5 from 6 votes
Ají de Gallina
This recipe for Ají de Gallina is a the ultimate Peruvian comfort food. This chicken stew is spicy, creamy and so delicious when served over rice. Serve it with other Peruvian favorites like Papa a la Huancaina and a cold glass of Chicha Morada.
Prep Time
30 mins
Cook Time
30 mins
Total Time
1 hr
Servings:
4
Calories:
136 kcal
Course:
Dinner
Cuisine:
Peruvian
Ingredients
Chicken:
- 1 chicken breast bone-in
- 3 carrot peeled and roughly chopped
- 2 celery trimmed and chopped, sticks
Sauce:
- 1 tablespoon avocado oil (or other neutral oil)
- 1/2 white onion peeled and roughly chopped
- 2 aji amarillo peppers peeled and deveined
- kosher salt
- 1/2 tsp Turmeric ground
- 1/2 tsp cumin ground
- black peppercorns few rounds
- 3 garlic finely minced, cloves
- 2 teaspoons aji amarillo paste
- 2 pieces of toast cubed
- 1 evaporated milk 12-ounce can
- 1/2 cup chicken broth (homemade chicken stock or store-bought)
For Serving:
- white rice
- 1 potato sliced, boiled
- 1 egg quartered, boiled
- 2-3 black olives can use Kalamata olives in a pinch, Peruvian variety
Instructions
To Make the Chicken:
- In a saucepan, set over medium heat, combine the bone-in chicken breast with the carrots, celery sticks and cover with water. Bring to a gentle boil and cook until chicken is fully cooked, about 15 minutes. Drain and reserve the broth. We’ll use this later on in the recipe. Note: You could also use a homemade chicken stock for a deeper flavor.
- When the chicken cools down slightly, shred it into pieces.
Cup of Yum
To Make the Sauce:
- In a medium skillet, set over medium-low heat, add the avocado oil, white onion and aji amarillo peppers. Add a pinch of kosher salt. Cook until softened, about 5 minutes. And then add in the turmeric, cumin, a few pinches of salt, black pepper. And cook until softened, an additional 2-3 minutes. Add in the minced garlic, aji amarillo paste, cubed toast, evaporated milk and chicken broth. Give it a mix, cover the pot and bring to a gentle simmer and cook for about 5 minutes. This will soften everything.
- Transfer to a blender and blend until very smooth. Give it a taste and adjust the salt to your liking. Transfer back to the pot to warm up. Add in the reserved shredded chicken.
To Serve:
- Add white rice to a plate, a sliced potato and top with a few spoonfuls of the aji de gallina. Add a sprinkling of walnuts, Parmesan-Reggiano, a few black olives, halved boiled eggs and minced Italian parsley.
Notes
- Tips and Tricks:
- Tips and Tricks:
- Ají Amarillos. You can find these in the freezer section at your local Latin supermarket. In a pinch, feel free to leave it out OR replace it with a jalepeño, scotch bonnet or habanero pepper.
- Different cuts of chicken. I'm using bone-in chicken breast. But feel free to use boneless skinless chicken breasts or chicken thighs! All of the above will work great.
- How to Freeze. Make the entire dish (minus the rice, etc) and let it come to room temperature. Add it to a freezer safe container and cover with an airtight lid. Transfer to the freezer for up to three months.
Nutrition Information
Calories
136kcal
(7%)
Carbohydrates
8g
(3%)
Protein
12g
(24%)
Fat
6g
(9%)
Saturated Fat
1g
(5%)
Polyunsaturated Fat
1g
(6%)
Monounsaturated Fat
3g
(15%)
Trans Fat
0.01g
(1%)
Cholesterol
76mg
(25%)
Sodium
212mg
(9%)
Potassium
391mg
(8%)
Fiber
2g
(8%)
Sugar
3g
(6%)
Vitamin A
7741IU
(155%)
Vitamin C
6mg
(7%)
Calcium
36mg
(4%)
Iron
1mg
(6%)
Nutrition Facts
Serving: 4 Serving
Amount Per Serving
Calories 136
% Daily Value*
| Calories | 136kcal | 7% |
| Carbohydrates | 8g | 3% |
| Protein | 12g | 24% |
| Fat | 6g | 9% |
| Saturated Fat | 1g | 5% |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 1g | 6% |
| Monounsaturated Fat | 3g | 15% |
| Trans Fat | 0.01g | 1% |
| Cholesterol | 76mg | 25% |
| Sodium | 212mg | 9% |
| Potassium | 391mg | 8% |
| Fiber | 2g | 8% |
| Sugar | 3g | 6% |
| Vitamin A | 7741IU | 155% |
| Vitamin C | 6mg | 7% |
| Calcium | 36mg | 4% |
| Iron | 1mg | 6% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.