Seco de pollo is an easy recipe for stewed chicken, with peas, carrots and potatoes, cooked together in a delicious cilantro sauce. It's a Peruvian specialty that is also made with beef (
seco de res) and duck (
seco de pato).
Served with
South American-style rice, seco de pollo is a one dish meal. It's perfect for entertaining, as it's easy to make ahead, then reheat and serve when ready.
Ingredients:
- 2 whole chicken breasts
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 cup chopped onion
- 3 tablespoons chopped chile pepper (aji amarillo, jalapeno, or similar hot chili pepper)
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 large bunch of cilantro
- 4 cups chicken stock
- 1 medium bag frozen peas
- 3 large carrots
- 4 medium yellow potatoes
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Fresh cilantro leaves for garnish
Preparation:
- Peel the potatoes and cut each potato into 4 wedges.
- Peel the carrots and slice each carrot crosswise into 1/4 inch thick round slices. Set aside with the potatoes and frozen peas.
- Wash and dry the cilantro and remove the large pieces of stem.
- Place the cilantro in a blender or food processor with 1/2 cup of the chicken broth and process until smooth. Set aside.
- Cut each chicken breast half into 3-4 pieces. Season chicken with salt and pepper.
- Melt the butter and oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Sauté chicken pieces just until lightly browned on all sides. Remove chicken to a plate and set aside.
- Add the chopped onion, chile pepper, and minced garlic to the saucepan and cook over medium-low heat until soft and translucent.
- Add the processed cilantro and the rest of the chicken stock to the saucepan. Add the carrots and potatoes, and simmer until just tender.
- Add the chicken pieces and the peas and simmer. Check the chicken pieces for doneness often, and remove sauceopan from heat once the chicken is just cooked through.
- Garnish with fresh cilantro and serve over rice.
