Peruvian Chicken and Rice

Last updated on: June 9, 2026

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If your usual chicken and rice has all the excitement of a wet sock, this Peruvian Chicken and Rice is here to give it a much-needed personality transplant.

Inspired by arroz con pollo, it’s a high-protein one-pot chicken and rice recipe made with chicken breast, basmati rice, coriander, cumin, vegetables, beer and either aji amarillo paste or chipotle paste.

The rice cooks directly in the stock, beer and spices, so it soaks up all that lovely flavour instead of sitting there like a sad beige side dish.

It’s ideal for busy weeknights, meal prep, family dinners, or anyone trying to eat healthier without living on plain chicken and rice forever.

Each serving is around 489 calories with 44g protein, with chicken breast as the main protein source. You’ll need a large pan with a lid and a blender for the coriander paste.

Why You’ll Love This High-Protein Recipe

• Packed with around 44g protein per serving, so it actually keeps you full instead of having you raiding the biscuit tin an hour later.
• All cooked in one pan, which means flavourful rice and fewer dishes. A rare and beautiful thing.
• Uses chicken breast, keeping it lean, high-protein and easy to fit into a healthy eating plan.
• A proper flavour upgrade from standard chicken and rice, thanks to coriander, cumin, garlic, beer and chilli paste.
• Great for meal prep, especially if you want protein, carbs and veg in one easy container.
• Flexible for UK kitchens, because chipotle paste works brilliantly if aji amarillo is nowhere to be found.

Key Ingredients

Chicken Breast. Lean, quick-cooking and the main reason this dish lands so well on the protein front. Chop it finely so it cooks evenly and mixes right through the rice.

Basmati Rice. The rice isn’t just sitting on the side minding its own business here. It cooks directly in the stock, beer and spices, soaking up all the flavour like a tiny delicious sponge.

Fresh Coriander. Blended with beer to create the green herby base for the dish. Use the stalks too, because they’re full of flavour and frankly deserve their moment.

Aji Amarillo or Chipotle Paste. Aji amarillo gives the dish a more traditional Peruvian-style fruity heat. Chipotle paste is the easy UK supermarket swap and adds a smoky, spicy depth.

Lager or Beer. This adds a slightly malty richness to the rice. Most of the alcohol cooks off, leaving behind flavour rather than “dinner accidentally fell into a pint” energy.

Cumin. Warm, earthy and essential for giving the dish that deeper savoury flavour. It works beautifully with the garlic, chilli paste and chicken.

Carrot, Onion and Red Pepper. These add sweetness, colour and texture, turning the dish into a proper one-pan meal rather than just chicken and rice having a meeting.

Frozen Peas. Added near the end for colour, sweetness and a bit of freshness. Also handy because nearly everyone has a bag lurking in the freezer.

How To Make Peruvian Chicken and Rice

Add the fresh coriander, including the stalks, to a blender with 100ml of the beer. Blitz until you have a smooth, bright green coriander paste. Set it aside for later. This is where the dish gets that fresh, herby flavour, so don’t skip it.

Heat the coconut oil in a large pan over a medium-high heat. Add the chopped carrot, onion and red pepper, then fry for around 5 minutes, until the vegetables have softened and started to smell excellent.

Add the cumin, garlic and aji amarillo or chipotle paste to the pan. Fry for a few minutes, stirring everything through the vegetables so the spices wake up properly. Nobody wants sleepy cumin.

Add the finely chopped chicken breast to the pan and cook for a minute or so, just to give it a little colour. You don’t need to cook it fully at this stage, as it will finish cooking with the rice and stock.

Pour in the coriander paste and the rest of the beer. Let everything simmer for a few minutes so the alcohol can cook off and the flavour can start building. The sauce will look green, herby and slightly dramatic. This is correct.

Add the basmati rice and chicken stock, then mix everything together. Cover the pan and simmer for around 15 minutes, allowing the rice to absorb the stock, beer, spices and all that chickeny goodness.

Add the frozen peas, cover the pan again and continue to simmer for another 5 minutes, or until most of the liquid has been absorbed and the rice is cooked. Fluff everything up, check the chicken is cooked through, then serve hot.

