Name: Ají de Gallina (Peruvian Creamy Chile Chicken)
Yield: 4 to 6 servings
Cuisine: Peru
Ingredients: 900 g bone-in chicken breasts and thighs, or a mix; 1 small onion, halved; 1 carrot; 1 celery stalk; a few cilantro stems; 4 slices white sandwich bread, crusts removed; 1 can (354 ml ) evaporated milk; 40 g neutral oil; 1 large red onion, finely chopped; 4 garlic cloves, minced; 4–5 tbsp ají amarillo paste, jarred or homemade, to taste; ½ tsp ground cumin; ¼ tsp ground turmeric, for color; 50 g walnuts or pecans; 40 g grated Parmesan; salt and black pepper; steamed white rice; boiled yellow potatoes, halved; hard-boiled eggs, quartered; black olives, Peruvian botija or Kalamata

Method

Poach the chicken. Cover the chicken (900 g2 lb) with water and add the small onion (1), carrot (1), celery stalk (1), cilantro stems and 1 tsp salt. Simmer gently 25 to 30 minutes, until cooked through. Cool, then shred finely. Strain and keep 2 cups (480 ml) of the broth.
Soak the bread. Soak the white sandwich bread (4 slices) in the evaporated milk (1 can (354 ml12 oz), then blend with the walnuts (50 g½ cup) and Parmesan (40 g½ cup) until smooth.
Cook the base. Heat the neutral oil (40 g3 tbsp) over medium heat and cook the red onion (1) until soft and translucent, 8 to 10 minutes. Add the garlic cloves (4), ají amarillo paste (4–5 tbsp), ground cumin (½ tsp) and ground turmeric (¼ tsp) and cook 3 to 4 minutes, stirring, until fragrant and slightly darker.
Make the sauce. Stir in the bread mixture and 1 cup (240 ml) of the broth. Simmer gently, stirring often so it doesn't catch, 5 to 8 minutes, until thick and creamy. Add more broth to loosen it.
Finish. Add the chicken and simmer 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper; it should be rich, gently spicy and smooth.
Serve over the steamed white rice with the yellow potatoes, hard-boiled eggs and black olives.

Notes

Ají amarillo paste is sold in Latin grocers and online (Goya, Inca's Food). It's fruity and only moderately hot; add more for heat. Or make Homemade Ají Amarillo Paste from frozen peppers. Paste made from dried ají mirasol works especially well in this cooked dish, with a slightly earthier, smokier flavor.
No ají at all. Blend a roasted orange bell pepper and a seeded habanero or Fresno with a pinch of turmeric as an approximation.
Thickness. The sauce should be thick enough to coat a spoon, not soupy.

Ají de Gallina (Peruvian Creamy Chile Chicken)

Ingredients

Chicken

Sauce

To serve