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Peruvian Green Chicken with Rice and Quinoa Recipe (Arroz con Pollo Verde)

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This Peruvian Green Chicken with Rice and Quinoa is a healthy and hearty one pot meal.
Peruvian Green Chicken with Rice and Quinoa © Jeanette's Healthy Living
Spring time is probably the busiest time of year for our family, so one pot meals are the perfect solution for a no-fuss dinner. Chicken and rice is a classic one-pot combination in all different cultures (China, Japan, India, Spain, Portugal, West Africa, Latin America, the Caribbean, Cajun) and I consider it pure comfort food. Today’s recipe for Peruvian Green Chicken with Rice and Quinoa (Arroz con Pollo Verde) is just one variation, spiced with lots of fresh cilantro and cumin, and made a bit healthier with the addition of quinoa and some extra vegetables.

Both chicken and rice absorb flavors well, which makes them the perfect canvas for different herbs and spices. I chose boneless skinless chicken thighs because they don’t dry out as easily as chicken breast, and a combination of white quinoa and RiceSelect™ Jasmati® Rice, a long grain American grown jasmine rice, similar to aromatic Thai jasmine rice. Although I like the chewy texture of brown rice, my kids like white rice, so we compromised, combining fragrant Jasmati rice and white quinoa (high in fiber and protein).

I’ve been intrigued by Peruvian food following a meal at a local Peruvian restaurant. The restaurant is located in a little strip mall across the parking lot from a large electronics store, and next to an Indian grocery store, not in a very central location, and easily missed by the ordinary person. As a foodie, I’m always on the lookout for interesting cuisines, especially inexpensive good eats. This restaurant won’t win any awards for decor, but the prices were very affordable and the menu had lots to choose from, including ceviches, fresh snapper (my friend ordered this and it came with head and tail), and Saltado de Mariscos (Sauteed shrimp, squid, scungilli, mussels, octopus, crab, onions and tomatoes).

As soon as we were seated, a bowl of Peruvian green chili sauce and a basket of bread were placed on our table – the sauce is a “secret recipe.” Of course when anyone tells me it’s a “secret recipe,” I need to find out what that is. I’ve been looking for this “secret” green sauce recipe for weeks and have come across a few variations. It’s basically a cilantro sauce spiced with fresh jalapeno peppers, made creamy with a bit of mayonnaise. Some recipes I came across for this green chili sauce added lettuce leaves to it. The waitress at the restaurant would only tell us that it was actually quite healthy. Hmm…perhaps because it’s made with vegetables?
Peruvian Green Chicken with Rice and Quinoa © Jeanette's Healthy Living
I came across today’s recipe for Peruvian Green Chicken with Rice (Arroz con Pollo Verde) and the elusive Green Chili Sauce (Aji Verde) in a cookbook at our local library, Peruvian Cookbook A Beginner’s Guide. Although this dish is traditionally made with white rice, I decided to bump up the nutrition in this dish by using half white quinoa (quinoa actually originated in the Andean region of Peru, Ecuador, Bolivia and Colombia 3000 to 4000 years ago), and half Jasmati rice (my kids are not huge fans of quinoa, so I “hid” the quinoa in this dish). I also added some chopped cabbage and increased the amount of vegetables in the recipe. The original recipe said to add beer after the dish is cooked, which seemed odd to me, so I used some beer as cooking liquid for the rice and quinoa.

As I was in a rush for dinner the night I made this, I cooked the vegetables and chicken briefly on the stove top before throwing everything into my rice cooker…I had to run to the train station to pick up one of the boys who had just returned from a college trip. The rice cooker is a great appliance to have if you want a meal that can cook without any watching over. We walked in the door and I whizzed up the Green Chili Sauce – dinner was ready in just a few minutes.
Peruvian Green Chicken with Rice and Quinoa © Jeanette's Healthy Living
The Green Chili Sauce (Aji Verde) is well worth making – in my view, it makes this dish – the bright flavors and spice bring this simple chicken and rice dish to a different level. I’ll be ordering my own copy of this beginner’s Peruvian cookbook – it’s for a good cause (in support of eradicating poverty in Peru) and a great introduction to Peruvian cuisine.

