I make my Peruvian Aji de Gallina with two kinds of aji peppers, as well as a double blending method that will give you the creamiest sauce possible! This recipe combines a flavorful homemade chicken stock with a silky pepper-and-bread sauce for a comforting dish that’s savory, slightly spicy, and completely unique.
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The Ají de Gallina recipe that uses fresh peppers, not just paste
After a trip to Peru, I knew I needed to figure out how to make Aji de Gallina ASAP. Luckily, I had made some Peruvian friends that helped me perfect my recipe, which includes two special tips that sets it apart:
- I use two kinds of peppers: Aji Amarillo peppers and Aji Amarillo paste. The fresh peppers aren’t usually used in Americanized recipes, but they add a brightness and fruitiness you can’t get from the paste. The paste adds a depth of flavor and enhances the dish’s signature color. Both elements deserve a spot in this recipe!
- I double blend my sauce: Once at the beginning before the ingredients are added, and once at the end to finish it off. The key to a great Aji de Gallina is the smoothness of the sauce, and I’m making sure this recipe delivers.
Key Ingredients for Aji de Gallina
Here is a visual overview of the ingredients in the recipe. Scroll down to the recipe at the bottom for quantities.
- Ají Amarillo Peppers: These Peruvian peppers have a fruity flavor and moderate heat. Fresh can be difficult to find in the US, but frozen peppers work great and are often sold at Latin American grocery stores.
- Ají Amarillo Paste: I use both peppers and paste—the peppers provide fresh, fruity flavor while the paste adds concentrated flavor and deeper color. If you can’t find the peppers, use additional paste instead.
- Chicken Breast: Poach the chicken until tender, then shred it for the sauce. Be sure to save the poaching liquid to make the stock!
- Chicken Stock: No need to buy this separately. We make a quick stock while poaching the chicken with onion, carrot, celery, and garlic, then use it to build the sauce.
- White Bread: This is what thickens the sauce and gives it its signature creamy texture. Use plain white sandwich bread or bread rolls and avoid anything sweet.
- Walnuts: These add richness and help thicken the sauce. Walnuts are traditional, though pecans are also used in some versions.
- Evaporated Milk: This adds creaminess without making the sauce too heavy. Make sure you grab evaporated milk, NOT sweetened condensed milk.
- Parmesan Cheese: Parmesan adds saltiness and savory flavor to the sauce. Freshly grated will melt in most smoothly.
Recipe Variations
- Use pecans: Pecans can replace walnuts for a slightly sweeter, richer nutty flavor.
- Adjust the heat: Reduce the ají amarillo paste for a milder dish, or increase it if you love spice.
- Use rotisserie chicken: For a quicker version, cooked shredded chicken can replace poached chicken, although you will lose some of the flavor provided by the homemade stock. In that case, use store bought stock.
- Make it richer: Some versions replace part of the chicken stock with milk for an even creamier sauce.
- Use different chicken cuts: Boneless thighs can be used for a more tender cut of chicken, though this chicken is pretty tender already.
- Skip the fresh peppers: If fresh or frozen ají amarillo isn’t available, use additional ají amarillo paste rather than substituting a completely different pepper.
How to Make this Recipe
Step 1: Poach the chicken with the vegetables and salt until tender.
Step 2: Remove and shred the chicken, then strain and reserve the flavorful stock.
Step 3: Soak the bread in the reserved chicken stock, then blend it with walnuts and ají amarillo peppers until smooth.
Step 4: Sauté the onion and garlic until soft, then add the ají amarillo paste and cumin. Stir in the blended bread mixture and additional chicken stock as the sauce thickens.
Step 5: Use an immersion blender to blend the sauce until completely smooth.
Step 6: Stir in the shredded chicken, Parmesan, and evaporated milk. Season with salt and pepper.
Step 7: Arrange potatoes on each plate and spoon the creamy Aji de Gallina over them. Serve alongside rice and garnish with hard boiled egg, black olives, and fresh parsley.
Expert Tips
- Don’t skip the homemade stock if you have the time. Since the stock becomes part of the sauce, its flavor has a direct impact on the finished dish.
- Use plain white bread rolls. Sweet or enriched breads can add unwanted sweetness and change the texture of the sauce.
- Blend the sauce thoroughly. Aji de Gallina is best when the bread and walnuts are completely incorporated into a smooth, creamy sauce. We blend the second time so the diced red onions also are smoothed out.
- Adjust the ají amarillo to your taste. The heat level can vary between peppers and pastes, so start conservatively and add more if needed.
- Don’t let the onion and garlic brown. You’re looking for soft and translucent rather than caramelized, which keeps the sauce’s flavor balanced.
- Taste before serving. Between the chicken stock, Parmesan, ají amarillo, and evaporated milk, the sauce can change considerably as the ingredients come together.
How to Serve Aji de Gallina
Aji de Gallina is traditionally served over boiled yellow potatoes with white rice on the side. The creamy chicken sauce coats the potatoes beautifully while the rice gives you something to soak up every last bit.
The classic presentation also includes a hard-boiled egg, black olive, and fresh parsley. The combination of golden sauce, white rice, yellow potatoes, black olives, and bright green parsley makes this a particularly colorful dish.
The olives and egg aren’t just decorative, either. Their salty and creamy flavors complement the rich, slightly spicy chicken sauce and make the meal feel complete.
Recipe FAQs
The bread is soaked in chicken stock and then blended with walnuts and ají amarillo to create the foundation of the creamy sauce.
This technique provides body and thickness without relying entirely on cream or flour. The result is a sauce that’s thick, smooth, and velvety, while still allowing the chicken and pepper flavors to shine.
It has some heat from the ají amarillo, but the pepper is also fruity and flavorful rather than simply hot. You can adjust the amount of fresh pepper and paste to make the dish milder or spicier.
