Peruvian Chicken Soup (Gluten-Free)

Peruvian Chicken Soup, known as aquadito de pollo, is a traditional Peruvian chicken soup made with potatoes, poblano peppers, rice, lime juice, carrots, peas, sometimes corn and plenty of fresh cilantro. The soup is a lighter version of chicken chowder. 

The Peruvian chicken soup is heavy on cilantro and has so much flavour…the best kind of cozy chicken soup. The only thing that I would add to make this a hearty meal is gluten-free crusty bread. YUM!

Easy steps to make the best Peruvian chicken soup

To start, sauté the onions with poblano pepper, add the garlic, cumin and jalapeno pepper if using. Once the onions and pepper have softened, transfer half the mixture to a blender and set aside.

To the same pot, add the chicken with remaining ingredients except for the cilantro and lime juice. Simmer until potatoes are fork tender, and the rice is cooked.

Transfer some of the soup with cilantro and lime juice to the blender and blend until the mixture is smooth. Transfer cilantro mixture to the soup and the soup is done! You will notice that the soup is green, which comes from the cilantro and the poblano pepper.

What I love about this soup it can be served as a starter or as a main. The soup is hearty, flavourful and has plenty of veggies. You will love it!

Very briefly, what is Peruvian cuisine?

Peruvian cuisine is made up of mostly fresh ingredients, plenty of potatoes and rice. Peruvian cooking is believed to be one of the first fusion cooking, combining various ingredients and styles of cooking. The recipes are heavily influenced by Spanish cuisine. One of the most popular dishes in Peru is the well know ceviche, made from raw fish and fresh onions marinated in citrus juices and spiced with chili peppers and fresh cilantro often served as an appetizer