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A Healthier Peruvian Green Chicken with Rice and Quinoa (Arroz con Pollo Verde)

Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes
Servings 6
Calories 597 kcal

Ingredients

Green Chili Sauce (Aji Verde)

  • 1 bunch cilantro leaves and stems
  • 1-2 jalapenos seeded (use more or less depending on how spicy the peppers are)
  • 1 clove garlic
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 cup olive oil
  • 1/4 cup water plus more as needed to reach desired consistency
  • 3 tablespoons low-fat mayonnaise or vegan mayonnaise
  • a squeeze of fresh lemon juice

Peruvian Green Chicken with Rice (Arroz con Pollo Verde)

  • 1 bunch cilantro leaves and stems
  • 1/4 cup water
  • 1 1/4 pound boneless chicken thighs cut into 2" pieces
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 onion chopped
  • 2 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 red bell pepper chopped
  • 2 carrots chopped (~ 1 cup)
  • 1 cup cabbage chopped
  • 1 cup jasmine rice or other long grain rice
  • 1 cup quinoa
  • 1 cup beer
  • 1 cup water
  • 1/2 cup frozen peas

Instructions

Green Chili Sauce (Aji Verde)

  1. Place all ingredients in a food processor or blender and puree. Add more water as needed to reach desired consistency.

Peruvian Green Chicken with Rice (Arroz con Pollo Verde)

  1. Place cilantro and water in food processor or blender and puree. Set aside.
  2. In a medium bowl, toss together chicken pieces, ground cumin, salt and pepper.
  3. Heat oil in a large sauté pan on medium heat. Add chicken and cook, turning pieces over to brown on both sides. Set aside.
  4. Add garlic, onion, red peppers and carrots to pan. Sauté for 3 minutes until softened. Add cabbage and sauté another minute.
  5. Rinse rice and quinoa well (at least 3 times); drain. Place rice and quinoa in a rice cooker. Add beer, water, chicken, pureed cilantro and vegetables. Cook on white rice setting. Add peas and close rice cooker; let stand for a few minutes; toss peas into rice/quinoa.
  6. Serve with Green Chili Sauce.

Recipe Notes

Adapted from Peruvian Cookbook A Beginner's Guide.

Nutrition Facts
A Healthier Peruvian Green Chicken with Rice and Quinoa (Arroz con Pollo Verde)
Amount Per Serving
Calories 597 Calories from Fat 279
% Daily Value*
Fat 31g48%
Saturated Fat 6g38%
Cholesterol 94mg31%
Sodium 250mg11%
Potassium 602mg17%
Carbohydrates 53g18%
Fiber 5g21%
Sugar 4g4%
Protein 23g46%
Vitamin A 4401IU88%
Vitamin C 41mg50%
Calcium 53mg5%
Iron 3mg17%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
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Comments

      • ann dunaway teh says

        I do have a question in reading back over recipe, is there cilantro in the chicken as well or just the sauce? The recipe lists it both places but I don’t see instructions on what to do with it after pureeing with a little bit of water. Thanks!

        Reply

        • Jeanette says

          Hi Ann, the cilantro is used in both the chicken and the sauce. One bunch of cilantro is used for the sauce, and another bunch is used for the chicken.

          Reply

          • Kim says

            Jeanette,

            What do you do with the cilantro for the chicken? It says to set it aside and I cannot figure out where to add it 😮

            Thanks so much 🙂

          • Jeanette says

            Hi Kim, thanks for the catch! The cilantro puree goes in when the rice, chicken and vegetables are all mixed together just before cooking it all together. I’ve fixed the recipe text. Thank you!

  10. Lisa Brown says

    I like to spice up meals by having something hot and spicy once and a while like chili and rice.
    jslbrown_03 at yahoo dot com

    Reply

    • Jeanette says

      Brown rice can sometimes take twice as long to cook as white rice, so you might try cooking the brown rice halfway before adding all the rest of the ingredients; otherwise the chicken and quinoa will be overcooked.