Yes. The chicken and sauce can be prepared ahead of time and refrigerated. Reheat gently on the stovetop, adding a splash of chicken stock or milk if the sauce becomes too thick.
Did you enjoy this recipe for Aji Amarillo? If so, check out these other recipes I’ve selected for you:
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Aji de Gallina
Ingredients
Chicken Stock Ingredients
- 2 large skinless chicken breasts (approx. 230-300g)
- 1½- 2L water (6-8 cups)
- 1 medium carrot, peeled and cut into 2-3 large chunks
- 1 celery stalk, cut into 3 pieces
- 1 medium onion, peeled and halved
- 1 garlic clove
- 1 tsp salt
Aji de Gallina Ingredients
- 2 bread rolls (about 3-4 cups, cubed)
- 2¼ cups reserved chicken stock
- ½ cup walnuts, finely ground
- 3-4 fresh aji amarillo peppers, seeded and chopped
- ¼ cup vegetable oil
- ½ medium red onion, finely chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 1-1½ tbsp aji amarillo paste (aji mirasol)*
- pinch of ground cumin
- shredded cooked chicken breast
- ½ cup grated parmesan cheese
- salt, to taste
- black pepper, to taste
- ½ cup evaporated milk
For Serving
- 2 cups long grain white rice
- 4 medium yellow potatoes, boiled and cut into halves
- 2 eggs
- 4 black olives
- fresh parsley sprigs
Instructions
- Add the 2 large skinless chicken breasts (approx. 230-300g) to a medium pot, then fill it with 1½- 2L water (6-8 cups) to fully cover the chicken breasts. Add the 1 medium carrot, 1 celery stalk, 1 medium onion, 1 garlic clove, and 1 tsp salt. Cover, then bring to a boil over high heat.
- Reduce to medium heat to maintain a gentle simmer and cook for 20–25 minutes, or until the chicken is fully cooked and tender.
- Remove the chicken from the pot and let it cool slightly before shredding. Strain the stock and reserve for the Aji de Gallina.
- Place the 2 bread rolls (about 3-4 cups, cubed) in a bowl and pour 2¼ cups reserved chicken stock over it. Let it soak until the bread has absorbed the stock. Transfer the soaked bread and ½ cup walnuts to a blender alongside the 3-4 fresh aji amarillo peppers and blend for about 30–60 seconds, or until smooth and a loose paste forms. Set aside.
- Heat ¼ cup vegetable oil in a frying pan over medium heat. Add ½ medium red onion and 2 garlic cloves and cook for about 3-5 minutes, stirring frequently, until softened and translucent without browning.
- Stir in the jarred 1-1½ tbsp aji amarillo paste (aji mirasol)* and pinch of ground cumin then continue cooking over medium heat for about 2-3 minutes.
- Add the bread/pepper liquid. Cook over medium heat for about 3-5 minutes, stirring constantly, until the mixture begins to thicken.
- Stir in another ¼ cups reserved chicken stock and stir again, cooking for another 1-2 minutes.
- Use an immersion blender to blend the sauce again so that it is completely smooth.
- Stir in the shredded cooked chicken breast and ½ cup grated parmesan cheese. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Pour in ½ cup evaporated milk and stir until smooth and well combined. Remove from the heat.
- Meanwhile, cook 2 cups long grain white rice according to the package directions. Boil 4 medium yellow potatoes until fork-tender (about 15-20 minutes), then peel and cut into halves. Hard-boil the 2 eggs, then peel and halve them.
- Arrange two potato halves on each serving plate. Spoon the Aji de Gallina over the potatoes and serve with the cooked white rice. Top each serving with half a hard-boiled egg, 4 black olives and fresh parsley sprigs.
Video
Notes
- Ají Amarillo Peppers: These Peruvian peppers have a fruity flavor and moderate heat. Fresh can be difficult to find in the US, but frozen peppers work great and are often sold at Latin American grocery stores.
- Ají Amarillo Paste: I use both peppers and paste—the peppers provide fresh, fruity flavor while the paste adds concentrated flavor and deeper color. If you can’t find the peppers, use additional paste instead.
- Chicken Breast: Poach the chicken until tender, then shred it for the sauce. Be sure to save the poaching liquid to make the stock!
- Chicken Stock: No need to buy this separately. We make a quick stock while poaching the chicken with onion, carrot, celery, and garlic, then use it to build the sauce.
- White Bread: This is what thickens the sauce and gives it its signature creamy texture. Use plain white sandwich bread or bread rolls and avoid anything sweet.
- Walnuts: These add richness and help thicken the sauce. Walnuts are traditional, though pecans are also used in some versions.
- Evaporated Milk: This adds creaminess without making the sauce too heavy. Make sure you grab evaporated milk, not sweetened condensed milk.
- Parmesan Cheese: Parmesan adds saltiness and savory flavor to the sauce. Freshly grated will melt in most smoothly.
- Don’t skip the homemade stock if you have the time. Since the stock becomes part of the sauce, its flavor has a direct impact on the finished dish.
- Use plain white bread rolls. Sweet or enriched breads can add unwanted sweetness and change the texture of the sauce.
- Blend the sauce thoroughly. Aji de Gallina is best when the bread and walnuts are completely incorporated into a smooth, creamy sauce. We blend the second time so the diced red onions also are smoothed out.
- Adjust the ají amarillo to your taste. The heat level can vary between peppers and pastes, so start conservatively and add more if needed.
- Don’t let the onion and garlic brown. You’re looking for soft and translucent rather than caramelized, which keeps the sauce’s flavor balanced.
- Taste before serving. Between the chicken stock, Parmesan, ají amarillo, and evaporated milk, the sauce can change considerably as the ingredients come together.
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