)

Meal Timing & Digestive Fit

Breakfast

Not Advised

Lunch

Hearty Midday Main

Dinner

Ideal Hearty Main

Snack & Tea

Inappropriate

Soups & Broths Occasions: Family dinners, cold evenings, when feeling unwell, weeknight one-pot meals, Sunday meals Cost: Low — about $2–3 per serving at home
Tags: Chicken Rice Herby Soup
A bowl of Peruvian aguadito de pollo, green cilantro chicken and rice soup with peas, corn, potato and chicken

Peruvian Green Soup Classic

Photo: MiguelAlanCS, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

The Heritage Formulary

Measured Ingredients

Estimated cost: Low — about $2–3 per serving at home (USD)

A classic Peruvian green soup: chicken simmered with rice, potato, peas and corn in a cilantro broth, finished with lime.

Execution Methodology & Culinary Technique

Step-by-Step Cooking Guide

Active 1h 10m
P

Prep Stage: Chicken, Vegetables & Green Paste

20 Mins

Cut the chicken into large chunks and season with salt and pepper. Rinse the rice, peel and chunk the potatoes, dice the carrots and chop the onion and garlic. Wash the cilantro, then blend half of it with 250 ml of the broth until smooth — this is the green paste that gives the soup its colour.

Maestro Tip: Blend the cilantro with cold broth, not hot — heat dulls the bright green colour.

  1. 1

    Blend the Green Paste

    5 Mins No heat

    Put half the cilantro (30 g) in a blender with 250 ml of the cold chicken broth and blend until completely smooth. Set aside — this goes in near the end so the soup stays bright green.

    Blend for a full minute; any flecks left now will stay flecks in the soup.

    Done when: Paste is smooth and vivid green, with no visible leaf pieces.

  2. 2

    Sear the Chicken and Soften the Onion

    10 Mins Medium-high heat, ~190°C (375°F)

    Heat the oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Sear the chicken chunks for 3 minutes a side until golden at the edges, then lift them out. Lower the heat, add the onion and cook 4 minutes until soft, then stir in the garlic, cumin and aji amarillo paste for 1 minute until fragrant.

    Do not crowd the pot — sear in one layer so the chicken browns instead of steaming.

    Done when: Chicken is golden at the edges; onion is soft and translucent.

  3. 3

    Simmer the Chicken in Broth

    12 Mins Simmer, ~95°C (200°F)

    Return the chicken to the pot with the remaining 750 ml of broth and the 500 ml of water. Bring to a gentle boil, skim any foam, then lower the heat to a bare simmer and cook for 12 minutes.

    A bare simmer keeps the broth clear and the chicken tender — a hard boil toughens it.

    Done when: Broth is lightly golden; chicken is nearly cooked through.

  4. 4

    Add the Rice, Potato and Vegetables

    18 Mins Simmer, ~95°C (200°F)

    Stir in the rinsed rice, potato chunks, carrots and corn. Simmer for 18 minutes, stirring once or twice so the rice does not stick, until the rice is tender and the potato is soft. Add the peas for the last 5 minutes. The thickest part of the chicken must reach at least 74°C (165°F).

    Stir from the bottom — rice settles and catches easily in the last minutes.

    Done when: Rice is tender, potato yields to a fork, chicken is at least 74°C (165°F).

  5. 5

    Stir in the Green Paste and Serve

    5 Mins Serving, ~80°C (175°F)

    Take the pot off the heat and stir in the green cilantro paste and the lime juice. Taste and adjust the salt. Ladle about 720 g per bowl, scatter the remaining chopped cilantro on top, and serve immediately with lime wedges.

    Stir the paste in off the heat — boiling it turns the green muddy.

    Done when: Soup is vivid green and steaming; each bowl has chicken, rice and vegetables.

Finishing Touches & Plating

Serve it steaming hot with lime wedges on the side — the squeeze of lime at the table is what wakes the whole bowl up.

Nutritional Physiology & Benefits

Nutrition

Energy

533

kcal / serving

Protein

41g

Complete AA

Carbs

67g

Complex

Fats

12g

Healthy

Per serving (4 servings · 1 serving ≈ 720 g)
Energy533 kcal
Protein41 g
Carbohydrates67 g
Fat12 g
Fibre7.3 g
Sugar8.1 g
Sodium936 mg
Per 100g
Energy74 kcal
Protein5.7 g
Carbohydrates9.3 g
Fat1.7 g
Fibre1 g
Sugar1.1 g
Sodium130 mg

Nutrition values are estimated — calculated from USDA FoodData Central values for the listed ingredients.

Vitamins & minerals: Vitamin A (carrots and cilantro), vitamin C (cilantro, lime and peas), vitamin K (cilantro), folate (peas and cilantro), iron and zinc (chicken), potassium (potato and corn).

