Peruvian Rooster Soup (Aguadito de Pollo)

Aguadito de Pollo is a vibrant Peruvian hen soup that’s as nourishing as it’s flavorful. With its signature inexperienced broth—because of a mix of recent cilantro and spinach—this dish delivers a refreshing twist on basic hen soup. Full of tender hen, hearty greens, and a contact of rice, it strikes the right stability between comforting and light-weight. 

This one-pot meal is straightforward to arrange and ideal for a comfortable, satisfying dinner. The intense, herby broth and a touch of aji amarillo give it a novel depth of taste, making it a must-try for any soup lover. Plus, it’s simply 2 WW Factors per serving! Take a look at our different Weight Watchers dinner recipes for extra wholesome and attractive concepts.

Why does the broth have that inexperienced hue?

The key lies in mixing recent cilantro and spinach into hen broth—a trademark of this recipe. This combination is mixed with sautéed greens and conventional substances like aji amarillo paste. By utilizing hen breast because the protein, this dish is hearty but health-conscious.

Why must you attempt Aguadito de Pollo?

When you’re a soup lover, you’re in all probability at all times in search of recipes that mix taste, simplicity, and vitamin. Aguadito de Pollo checks all these packing containers and gives a novel culinary expertise. Right here’s why it’s value making:

• A brand new number of hen soup: Aguadito de Pollo delivers a totally totally different taste and texture in comparison with different hen soups. If yow will discover aji amarillo paste, you’ll take pleasure in its refined warmth and genuine style.
• Simple to make: Past mixing cilantro and spinach for the soup’s signature inexperienced hue, there are not any difficult methods concerned.
• Nice for meal prepping: You may skip the potatoes or substitute them with a lower-carb possibility like butternut squash to create a dish that reheats fantastically.
• Economical: With inexpensive substances like hen, greens, and rice, Aguadito de Pollo is a cost-effective but satisfying meal for the complete household.

Preparation Time: 20 minutes
Cooking Time: 45 minutes
Servings: 4
Serving Dimension: 1 bowl (roughly 350 ml)

2 WW Factors Per Serving. You may view the recipe on the WW App right here. (WW login required.)

Components

• 1 lb hen breast (450 g), boneless and skinless
• 1 tsp salt (5 g), or to style
• ½ tsp black pepper (1 g), or to style
• 1 tbsp vegetable oil (15 ml)
• 1 medium potato (150 g), peeled and diced
• 2 medium carrots (200 g), diced
• 1 medium onion (100 g), finely chopped
• 2 garlic cloves (6 g), minced
• 1 tbsp aji amarillo paste (15 g), optionally available
• 2 cups recent spinach leaves (60 g)
• 1 cup recent cilantro (30 g), stems eliminated
• 1 tbsp culantro (15 g), chopped (optionally available)
• 1 cup inexperienced peas (140 g)
• 4 tbsp raw rice (60 g)
• 6 cups hen broth or water (1.5 liters)

Directions

1. Season the hen breast with ½ tsp of salt and ¼ tsp of black pepper. Warmth the oil in a big pot over medium warmth. Add the hen and sear on each side till golden brown, about 4 minutes per facet. Take away the hen from the pot and set it apart.
2. In the identical pot, add the chopped onion and minced garlic. Sauté for about 5 minutes, stirring often, till softened and aromatic.
3. Stir within the diced carrots, cooking them for a minute. Then, add the diced potato, inexperienced peas, and yellow pepper (if utilizing). Combine properly to coat the greens with the fragrant base and cook dinner for two–3 minutes.
4. Whereas the greens cook dinner, mix the spinach, cilantro, and culantro (if utilizing) with 3 cups (750 ml) of water or hen broth till easy.
5. Return the hen breast to the pot, together with the rice and inexperienced peas. Pour within the blended inexperienced combination and the remaining 3 cups of broth. If utilizing aji amarillo paste, stir it in at this stage for an additional depth of taste.
6. Convey the combination to a mild boil, then scale back the warmth to low. Cowl the pot and simmer for half-hour, permitting the flavors to meld and the rice to cook dinner totally.
7. Style and alter the seasoning with salt and pepper as wanted.
8. Ladle the Aguadito de Pollo into bowls and serve sizzling. For an genuine contact, garnish with just a few additional cilantro leaves.

Variations and Substitutions

The flexibility of Peruvian delicacies is clear, making it straightforward to adapt this recipe based mostly in your preferences or accessible substances:

• Meat swap: Whereas hen is the most typical selection, you’ll additionally discover variations like Aguadito de Gallina (hen), Aguadito de Pato (duck), and even variations utilizing offal (resembling gizzards and liver). For an genuine twist, you may mix hen items with a few of these “menudencias.”
• Added veggies: Peas, broccoli florets, and diced squash are glorious additions to this soup. You may customise it together with your favourite greens to spice up its dietary worth.
• Low Carb: For a lower-carb possibility, substitute the rice with quinoa or cauliflower rice. Each options soak up the soup’s flavors fantastically.

Suggestions and Methods for Making Aguadito de Pollo

• When cooking hen, particularly bone-in items or offal, foam could type on the broth’s floor. Skim it off to maintain the soup base clear and clear.
• Recent cilantro is a superb substitute for culantro. When you’re lucky sufficient to search out frozen culantro, you’ll get even nearer to the genuine Peruvian taste.
• Bone-in hen items add depth to the broth, enhancing the soup’s total taste. Whereas boneless hen is handy, the richness offered by the bones is properly value it.
• Add sturdier greens like carrots and celery early within the cooking course of, and reserve quicker-cooking ones like peas and broccoli for the ultimate minutes. This ensures each vegetable is cooked to perfection