Smoky Ají de Gallina with Golden Potatoes and Warm Pea Salad

Name: Smoky Ají de Gallina with Golden Potatoes and Warm Pea Salad
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 70 min
Yield: 4
Cuisine: Peruana
Ingredients: 21 oz skinless chicken breast; 3 cups chicken broth; 4 tbsp ají amarillo paste; 1 tbsp ají panca paste; 1 1/4 cups yellow onion; 1 tbsp garlic; 3 oz white sandwich bread; 1 cup evaporated milk; 3.5 oz fresh cheese; 1.4 oz pecans; 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese; 1.5 lb yellow potatoes; 4 cups cooked white rice; 1 1/2 cups peas; 3/4 cup red onion; 2 tbsp fresh mint; 2 tbsp lime; 3 tbsp vegetable oil; 1 tbsp olive oil; 1 3/4 tsp salt; 1 tsp black pepper

An original Peruvian-inspired take on ají de gallina: shredded chicken in a silky ají amarillo sauce with a subtle smoky touch, served with oven-golden potatoes, white rice, and a warm salad of peas, red onion, and mint.

25 minPrep

45 minCook

70 minTotal

4Servings

High Protein

Ingredients

Adjust servings

600 g skinless chicken breast (cut en 2 or 3 pieces large)
750 ml chicken broth (divided)
60 g ají amarillo paste (ajustar to taste)
15 g ají panca paste (for the toque ahumado)
180 g yellow onion (chopped fina)
15 g garlic (chopped or grated)
90 g white sandwich bread (without corteza, en trozos)
240 ml evaporated milk (whole)
100 g fresh cheese (desmenuzado)
40 g pecans (lightly tostadas)
20 g grated Parmesan cheese (optional pero recomendado)
700 g yellow potatoes (sliced gruesas)
600 g cooked white rice (hot, for servir)
200 g peas (fresh or congeladas)
100 g red onion (en pluma fina)
10 g fresh mint (chopped)
30 ml lime (juice fresh)
45 ml vegetable oil (divided)
15 ml olive oil (for the ensalada)
10 g salt (or to taste)
2 g black pepper (freshly ground)

Nutrition facts

per serving

760 kcal

Calories

43 g

Protein

59 g

Carbs

38 g

Fat

6 g

Fiber

53 g

Net carbs

Approximate nutritional information. Estimated from the recipe’s ingredients and amounts, using standard reference nutrition values. It may vary with brands, sizes and cooking method. For guidance only; not a substitute for medical or dietary advice.

Allergens

GlutenDairyTree Nuts

Instructions

1
Preheat the oven to 220 °C / 425 °F. Place the yellow potatoes on a tray and toss them with 1 tablespoon vegetable oil, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper. Roast for 30 to 35 minutes at 220 °C / 425 °F, turning halfway through, until golden around the edges.
2
Meanwhile, place the chicken breast in a pot with 500 ml (2 cups) chicken broth. Cook over medium heat until the chicken is tender, about 15 to 18 minutes. Remove the chicken, let it cool slightly, and shred it. Reserve 250 ml (1 cup) of the cooking broth.
3
Place the white bread in a bowl and cover it with the evaporated milk. Let it soak for 5 minutes. Then blend or process the soaked bread with the fresh cheese, pecans, Parmesan cheese, and 125 ml (1/2 cup) of the reserved broth until very smooth.
4
In a wide skillet or saucepan, heat 2 tablespoons vegetable oil over medium heat. Sauté the yellow onion for 5 to 6 minutes until translucent. Add the garlic, ají amarillo paste, and ají panca paste; cook 2 minutes more, stirring so the paste loses its raw taste.
5
Add the blended cream to the pan and mix well. Gradually stir in the remaining reserved broth until you get a thick but pourable sauce. Season with the remaining salt and black pepper. Cook over low heat for 5 to 7 minutes, stirring often so it does not stick.
6
Add the shredded chicken to the sauce and cook 3 to 4 minutes more, until fully coated and hot. If the sauce becomes too thick, add a few extra spoonfuls of hot chicken broth.
7
For the warm salad, boil or steam the peas for 2 to 3 minutes until tender but still bright green. Toss them in a bowl with the red onion, mint, lime juice, olive oil, and a pinch of salt.
8
Serve a base of hot cooked white rice, add the smoky ají de gallina on top or alongside, arrange the golden potatoes, and finish with the warm pea salad. Serve immediately.

Chef tips

For deeper flavor, lightly toast the pecans before blending. If you want an extra-smooth sauce, strain it before adding the chicken. The ají panca should add smoky, rounded notes rather than intense heat.

Substitutions

You can replace the pecans with walnuts or almonds if preferred. Fresh cheese can be swapped for firm ricotta. If yellow potatoes are unavailable, use Yukon Gold. For a gluten-free version, use gluten-free bread.

What I used to make it

Generic kitchen tools that work for this recipe. You don’t need to buy anything to make it.

Illustrative image
Ninja Professional BL610 Blender
Smoothies, sauces and soups
- Smoothies, sauces and soups
- Easy-to-wash jar
- Check the power and jar size
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Illustrative image
Cosori Pro LE 5 Qt Air Fryer
Browning and baking with little oil
- Browns food with very little oil
- Handy for vegetables, chicken and reheating
- Check the basket capacity
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Illustrative image
TempPro TP19H Digital Thermometer
Checking doneness of meat and chicken
- Checks doneness of meat and chicken
- Quick reading
- Clean the probe after each use
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