      Reply

  13. EA-The Spicy RD says

    So excited to see this recipe! When we lived in Falls Church, VA, there was a “fast food” Peruvian chicken restaurant that we would go to from time to time, and I think this is the green sauce they served. Love this sauce! Can’t wait to try this recipe-everything about ti looks delicious!

    Reply

  15. Kelly D says

    I like to spice up family meals by creating different veggie dishes by trying veggies and spices that are new to my kids. I would like to use Jasmati rice in stuffed peppers served over tomato sauce.

    Reply

  18. Kris says

    This looks delicious! Cant wait to try it! We love to spice things up with home-grown jalapeños! I put them in almost everything! I also like to use crushed red pepper.q

    Reply

  20. Reener Grant says

    I have two boys ages 14 & 8 and once a week either boys gets to choose a recipe from any region of the world. They uses the Internet, cook books or magazine on hand then we shop for the ingredients and they participate in the preparation of the dish. They learn about different cuisine and ways to spice up our everyday meal.

    Reply

  21. Margaret Smith says

    My favorite way to spice up meals is by adding lots of spices. I also like to make meals that are mixed in with different items like rice, chicken & veggies, mixed together.

    Reply

  23. Kiersten @ Oh My Veggies says

    This looks delicious–and so perfect for springtime! Last summer I had an over-abundance of poblano peppers from my garden, so I roasted and froze them. We love stirring them into soups and sauces to add a little kick!

    Reply

  25. Stephanie V. says

    haven’t tried but

    ENGLAND

    LAYERED RICE PUDDING sounds lovely!

    currently spice up our meals by making ethnic dishes in addition to our staples

    Reply

  29. Tamar says

    yum. Rice is a great side dish for spicy foods, keeping the heat a little lower! It’s great for indian and southern fare. Tonight I had rice with jambalaya.

    Reply

  36. Jillian C says

    I am Peruvian, so it makes me happy to see recipes that are inspired by Peruvian cuisine and flavors! If you like Aji Verde sauce, I would recommend getting some Aji Amarillo peppers. They are very hard to find fresh, but most Latin grocery stores will carry them jarred or canned whole, or blended to a paste. The flavor is uniquely spicy and wonderful! My grandmother would often have the paste on the table as a condiment. Besides use in traditional Peruvian recipes, I often use the paste to spice up my everyday cooking. I recently added some in to my deviled egg mixture and they came out delicious.

    Reply

  37. Kelly @ Inspired Edibles says

    I agree, there is something so comforting and versatile about chicken and rice – lately, I’ve been varying the rice with millet, buckwheat and quinoa which sop up flavors equally well and create a nice diversity of nutrients. That secret ‘green sauce’ has my toes curling ;-). We find the combination of coconut, lime and cilantro hard to beat!

    Reply

  40. Heather @ Bake, Run, Live says

    I really don’t like spicy foods, though I’m trying! I make chili that calls for cayenne, cumin, cinnamon, and chili powder. Each time I make it, I increase the cayenne and chili powders, in order to get a little more heat. My boyfriend likes spicy foods, so I am trying to train myself to like a little more heat.
    Now, garlic, onions, herbs…I’m all for!!!

    Reply

  47. Barbara M says

    I use a lot of spices and salsa in my recipes – we like it hot and tasty!
    Your recipe makes me thing oh yum!
    Thank you.

    Reply

  59. Elena T says

    I have been playing with curries (yellow and green mostly). I love cilantro too, and add it when I can. I have one question: how big is your rice cooker? We have a smaller Zojirushi (my hubbie’s dream cooker) and wonder if this will fit.

    Reply

    • Jeanette says

      Hi Elena – my rice cooker can cook up to 5 cups of rice. You could probably also bake this in the oven in a covered casserole or pot.

      Reply

  64. rachel says

    By making new dishes — that’s the surest way to spice up a dinner! I like trying new spices out, too, like cardamom.

