Aji de Gallina

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Recipe Intro From andrealoretdemola

I'm in the mood for some Peruvian comfort food and Aji de Gallina is one of Lima’s most beloved stews. This spicy chicken stew warms you from the inside out and has just enough to heat to keep you wanting more. Traditionally this stew is served with rice, potatoes and garnished with hard boiled eggs, black botija olives and sprinkling of Parmesan cheese. 

Aji Amarillo is one of the cornerstone ingredients of Peruvian cuisine. The aji amarillo pepper not only provides heat but is the main flavor component of this dish. Aji amarillo ranks between 30,000 - 50,000 on the Scoville scale, but despite being a spicy pepper, it has a fruity flavor profile. You can find aji amarillo paste at your local Latin supermarkets. 

For this recipe, I love to use a rotisserie chicken as a hack to cut down on cook time, but I often swap out for chicken breast or chicken thighs depending on what I have on hand. Feel free to do the same! I use walnuts in this recipe, but feel free to use pecans or almonds! 

Pro Tip: If you find yourself with leftovers, consider filling empanadas with the cold aji de gallina and fry until golden brown. 

In the United States, 85% of the rice that is consumed is actually grown here! Farmers in California, Texas, Louisiana and other states produce billions of pounds of it and grow tons of different varieties.  This recipe is brought to you in partnership with our friends at Think Rice 

This Recipe is Featured in our Weekly Meal Planner Email Newsletter. Sign up for it here to have 6 easy and seasonal dinner recipes delivered to your inbox every weekend.  

Looking for more Peruvian Recipes? Check out our New Peruvian Food Feed curated by (me!) @AndreaLoretdeMola

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  • Recipe Card
Prep time 10mins
Cook time 25mins
Serves or Makes: 4-6

Recipe Card

ingredients

  • 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
  • 1 large red onion, chopped
  • 6 cloves garlic, chopped
  • 1/2 mild yellow chili paste (aji amarillo)
  • 1/2 cup chopped walnuts, pecans or almonds, divided
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • Salt, to taste
  • 2 slices white bread
  • 1 1/2 cup whole milk (or plant milk of choice)
  • 3 1/2 cups low-sodium chicken stock, plus more if needed to achieve desired consistency
  • 2 rotisserie chicken, shredded
  • 2 ounce finely grated Parmesan cheese
  • Black pepper, to taste
  • 2 cups cooked U.S.-grown white rice, for serving
  • 2 hard-boiled eggs, for topping
  • 12 Kalamata or Botija olives, for topping

Method

  • Step 1

    Heat oil in a large pot over medium heat, add onions and garlic, and cook until softened, about 4-5 minutes. Add aji amarillo paste, half the nuts, cumin and oregano and continue to cook for a few more minutes. Season with salt. Transfer onion and garlic mixture to to the bowl of a blender or food processor and set aside. Set used pot aside.

  • Step 2

    Add bread to a bowl, cover with milk and soak for five minutes.

  • Step 3

    Transfer bread mixture to the to the bowl of a blender or food processor with the onion mixture and blend until smooth.

  • Step 4

    Heat same pot used for the aromatics over medium-high heat. Deglaze with chicken stock, scraping up any fond that collected on the bottom of the pan, then add blended sauce, stirring until well combined. Add shredded chicken, parmesan cheese and the remaining nuts. Simmer for 10 minutes. If stew begins to dry out, add more broth or milk to adjust the consistency to your liking. Season with salt and pepper.

  • Step 5

    Serve stew with rice, black olives and hard boiled egg.