High in Protein

About 40.9 g of complete protein per serving from the chicken — the building blocks for muscle maintenance and repair.

Vegetables in Every Spoonful

Potato, carrots, peas, corn and a whole bunch of cilantro mean fibre, vitamin A and vitamin C in a single bowl.

One Pot, Real Ingredients

Chicken, rice, vegetables and herbs simmered in broth — the flavour comes from cilantro and time, not stock cubes.

Food Pairings

What to Eat With

To optimize nutrient absorption and elevate the sensory depth, pair with these authentic accompaniments:

Sides

Crusty Bread

Crusty bread is for dipping — it soaks up the green broth, which is too good to leave in the bowl.

More Pairings

Lime Wedges

A squeeze of lime at the table sharpens the cilantro and cuts the richness of the chicken — the classic Peruvian finish.

Sauces

Aji Amarillo Sauce

A spoonful of yellow chilli sauce adds gentle heat and a fruity note that lifts the mild, herby broth.

Drinks

Chicha Morada

Peru's purple corn drink is sweet, spiced and cold — a refreshing contrast to the hot, savoury soup.

Full Menus

Full Peruvian Family Menu

Serve the aguadito as the main course after a small avocado salad, with bread and lime on the table, and finish with fresh fruit.

Complete menu

Serve the aguadito as the main course after a small avocado salad, with crusty bread, lime wedges and aji amarillo sauce on the table, and finish with fresh fruit.

Digestive Guardrails

What NOT to Combine

To prevent digestive distress, sluggishness, or palate clash, avoid pairing the dish with these elements:

Heavy Fried Food Straight After

The soup is already a full meal with chicken and rice, so a heavy fried main straight after it overloads the stomach — keep the rest of the meal light. This is general information, not medical advice.

Alcohol with the Soup

Alcohol on top of a hot, herby soup can upset the stomach and dull the appetite the soup is meant to satisfy — water or chicha morada is the better drink. This is general information, not medical advice.

General information only, not medical advice — consult a doctor for personal dietary decisions.

Who Should Eat It

Who Should Eat

  • General adultsA nourishing, high-protein dinner — a full bowl with chicken, rice and vegetables.
  • ChildrenSuitable from age 2+; shred the chicken and cut the vegetables small for younger children, and go easy on the aji amarillo.
  • ElderlySoft, warm and nourishing — serve the chicken cut up and the soup not too hot.
  • Pregnant womenGenerally suitable when the chicken is cooked right through to 74°C (165°F); use freshly made broth and serve hot.
  • Breastfeeding womenGenerally suitable; the protein, iron and B vitamins support recovery — drink water alongside.
  • AthletesExcellent after training — about 40.9 g of protein with rice and potato for glycogen.
  • Weight gainA good choice — take a second helping of rice and potato with the broth.
  • Weight lossTake mostly broth, chicken and vegetables, and go easy on the rice.

Health Conditions — Adjust or Avoid

Conditions

  • DiabetesThe rice and potato count — keep each to about a cup and fill the bowl with broth, chicken and vegetables. Ask your clinician about portion size.
  • High blood pressureTaste the broth before adding salt at the table — most of the sodium is the salt added in cooking. Ask your clinician about portion size.
  • Kidney diseaseHigh in protein and potassium; eat in a moderate portion and ask your clinician first.
  • GoutEat occasionally and in smaller portions — chicken is moderate in purines. Ask your clinician about frequency.
  • Stomach issuesUsually soothing, but go easy on the aji amarillo paste if your stomach is sensitive. Ask your clinician if symptoms persist.
  • Cardiovascular diseaseRemove the skin (already skinless here) to cut saturated fat, keep the portion moderate, and load up on salad. Ask your clinician about portion size.
  • Fatty liverA good choice — lean protein with potato and vegetables; keep the oil as measured. Ask your clinician about portion size.
  • Food allergiesContains no gluten, egg, milk or nuts as written; check the broth label for hidden allergens. Ask your clinician if you have coeliac disease.
  • Special therapeutic dietsIf you follow a prescribed low-sodium diet, cook it with half the salt and low-sodium broth; check with your clinician before eating.

If you have a medical condition, consult your doctor before changing your diet.

Storage & Use

Storage & Use

How to store
Cool quickly, then store in an airtight container in the fridge.
In the fridge
3 days.
In the freezer
2 months; the rice softens a little on thawing.
How to reheat
Reheat until boiling, then simmer until steaming hot, 74°C (165°F); add a splash of water if it has thickened.
Freezing recommended
Yes — freeze without the fresh cilantro garnish; add it fresh when serving.
Signs it has spoiled
Sour smell, slimy chicken, or a dull grey colour in the broth.

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