Ají de Gallina (Creamy Peruvian Chili Chicken)

Name: Ají de Gallina (Creamy Peruvian Chili Chicken)
Total time: 55 min
Yield: 5 servings
Cuisine: Peruvian
Ingredients: 1½ lb boneless chicken breasts; ⅓ cup ají amarillo paste; 1 large onion, chopped; 4 garlic cloves, minced; 4 slices bread, crusts removed; 1 (12 oz) can evaporated milk; ⅓ cup walnuts or pecans; ⅓ cup grated Parmesan; 2 cups chicken broth; 1½ lb yellow potatoes; 4 eggs, hard-boiled; black or Kalamata olives; 1½ cups rice; 2 tbsp oil; 1 tsp ground cumin; ½ tsp ground turmeric; 1 bay leaf; salt; pepper

DinnerPeruvian55 minServes 5855 kcal55 g protein

Photo: Feralbt · CC BY-SA 3.0 · source

Peru's beloved comfort stew: poached, shredded chicken folded into a silky golden sauce of ají amarillo, bread, evaporated milk, walnuts and Parmesan, spooned over rice and potatoes.

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Ingredients

1½ lb boneless chicken breasts
⅓ cup ají amarillo paste
1 large onion, chopped
4 garlic cloves, minced
4 slices bread, crusts removed
1 (12 oz) can evaporated milk
⅓ cup walnuts or pecans
⅓ cup grated Parmesan
2 cups chicken broth
1½ lb yellow potatoes
4 eggs, hard-boiled
black or Kalamata olives
1½ cups rice

From your pantry: 2 tbsp oil, 1 tsp ground cumin, ½ tsp ground turmeric, 1 bay leaf, salt, pepper.

Instructions

Put the chicken and bay leaf in a pot with the broth plus enough water to cover. Bring to a gentle simmer and poach until 165°F inside, 15 to 18 minutes. Lift out, shred into thin strands and keep 2 cups of the broth. Start the rice, and boil the potatoes in salted water until tender, about 15 minutes.
While the chicken poaches, tear the bread into a bowl and soak it in the evaporated milk.
Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-low. Cook the onion with a pinch of salt until very soft but not browned, 8 to 10 minutes. Add the garlic, ají amarillo paste, cumin and turmeric and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes.
Blend the onion mixture, soaked bread with its milk, half the walnuts and 1 cup of the reserved broth until completely smooth.
Pour the sauce back into the skillet and simmer over low, stirring often, until it thickens to a creamy gravy, 5 minutes. Stir in the chicken and Parmesan, thin with more broth if needed, and season with salt and pepper.
Serve over rice with sliced potatoes, halved eggs, olives and the remaining walnuts, chopped, on top.

Tip: Ají amarillo paste is in the Latin aisle or online; if you can't find it, blend 1 roasted yellow bell pepper with 1 seeded habanero for the same fruity heat.