Ají de Gallina (Peruvian Creamy Chilli Chicken)
Poached, shredded chicken in a smooth sauce of ají amarillo, slow-cooked onion, milk-soaked bread, walnuts and hard cheese, served with rice, potatoes, egg and olives. Ready in about 1 1/2 hours.
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Method
- 1
Poach the chicken. Put the chicken, halved onion, carrot and bay in the large saucepan with the water. Bring just to a simmer, cover and poach gently for 18-22 min until the thickest piece reaches 74 °C; a bare simmer keeps the meat tender. Lift out the chicken, strain and keep 500 ml of the broth, then shred the meat into thin strips with 2 forks.
- 2
Soak the bread. Tear the bread into the blender and pour over the evaporated milk. Leave for 10 min; the softened bread is what gives the sauce its body.
- 3
Cook the base. Warm the oil in the deep pan over medium-low heat and cook the chopped onions for 12-15 min, stirring, until very soft and pale gold. Slow cooking draws out their sweetness to balance the chilli. Add the garlic, ají amarillo paste, cumin and turmeric for 2-3 min until the paste darkens slightly and smells fruity.
- 4
Blend until smooth. Scrape the onion mixture into the blender with the soaked bread and 250 ml of the broth. Blend until completely smooth, with no flecks of bread left.
- 5
Finish the sauce. Pour the sauce back into the pan and simmer over low heat for 5 min, stirring, until it coats a spoon. Stir in the walnuts, cheese, salt and pepper, then the chicken, and heat for 5 min until bubbling. Loosen with more broth to keep it creamy, as it thickens on standing.
- 6
Cook rice and potatoes. Rinse the rice and bring it to the boil in the medium pot with 450 ml water, then cover and cook on the lowest heat for 12 min and rest off the heat for 10 min. Meanwhile, boil the potatoes in unsalted water for 15-20 min until tender, then peel and slice thickly.
- 7
Plate up. Spoon the chicken onto plates with a mound of rice and the potato slices. Add half an egg and an olive to each and scatter with parsley.
Storage
Chill the chicken in its sauce for up to 3 days, loosening with a splash of water or broth when reheating gently until piping hot (74 °C). The sauced chicken freezes for up to 2 months. Cool leftovers in a shallow container and refrigerate within 2 hours (within 1 hour on a day above 32°C).
Equipment
- large saucepan with lid
- fine sieve
- blender
- large deep frying pan or sauté pan
- medium lidded pot
- medium saucepan
- 2 forks
- instant-read thermometer
Nutrition per serving (estimated values)
| Per serving | Amount |
|---|---|
| Energy | 766 kcal |
| Protein | 50.3 g |
| Carbohydrate | 82.3 g |
| of which sugars | 5.9 g |
| of which free sugars | 1.1 g |
| Fat | 25.4 g |
| of which saturates | 6.6 g |
| Fibre | 5.5 g |
| Salt | 1.73 g |
Protein per 100 kcal
6.6 g High Protein needs ≥ 10 g
Calculated from USDA FoodData Central ingredient values
