Aji de gallina
Aji de gallina is shredded chicken in a velvety yellow sauce made from aji amarillo peppers, bread, milk and nuts. It is warm and gently spicy rather than fiery. It comes over rice and boiled potatoes with olives and egg.
Ají de gallina: Feralbt, CC BY-SA 3.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Where it comes from
Aji de gallina is a Lima classic whose creamy style is said to reflect centuries of mixing Andean peppers with European dairy and bread. It is a staple of family lunches across Peru.
Explore the cuisine of Peru.
Make Aji de gallina at home
Ingredients
- 1.5 lb chicken breasts or thighs
- 4 cups water or chicken broth
- 3 slices white bread, crusts removed
- 1 cup evaporated milk
- 1/4 cup aji amarillo paste
- 1 onion, finely chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/4 cup walnuts
- 1/4 cup grated parmesan
- 2 tablespoons oil
- 4 boiled potatoes, sliced
- 4 hard-boiled eggs and black olives to serve
How it's made
- Simmer the chicken in the water with salt for 20 to 25 minutes, then shred it and save 1 cup of the broth.
- Soak the bread in the evaporated milk.
- Blend the soaked bread, walnuts and aji paste until smooth.
- Saute the onion and garlic in oil until soft, then stir in the blended sauce.
- Add the broth gradually until the sauce is creamy, and simmer 10 minutes.
- Stir in the shredded chicken and parmesan, and simmer 5 minutes more.
- Serve over rice with potatoes, egg and olives.
Variations
- Aji de gallina with pecans or peanuts in place of walnuts.
- Aji de pollo with mild panca pepper added for color.
Cook’s tip: If you cannot find aji amarillo paste, blend roasted yellow peppers with a little mild chili, but fresh paste gives the best color.
Related dishes
Description and method written by Intercontinental Chef. Home-style method; quantities are a starting point, so adjust to taste.
- Ají de gallina: Feralbt, CC BY-SA 3.0 (Wikimedia Commons)