Variations & Tips

• Use aji amarillo paste if you can find it. It gives the dish a fruitier, more traditional Peruvian-style flavour.
• Use chipotle paste if you can’t. It’s easier to find in UK supermarkets and still gives the dish brilliant smoky heat.
• Swap chicken breast for chicken thighs if you want a richer flavour. Just make sure they’re fully cooked through.
• Add extra protein by stirring through more chicken breast or serving with a spoonful of thick Greek yoghurt on the side.
• Make it alcohol-free by replacing the beer with extra chicken stock or using a non-alcoholic beer.
• Watch the rice near the end. If it looks dry before it’s cooked, add a splash more stock. If it looks too wet, cook for a few extra minutes with the lid off.

FAQ

What is Peruvian Chicken and Rice?

Peruvian Chicken and Rice, also known as arroz con pollo, is a one-pot chicken and rice dish made with herbs, spices, vegetables and chilli. This version uses chicken breast, coriander, cumin, beer, basmati rice and either aji amarillo or chipotle paste.

Is Peruvian Chicken and Rice spicy?

It has a gentle warmth rather than full “why is my face leaking?” heat. Aji amarillo gives a fruity mild spice, while chipotle paste adds smokier warmth. You can adjust the amount depending on your spice tolerance.

Can I make this without beer?

Yes. Replace the beer with extra chicken stock or use a non-alcoholic beer. You’ll lose a little bit of the malty depth, but the dish will still be full of flavour.

Can I use chicken thighs instead of chicken breast?

Yes, chicken thighs work well and give the dish a richer flavour. They may need slightly longer depending on how big the pieces are, so make sure they’re cooked through before serving.

Peruvian Chicken

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High-protein Peruvian Chicken and Rice with chicken breast, coriander, cumin and rice. A one-pot dinner with 44g protein.

• Total Time: 60 mins
• Yield: 5 1x

Ingredients

Units MUS Scale 1x2x3x

• 20 g fresh coriander
• 330 ml lager or beer
• 1 tbsp coconut oil
• 1 carrot, chopped
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 red pepper, chopped
• 1 tsp cumin
• 10 g garlic cloves, chopped
• 1 tbsp yellow chilli paste (aji amarillo - it's really tough to find) or chipotle paste
• 600 g chicken breast, finely chopped
• 300 g rice, uncooked weight
• 800 ml chicken stock
• 75 g frozen peas

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Instructions

Add the coriander (stalks included) to a blender with 100 ml of the beer and blitz. Set aside.

Heat the oil in a large pan on a medium/high heat and add the carrot, onion and red pepper and fry for about 5 minutes until the vegetables have softened.

Add the cumin, garlic and chilli paste to the pan and fry for a few minutes.

Add the chicken breast and brown for a minute or so to give it some colour.

Add the coriander paste and the rest of the beer to the pan and simmer for a few minutes to allow the alcohol to burn off.

Then add the rice and stock, mix everything through, cover and simmer for around 15 minutes.

Add the peas, cover the pan and continue to simmer for a further 5 minutes or until the majority of the liquid has been absorbed and the rice is cooked.

Serve.

• Author: Scott Baptie
• Prep Time: 15 mins
• Cook Time: 25 mins
• Category: Poultry
• Method: Hob
• Cuisine: Peruvian

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 1
• Calories: 489
• Fat: 9g
• Carbohydrates: 58g
• Protein: 44g

Recipe Video

More High-Protein Recipes To Try

• If you like one-pot rice dinners, try my Chicken Pilau – another flavour-packed chicken and rice recipe that’s brilliant for meal prep.
• Want something smoky and Spanish-inspired? My Chicken and Chorizo Paella is a hearty one-pan dinner with big flavour.
• For creamy comfort without the risotto faff, try Chicken and Chorizo Risotto.
• If fried rice is more your thing, my Nasi Goreng is a high-protein Indonesian-style chicken fried rice.
• For cheesy one-pot comfort, try One-Pot Chicken Enchilada Rice – ideal when you want chicken, rice and melted cheese doing the heavy lifting.

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