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Aji de Gallina (Peruvian Yellow Pepper Chicken)

peruvian yellow pepper chicken served with potatoes, rice, hard boiled eggs, and olives in a large bowl
  • Author: Mandy
  • Cook Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
  • Total Time: 5 hours 30 minutes
  • Yield: Serves 6

Ingredients

Scale

For the marinade-

8 boneless skinless chicken thighs

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1/2 teaspoon onion powder

2 teaspoons Aji Amarillo paste (*see post above about sourcing)

2 cups chicken stock, (more as needed to cover chicken in pot)

2 slices white bread

1/3 cup chopped walnuts

2 tablespoons oil

1 large onion, finely chopped

4 cloves garlic, minced

2 teaspoons turmeric

1-2 tablespoons aji Amarillo paste (2= quite spicy, I recommend starting with 1, then adding more as needed to achieve desired spice level)

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon cumin

1/3 cup grated Parmesan

1/3 cup evaporated milk

Salt and pepper to taste

For serving-

Hard boiled eggs, sliced or quartered

Pitted black olives

Boiled yellow potatoes, sliced or quartered

Arrocito (Peruvian Rice) or steamed rice

Instructions

In a large zipper storage bag, marinate the chicken thighs with the salt, garlic powder, onion powder, and aji Amarillo paste. Coat chicken thoroughly and refrigerate 4 hours, up to overnight.

In a large saucepan or Dutch oven, add the marinated chicken thighs and 2 cups of chicken stock (or more if needed to cover the chicken. Bring to a boil over medium heat, then reducing heat to maintain a simmer. Poach the chicken thighs until cooked through. Transfer cooked chicken to a plate and set aside. Reserve the cooking liquid in a separate bowl/cup. (You’ll be using the Dutch oven again, so don’t put it away yet.)

In a medium bowl, add bread slices, walnuts, and ½ cup of the reserved cooking liquid. Once bread has absorbed the broth, transfer mixture to a blender and puree until very smooth. Set aside.

(This would be a good time to start boiling water for the potatoes and preparing the rice.)

In the Dutch oven, heat the oil over medium heat. Add onion and garlic, cooking until onions are translucent. Add bread puree, turmeric, 1 tablespoon aji Amarillo paste, salt, cumin, and 1 cup of the reserved broth to the pot. Bring to a boil and adjust heat to maintain a simmer for 15 minutes. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed. Add more aji Amarillo paste to reach desired spice level.

Shred the chicken and return to the pot. Add evaporated milk and parmesan, stirring until combined and parmesan has melted. If sauce seems too thick, drizzle in more of the reserved broth as needed. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed. Simmer 5 more minutes. (Keep warm while finishing the rice and potatoes.)

Serve hot with boiled yellow potatoes, rice, hard-boiled eggs, and black olives.

Notes

Aji Amarillo paste can be found in many Latin American markets and import stores as well as on Amazon. A little bit goes a long way, so taste and adjust amounts as needed. 

Keywords: aji de gallina, peruvian yellow pepper chicken