Peruvian Style Chicken with Rice

01

Step 1

Start by seasoning the chicken with salt and pepper. Heat some oil in a large pan over medium-high heat, then brown the chicken on all sides for about 5 to 7 minutes. Once it's nicely browned, take the chicken out and set it aside.

02

Step 2

Add a bit more oil to the pan and toss in the onion. Cook it until it softens and becomes translucent, which should take around 5 minutes. Then stir in the garlic and cook for another minute or two until fragrant. Next, add the cilantro, chile paste, salt, and pepper. Keep cooking and stirring until the cilantro darkens and everything is well combined, about 3 to 5 minutes.

03

Step 3

Pour in the chicken broth and scrape up any browned bits stuck to the pan – that’s where the flavor is! Let it simmer gently for a few minutes, then carefully transfer this mixture to a blender and puree until smooth.

04

Step 4

Heat some more oil in the same pan over medium-high heat and sauté the bell pepper until it softens, around 5 minutes. Pour the cilantro sauce back into the pan, add the chicken, cover it, and lower the heat. Let it cook slowly until the chicken is cooked through and no longer pink inside, which should take about 20 to 30 minutes.

05

Step 5

Once the chicken is done, remove it from the pan. Add water and rice to the sauce in the pan—use enough water so the rice will cook properly. Bring it to a boil, then cover and lower the heat to simmer until the rice is tender and has absorbed all the liquid, anywhere from 20 to 40 minutes.

06

Step 6

Finally, stir in the peas, carrots, and the chicken you set aside. Warm everything together for another 5 to 10 minutes before serving.