    Reply

  65. Ttrockwood says

    This sauce sounds so delicious!
    My favorite way to spice up my meals is with a changing variety of ethnic meals- i made a persian lentil rice pilaf that was awesome, and enjoy indian, greek, spanish and more!

    Reply

  69. Sean says

    I love tasting foods from different cultures, but I’ve never tried anything Peruvian. This looks delicious and is perfect for the beginning of Spring. Will definitely try this recipe out. Many thanks for sharing your recipe.

    Reply

  75. Kat says

    This recipe looks great, will be making it this week! I use a lot of different spices, lately I’ve been using cumin, smoked paprika, turmeric and always garlic.

    Reply

  78. Amy Tong says

    My favorite way to spice up family meals is to add fresh herbs and spices without adding salt. Always works wonderfully with my family’s low-sodium diet. 🙂

    amy [at] utry [dot] it

    Reply

  84. Julie Smith says

    I like to spice up family meals with variety – each week, I try at least one new recipe for a main dish and/or side dish and one for a dessert.

    Thanks for the chance to win!

    Reply

  88. Lena says

    I’ve never used my rice cooker for anything but rice before. It only has one setting, “cook”, other than that it’s “keep warm”, which the button automatically pops to after done. Does your rice cooker have multiple settings or do you think it would work with my simple cooker?

    Reply

  95. ky2here says

    I used cajun seasoning on the swai yesterday, who knew blackening would still be tolerated!

    Reply

  97. Carolsue says

    I use a lot of rice and quite often add spices like curry powder, cilantro or cumin to “spice it up.”
    Digicats {at} Sbcglobal {dot} Net

    Reply

  103. Kerry says

    I like to spice things up by trying new recipes. There’s an orange chicken crock pot recipe I really want to try. I would love to try it with RiceSelect!

    Reply

  104. Angel Jacklyn says

    I LIKE TO BRING IN SOME TYPE OF FLAVOR VARIETY WITH THE PRODUCTS I USE TO MAKE THE DINNER. THIS RICE SOUNDS AWESOME!

    Reply

  112. Ashley Tucker says

    I like to add in seasoning to spice things up. This would be great to add to lots of meals
    ajoy1332 at yahoo dot com

    Reply

  118. Betty C says

    My children grew up with me trying all kinds of ethnic recipes. Now they are happy to cook their own ethic recipes. I’d like to try making my own sushi.

    Reply

  120. Wild Orchid says

    I would love to make a delicious stir-fry.

    Thanks for the chance to win!
    wildorchid985 at gmail dot com

    Reply

  122. clynsg says

    Rice is versatile and can be used in main dishes, side dishes, and desserts–and I use it in all of them.

    Reply

  123. Deb Anderson says

    I use red pepper flakes usually, not too much 🙂 but I’ve been cooking a lot with sour cream lately and getting some very different tastes out of old favorite recipes!

    Reply

  125. Tabathia B says

    I would use it with some chicken and veggies or make a pork free jambalaya

    tbarrettno1 at gmail dot com

    Reply

  127. Lorena Keech says

    I use both vinegar and lemon/lime to add flavor to a lot of dishes, especially those with greens.

    Reply

  132. angie lilly says

    My fav way to spice up family meals is to make it ethnic: Italian, Indian, Asian, Greek, etc. Never a bored palate! Rice works its way into those meals more times than not!

    Reply

  135. ewhatley says

    We eat a lot of stir fry dishes with rice and I want to try some of these varieties instead of our plain white rice.

    Reply

  142. almanyc says

    my favorite way is to look up an ingredient search online and see what new dishes i can create with what i already have

    Reply

  148. Gina Ferrell says

    I like to spice up my meals by using different herbs and spices. We like everything spicy here in Louisiana.

    Reply

  160. Janice Cooper says

    I like to spice up our meals using veggies and different seasonings like garlic, cayenne and curry powder.

    Reply

  164. Lisa says

    It’s good your version but the green salsa is not secret it’s a little hard to get the ingredients. And the arroz con pollo with cabbage hmmm good invention . I am Peruvian and will try your version.

    Reply

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