Aji de Gallina — Creamy Peruvian Shredded Chicken Stew
Aji de gallina, the Peruvian stew of shredded chicken in a creamy aji amarillo, bread and evaporated milk sauce. Ready in 1 hour, serves 4, with subs.
Aji de gallina is a Peruvian stew of cooked, shredded chicken in a creamy sauce of aji amarillo (yellow chili), bread soaked in evaporated milk and Parmesan cheese, served over potatoes with white rice. This recipe makes 4 servings in 1 hour total (20 min prep + 40 min cooking) and uses chicken breast, the modern take on a dish originally made with stewing hen. If you cannot find fresh aji amarillo, 3 tablespoons of jarred aji amarillo paste work well.
Instructions
-
Cook and shred the chicken (reserve the broth)
Place the chicken breast in a pot with enough salted water to cover it and simmer over medium heat for about 20 minutes, until no longer pink inside. Remove, let it cool slightly and shred it by hand or with two forks into medium strands. Reserve at least 1/2 cup (125 ml) of the cooking broth to adjust the sauce later.
-
Soak the bread in the evaporated milk
Tear the 4 crustless bread slices into a bowl and pour the cup of evaporated milk over them. Let them soak for about 5 minutes, until soft and falling apart. This soaked bread is the traditional thickener of the sauce — do not replace it with flour.
-
Make the onion, garlic and aji amarillo base
Heat the 3 tablespoons of oil in a wide pan over medium heat and cook the chopped onion with a pinch of salt for 6-8 minutes, until translucent. Add the garlic and the blended aji amarillo chilies (or the jarred paste) and cook 5 more minutes, until the base turns deep yellow and the oil separates at the edges.
-
Blend the soaked bread with part of the base
Transfer the soaked bread with its milk and half of the onion base to a blender and process into a smooth, thick cream, about 30 seconds. If the mixture will not turn, add 2-3 tablespoons of the reserved broth, no more: a common mistake is adding too much liquid here and ending up with a watery sauce that is hard to fix.
-
Cook the sauce over low heat until it thickens
Pour the blended cream back into the pan with the remaining base and cook over low heat, stirring often so it does not stick, for 8-10 minutes. The sauce is ready when it bubbles gently and coats the back of a spoon without immediately running off.
-
Fold in the shredded chicken, cheese and nuts
Add the shredded chicken, the grated Parmesan and the chopped nuts, and stir so every strand is coated in sauce. Cook 5 more minutes over low heat to warm the chicken through and blend the flavors.
-
Adjust seasoning and texture, and serve over potatoes with rice
Taste and adjust salt and pepper; if the sauce is too thick, loosen it with the reserved broth, one tablespoon at a time. Serve the stew over the boiled potato slices, with fluffy white rice, half a hard-boiled egg and black olives on each plate.
Did you make this recipe? Leave a rating and help other cooks ★
Foodtastico Tip
The stew (without potatoes, rice or egg) keeps 3 days refrigerated in an airtight container and up to 2 months frozen. Reheat over low heat with a splash of evaporated milk or broth, since the sauce thickens as it cools; add the potatoes, rice and egg only when serving.
Nutrition information
| Calories | 520 kcal |
|---|---|
| Protein | 38 g |
| Carbs | 28 g |
| Sugars | 9 g |
| Fat | 28 g |
| Trans fat | 0 g |
Values per serving (1 of 4).
Frequently asked questions
What can I use instead of aji amarillo if I can't find it?
The closest option is jarred aji amarillo paste: 3 tablespoons equal the 4 fresh chilies in this recipe. If that is also unavailable, use 4 mild yellow chilies such as guero (banana pepper family) plus a pinch of sweet paprika to boost the color; the flavor comes close although the heat is milder. As a rule of thumb, 1 fresh aji amarillo equals about 3/4 tablespoon of jarred paste.
Can you freeze aji de gallina?
Yes, up to 2 months, but freeze only the stew: leave out the potatoes and hard-boiled egg, which change texture. When reheating, do it over low heat and add a splash of evaporated milk or broth, because the sauce thickens after freezing and thawing.
What is the difference between making it with chicken and with hen?
Stewing hen is the original version of the dish and gives a deeper flavor, but it needs 30-40 extra minutes of cooking to become tender. Chicken breast is today's standard: it cooks in 20 minutes and shreds easily, which is why this recipe uses it.
How do I make aji de gallina less spicy?
Remove the veins and seeds of the chilies completely, since they hold most of the heat, and blanch them twice: boil for 2 minutes, discard the water and repeat. If it is still too strong, cut down to 2 chilies; the color holds and the dish stays recognizable.
Why is my sauce watery and how do I thicken it?
It is almost always too much broth or milk added while blending, the most common mistake with this dish. To fix it, blend 1 extra slice of bread with some of the sauce and stir it back in, or simmer uncovered over low heat for 5-10 minutes while stirring. Do not add flour: it thickens but changes the flavor of the stew.
What do you serve with aji de gallina?
The classic way is over boiled potato slices, with fluffy white rice on the side, half a hard-boiled egg and a few black olives per plate. It is never served on its own: the rice and potato balance the creaminess and gentle heat of the sauce.
You might also like
– /5
No ratings yet — yours can be the first.
Ratings and comments will be available very soon.
Comments
No comments yet. Tried the recipe? Tell us how it turned out.