Ají de Gallina (Creamy Spiced Chicken in Yellow Pepper Sauce)
A distinguished culinary classic crafted with authentic techniques and finest ingredients, offering rich depth of flavour and elegant presentation.
Ingredients
- • 1kg bone-in chicken breasts, poached and shredded into thick strands
- • 4 ají amarillo peppers (seeded, boiled and blended into a smooth paste)
- • 1/2 cup evaporated milk
- • 4 slices white sandwich bread, crusts removed and soaked in 1 cup chicken broth
- • 1 large red onion, finely chopped
- • 4 garlic cloves, minced
- • 1/2 cup walnuts or pecans, finely ground
- • 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- • 2 tbsp vegetable oil
- • 1 tsp salt
- • TO SERVE:
- • 3 boiled yellow potatoes, sliced
- • 2 hard-boiled eggs, halved
- • 4 Botija black olives
- • Steamed white rice
Preparation Steps
Poach chicken breasts in salted water with an onion and celery for 20 minutes; remove, shred into thick pieces, and reserve 2 cups of rich chicken broth.
Blend the soaked bread slices with evaporated milk and ground walnuts in a blender until silky smooth.
Heat vegetable oil in a pot over medium-low heat; cook chopped onion and garlic for 8 minutes until translucent; stir in blended ají amarillo paste and cook for 5 minutes until oil floats.
Pour the blended bread-walnut-milk mixture into the pot, stirring constantly on low heat as it thickens into a luxurious golden sauce.
Fold in the shredded chicken and grated Parmesan cheese; season with salt and pepper; simmer gently for 5 minutes until piping hot.
Arrange sliced boiled potatoes on a warm plate; ladle generous golden Ají de Gallina over the potatoes; garnish with hard-boiled egg halves, Botija black olives, and serve with white rice.