My grandmother traveled to Peru a number of years back and told me all about the interesting food she ate, the jungle she climbed through, and of course, the fact that I really needed to try Peruvian-style chicken served with a delicious green sauce.
Truthfully, the whole GREEN sauce thing really intrigued me, so I asked her what ingredients were involved. She told me that it can be a mixture of different herbs and fresh peppers, but that she recommended using poblanos and jalapenos, onions, cilantro and lime juice.
Since these are basically all of my favorite flavors, I was excited to start experimenting with a recipe inspired by Peruvian green chicken and rice, which is how this gorgeous green chicken and rice (or arroz con pollo verde) was born.
This one pan dinner is creative, flavorful, and simmered with a slightly spicy green sauce you’re going to love. LET’S GET THE PARTY STARTED!
Inspiration from Peruvian chicken and rice
Traditional Peruvian chicken and rice, or Peruvian arroz con pollo, uses a few special ingredients like ají Camarillo chili pepper paste, which has a yellow tint, ají panca chili pepper for a kick of heat, and a special malt beer called chica de jora. I took inspiration from this beautiful dish and created a green sauce using tons of fresh cilantro, jalapeño, garlic, and cumin, which are all common ingredients in the traditional recipe as well. The result is a super flavorful, herby chicken and rice dish made in one pan filled with customizable veggies that you’ll love.
Everything you’ll need to make this green chicken and rice
This green chicken and rice is made with minimal ingredients, plenty of fresh herbs, veggies and even healthy fats thanks to avocado. It’s a simple, yet incredibly flavorful dinner that you’ll find yourself going back to again and again. Tony loves it, I love it. EVERYONE LOVES IT. Here are the ingredients you’ll need:
- Chicken: I like to use boneless skinless chicken thighs because they’re juicier and have more flavor than chicken breasts.
- Produce: we’re making that gorgeous green sauce with garlic, onion, a jalapeño, fresh cilantro, and lime juice. You’ll also need carrots and a red bell pepper, which will cook with the rice.
- Chicken broth: because it’s a sauce, you’ll need some low sodium chicken broth for the liquid.
- Spices: don’t forget a little ground cumin, salt, and pepper to flavor the sauce.
- Rice: I like to use white jasmine or basmati rice because it gets nice and fluffy. It will cook right in the sauce with the veggies.
- For topping: I love topping this dish with extra cilantro, avocado slices, jalapeño slices, and greek yogurt or sour cream mixed with a little water. This creates the perfect drizzle for the top of the pan or your bowl and cools down the heat from the jalapeño.
Customize this green chicken recipe
There are a few simple ways you can make this green chicken and rice your own!
- To reduce the spice: simply feel free to take out the seeds of the jalapeño. If you prefer things a little bit spicy, then I suggest keeping them in!
- Choose your veggies: you can easily switch up the veggies based on what you have in your fridge. I think green beans, snap peas, sweet peas, and broccoli would be great alternatives.
Can I use brown rice?
I would not recommend using brown rice in this recipe as it will take much longer to cook. Alternatively, you can use the same amount of cauliflower rice for a low carb option, or 2/3 cup quinoa.
How to make green chicken and rice in one pan
- Make the sauce. Start by adding all of the green sauce ingredients to a high powered blender or food processor and blend until smooth.
- Cook the chicken. Add your chicken thighs to a 10 inch skillet or large pot with olive oil, season with salt & pepper, and broth on both sides. Remove them from the skillet.
- Saute the veggies. In the same skillet saute the carrots and bell pepper for a few minutes.
- Assemble the one pan meal. Pour the green sauce into the skillet with the veggies, then evenly fold in the rice. Nestle chicken into the sauce. Once the sauce is simmering, reduce the heat to low, cover, and cook everything together.
- Garnish & serve. Once most of the liquid is absorbed and the rice is cooked, serve it up! Feel free to add those delicious garnishes and enjoy.
Storing & meal prep tips
This green chicken and rice is perfect for meal prep! Simply let the pan cool completely, divide the whole thing into 4 separate meal prep containers and place them in the refrigerator to enjoy all week long.
More healthy one pan meals to try
- One Pan Ginger Chicken Meatballs with Peanut Sauce
- Mama’s Puerto Rican Chicken and Rice (Arroz con Pollo)
- One Pan Thai Coconut Yellow Curry Chicken & Rice
- Sheet Pan Moroccan-Spiced Chicken with Sweet Potatoes & Cauliflower
- One Pan Cilantro Chicken Meatballs in Mango Coconut Sauce
Get all of my one pan meals here!
If you make this green chicken and rice, be sure to leave a comment below and rate the recipe below! You can also snap and picture and post it on Instagram using the hashtag #ambitiouskitchen. xo!
Ambitious Kitchen
Cookbook
125 Ridiculously Good For You, Sometimes Indulgent, and Absolutely Never Boring Recipes for Every Meal of the Day
One Pan Green Chicken and Rice (Arroz con Pollo Verde)
Ingredients
- For the chicken:
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 ½ pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs
- Freshly ground salt and pepper
- For the green sauce:
- 3 cloves garlic
- ½ white or yellow onion, roughly chopped
- 1 jalapeno, seeded (or leave seeds in if you like it a little spicy like me!)
- 1 bunch fresh cilantro (reserve a few for topping the dish)
- 1 lime, juiced
- 2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- ½ teaspoon ground cumin
- ½ teaspoon salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- For the rice:
- 1 cup white basmati rice
- 2 medium carrots, sliced
- 1 red bell pepper, julienned
- To garnish:
- Fresh cilantro
- Avocado slices
- Jalapeno slices
- Greek yogurt or sour cream + water to make a creme for drizzling
Instructions
- First make the green sauce: In a large high powered blender or food processor, add in garlic, onion, jalapeno, cilantro, fresh lime juice, chicken broth, cumin, salt and freshly ground black pepper. Blend or process until completely smooth. Set aside.
