Ají de Gallina

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This recipe for Ají de Gallina is a the ultimate Peruvian comfort food. This chicken stew is spicy, creamy and so delicious when served over rice. Serve it with other Peruvian favorites like Papa a la Huancaina and a cold glass of Chicha Morada.

Prep Time30

Cook Time30

Total Time1

Course: Dinner

Cuisine: Latin America, Peruvian

Diet: Low Calorie

Servings:

Author: Adrianna Adarme

Cost: $12

Equipment

1 blender
1 Dutch oven or medium pot
1 medium skillet

Ingredients

Chicken:

1 bone-in chicken breast
3 carrots , peeled and roughly chopped
2 celery sticks , trimmed and chopped

Sauce:

1 tablespoon avocado oil (or other neutral oil)
1/2 white onion peeled and roughly chopped
2 aji amarillos peeled and deveined
Kosher salt
1/2 tsp ground turmeric
1/2 tsp ground cumin
Few rounds of black pepper
3 garlic cloves finely minced
2 teaspoons aji amarillo paste
2 pieces of toast cubed
1 (12-ounce) can evaporated milk
1/2 cup chicken broth (homemade chicken stock or store-bought)

For Serving:

White rice
1 boiled potato sliced
1 boiled egg quartered
2-3 Peruvian black olives (can use Kalamata olives in a pinch)

Instructions

To Make the Chicken:

In a saucepan, set over medium heat, combine the bone-in chicken breast with the carrots, celery sticks and cover with water. Bring to a gentle boil and cook until chicken is fully cooked, about 15 minutes. Drain and reserve the broth. We’ll use this later on in the recipe.
Note: You could also use a homemade chicken stock for a deeper flavor.
When the chicken cools down slightly, shred it into pieces.

To Make the Sauce:

In a medium skillet, set over medium-low heat, add the avocado oil, white onion and aji amarillo peppers. Add a pinch of kosher salt. Cook until softened, about 5 minutes. And then add in the turmeric, cumin, a few pinches of salt, black pepper. And cook until softened, an additional 2-3 minutes. Add in the minced garlic, aji amarillo paste, cubed toast, evaporated milk and chicken broth. Give it a mix, cover the pot and bring to a gentle simmer and cook for about 5 minutes. This will soften everything.
Transfer to a blender and blend until very smooth. Give it a taste and adjust the salt to your liking. Transfer back to the pot to warm up. Add in the reserved shredded chicken.

To Serve:

Add white rice to a plate, a sliced potato and top with a few spoonfuls of the aji de gallina. Add a sprinkling of walnuts, Parmesan-Reggiano, a few black olives, halved boiled eggs and minced Italian parsley.

Notes

Tips and Tricks:

Ají Amarillos. You can find these in the freezer section at your local Latin supermarket. In a pinch, feel free to leave it out OR replace it with a jalepeño, scotch bonnet or habanero pepper.
Different cuts of chicken. I'm using bone-in chicken breast. But feel free to use boneless skinless chicken breasts or chicken thighs! All of the above will work great.
How to Freeze. Make the entire dish (minus the rice, etc) and let it come to room temperature. Add it to a freezer safe container and cover with an airtight lid. Transfer to the freezer for up to three months.

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