I can close my eyes and transport myself [to] when I was little. A beautiful life growing up in Peru,” Claudia Berroa mused as she recalled the “big, delicious food” of her childhood in Lima. During a video call, Berroa, who is the ninth of 10 children, said that she and her siblings spent much of their adolescence in their grandmother’s kitchen, eating and learning. “I think [Peruvian food] runs in my veins,” she laughed.
Behind the Recipes
It’s Always Time for Peruvian Arroz con Pollo
From family dinners to formal events, Peruvian rice and chicken—vibrant with cilantro, malty beer, and fruity-hot ají amarillo—shines bright with flavor and practicality.
By Published Apr. 2, 2024.
Arroz con pollo is a symbol of Peruvian identity and pride.
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History on a Plate: Comida Criolla
Arroz con pollo, along with dishes such as sarza criolla, ceviche, and lomo saltado, is one of many comforting Peruvian dishes that fall into the category of comida criolla. The term, which Maricel Presilla translated in her book Gran Cocina Latina (2012) as “foods of the land,” refers to distinct cuisines found throughout Latin America that grew out of centuries of blending influences from indigenous populations with those of colonizers and immigrant groups who came or were brought to the region, including Europeans and Africans (and in Peru, Chinese and Japanese people). Peruvian arroz con pollo originated in the seaside city of Chiclayo as arroz con pato, where it featured native duck and chicha de jora, a fermented corn beer that dates to the Inca Empire. Over time, Peruvians adapted to the lack of, or expense of, these ingredients by swapping in chicken and malty beer.
Today, Berroa’s passion for the spirited cuisine of her youth is on display at her award-winning Claudy’s Kitchen in the Bronx, New York, where she serves her family’s heirloom recipes, including arroz con pollo.
The one-pot meal of succulent chicken parts and savory, fluffy rice enhanced by a colorful mix of vegetables, aromatics, and spices is one of her most loved; it’s also a darling of the Latin American kitchen at large. What makes the Peruvian version distinct? “The color [of the rice],” Berroa said. “Other countries, they do red, they do yellow. In Peru, arroz con pollo is always green.”
The greenish cast comes from a substantial infusion of pureed cilantro that, along with dark beer, spices, and aderezo (the flavorsome base of sautéed red onion, garlic, and sometimes spices or ají amarillo that is foundational in Peruvian cooking), imbue the rice with incredible depth.
Sandra Giraldo, who, along with her father and brother, owns Rincon Limeño, the East Boston Peruvian restaurant celebrating its 25th year, describes the dish as “a symbol of Peruvian identity and pride.” And when her patrons sample it for the first time, they are invariably thunderstruck: “‘Oh my God, this is so good,’ they gasp.”
For a dish that packs such a wallop, it’s relatively easy to put together; plus, it’s inexpensive and filling—qualities that make it suitable for all occasions, or even no occasion at all.
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Science: Hope for the Cilantro-Averse
The hallmark fresh, green flavor of Peruvian arroz con pollo comes from a full 2 cups of cilantro that’s pureed and added to the braising liquid. But cilantrophobes needn’t run away from the dish: The distinctive soapy taste that 12 percent of European-descended people identify in Coriandrum sativum is primarily due to the aldehydes decenal, (E)-2-tetradecenal, and (E)-2-decenal, which can also be present in actual soap. However, during cooking, the problematic aldehydes are converted by enzymes to inoffensive alcohols, causing the disagreeable taste to disappear. So if you think you don’t care for cilantro, there’s no need to get into a lather. Try cooking it.
Pollo
Berroa, who proudly describes herself as “old-school,” follows her grandmother’s recipe, which, like most, calls for cooking the chicken and rice separately so that each is done to perfection.
She starts with a whole cut-up chicken, but parts are also common. I opted for bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs, which are quick to prep (just trim excess skin) and turn lusciously tender during braising. I seared the pieces in a Dutch oven and then transferred them to a plate to make way for the aderezo.
Along with finely chopped red onion and garlic, I sizzled earthy ground cumin and ají amarillo, the punchy, vibrantly yellow Peruvian chile paste, in the golden chicken fat to make this flavor base.
For the braising liquid, my colleague Carmen Dongo, whose parents hail from Arequipa, suggested starting with Cusqueña Negra, a smooth and malty Peruvian lager. Once it had reduced, I stirred in the cilantro puree, made by whizzing two bunches of the herb—including the stems, which happen to be the most potent part—in a blender.
I braised the thighs in the fragrant liquid until they nearly fell off the bone and then fished them out and set them aside so I could cook the rice.
Technique: Onions, Two Ways
Peruvian arroz con pollo requires two different ways of prepping the red onions: finely chopped bits for the aderezo that flavors the rice and paper-thin slices for the sarza criolla. Here’s a way to produce beautifully even slices for the sarza: Remove the four large outside layers from each onion and shave them thin. Finely chop the small inside layers of both bulbs for the aderezo.
Arroz
Exemplary rice, Berroa said, warrants its own adjective: “graneado.” The term translates as “loose” and describes moist, fluffy grains that don’t stick together. As such, rinsing the uncooked rice is critical to carry away starch that would otherwise cause clumping.
The other nonnegotiable is to cook the rice in a precise measure of liquid so that it’s neither mushy nor too firm. I poured the hyperflavorful braising liquid into a measuring cup and added chicken broth to equal 3½ cups—just the right amount, I had determined, for 11/2 cups of rice to absorb and swell to green, graneado perfection.
Crisp, Fresh Sarza Criolla
Serve this all-purpose Peruvian accompaniment with tamales, seco de carne, pan con chicharrón, or any rich or starchy dish that would benefit from a refreshing, acidic jolt.
Along with the rice and broth, in went narrow strips of red bell pepper and neatly diced carrot. Once the rice and veggies were tender, I tossed in a handful of frozen peas, arranged the chicken on top, and covered the pot so that the peas could warm through.
I molded the rice onto a plate, arranged some chicken beside it, and tucked a pale purple tangle of the bracing red onion–lime accompaniment sarza criolla alongside. Admiring the generous plate, I was awed at just how beautiful—and delicious—rice and chicken could be.