- Place a large deep 10 inch skillet over medium high heat. (If you do not have a skillet, then a large pot will also work very well!) Add in olive oil. Once hot, add in chicken thighs and season generously with freshly ground salt and pepper. Cook until browned 4-5 minutes, then flip and cook an additional 4-5 minutes. Remove from pan and transfer to a plate.
- In the same skillet (it should be greased enough already for sauteing), carrots and bell peppers. Saute over medium heat for a few minutes minutes to absorb pan flavors.
- Slowly pour in the green sauce, bring to a simmer then fold in the rice, making sure it is evenly distributed in the pan. Add the browned chicken on top and nestle them into the sauce a bit. Once sauce is simmering, reduce heat to low, cover the skillet immediately and cook for 20-25 minutes.
- After 20-25 minutes, most of the liquid should be absorbed and the rice should be cooked. Serve immediately. Garnish with cilantro, jalapeno slices, avocado slices and a drizzle of sour cream if you’d like. I like to mix a little greek yogurt or sour cream with water and drizzle it over the skillet. Serves Enjoy!
Recipe Notes
Nutrition
Recipe by: Monique Volz // Ambitious Kitchen | Photography by: Eat Love Eats
This post was originally published on August 22nd, 2019, and republished on March 14th, 2023.
This was such a unique and fresh flavor! Used a bit less cilantro snd jalapeño than called for but really enjoyed this comforting dish! Quite easy to make as well.
Excellent recipe! The entire family loved it. Thank you!
So happy to hear that!
I have made this numerous times and am always delightfully surprised at how good it is. Such deep flavor and super delicious! Freezes well too.
So happy to hear that! One of our favs for meal prep 🙂
Feel free to not publish this comment. It’s ají amarillo, and ají panca pastes that Peruvian cooking requires. Having made 6 – month long trips to Peru with honors students from the university of Texas, my blog focuses on Peruvian and Mexican recipes (lifelong border girl). I have a recipe for Peruvian arroz con pollo on my website, and I cringed when I read your description. Peruvians that come across it will not be as diplomatic.
Totally understand! As I mention in the blog post, this is a recipe inspired by my grandma’s travels, which is why I don’t call it or consider it authentic.
Can I make the green sauce, ahead and store it in the freezer and then thaw and use?
Yes!
Can I use something other than cilantro? I don’t like cilantro
You could try parsley, but I’m afraid the flavor of the dish will really change. Try this one pan meal instead and omit the cilantro garnish!
When you said this was a ‘protein packed weeknight dinner the whole family will love’ you were absolutely right!!! This is a definite ’do-over’! I love your recipes – everything I have ever tried has had so much flavor and I feel good knowing I’m providing healthy meals for my family! Keep up the awesome work! 😊
So good!! Glad everyone loved it!
Very good! LOVE the green sauce – we made it as directed and I wouldn’t change a thing. we left the seeds in the jalapeños and it wasn’t too spicy at all. Wonderful! will keep the recipe to make again. Maybe we’ll try cauliflower rice? would you keep the amount of chicken broth for cauliflower ? or decrease liquid? Thank you Lisa
So happy to hear that! You should be able to make the recipe as-is and just swap in the cauliflower rice 🙂
As the husband of a Peruvian-born woman, I’ve been eating Peruvian food for almost 30 years. This is NOT green rice with chicken. Not even close. First, Peruvians NEVER use jalapenos. Second, Peruvians use red union of this dish. Third, basmati rice is never used in Peruvian cooking. Finally, in all my years traveling to Peru, I’ve never seen avocado (called “palta” in Peru) used in any Peruvian dishes. Typically, they are only eaten at breakfast.
Hi! This recipe is inspired by the dish that my grandmother had when she was in Peru, which is why I don’t call it “traditional” or “authentic.”
My nephew doesn’t like bell peppers anything else I could add to this for color and flavor?
Check out the full post for all of my veggie suggestions!
The recipe was really easy to follow and I love that it doesn’t use too many dishes. I used a Fresno pepper instead of jalapeño because that’s what was available at the grocery store. I also added a poblano pepper with the red bell pepper. It was delicious! Topping it with avocado and Greek yogurt helps balance the spiciness.
Love it! So happy you enjoyed!
This was so easy to put together, and so yummy! The only thing is the it took a little longer for my rice to cook, but other than that it was great!
So glad you enjoyed!
So delicious and simple! I only had brown rice on hand so cooked it most of the way ahead of time and then simmered it in the sauce for about 10 minutes and it turned out great. Also added chickpeas which fit right in.
Perfect! So glad you enjoyed!
Can this be put in the Instant pot? Any advice?
Alternatively, could I put it all in a crockpot?
I loved it! My husband kept oohing & ahhing & went back for seconds. A couple of the rice grains were crunchy, so I think I may fold/stir them in a little more next time, but the flavors were delish!
Glad it was a hit! Yes, make sure all that rice is covered by the liquid in your pan 🙂
Looks delicious, what can I substitute if I don’t like cilantro. And can I use long grain rice.
Hi! Hmm the green sauce is very cilantro-based, so I wouldn’t recommend substituting another herb as the flavor profile will be much different. Feel free to try a one pan meal like this one instead!
A friend shared this recipe with me. I broke the rules and used brown rice, but I just did not add the chicken until toward the end instead of at the beginning. I also used peas instead of carrots and added an additional jalapeño. Yum!
Perfect! Glad you enjoyed!
I thought this was great, but WITH the addition of corn (preferably fresh) and black beans! These add needed complexity.
Perfect! Glad you enjoyed with those additions!