James Bustamante is Native to New York but born to Peruvian parents. He has been traveling throughout Latin America since early 2003 and finally made his home in Peru. James has made his way by eating and traveling through almost every country in Central and South America.
Last Updated on July 5, 2022 by James Bustamante
Peru is known the world over for many things, among them is its incredible views, amazing hikes to Machu Picchu, beautiful countryside, ancient ruins and of course….its food!
Yes, Peru is a veritable smorgasbord of delicious typical dishes. Learning to make a delicious Aji de Gallina recipe is one of the first steps into learning a bit more about Peruvian cuisine.
What is Aji de Gallina?
This traditional dish is one of the most distinguishable in all of Peruvian Gastronomy.
You start with using chicken breast which is then shredded. The chicken is then mixed with a yellow hot pepper paste which can be quite spicy depending on who is making it.
Aji de Gallina is served with boiled white potatoes, sliced, hard-boiled egg and black olives as a garnish.
If you want to know more about the origin of Aji de Gallina, the ingredients used and an Aji de Gallina recipe please read on.
The Origin of Aji de Gallina
The story goes as follows, the Aji de Gallina recipe we know today comes from a spanish dish called Manjar Blanco or “Menjar Blanc” which originates in the year XIV.
The original spanish recipe describes a sweet dish made of the breast of a hen, rice, almonds and milk on occasions. As time progressed the Menjar Blanc eventually discontinued the use of hen and became a dessert which is served cold. This dessert has since become incredibly popular in spain and several other latin american countries.
Once these dishes arrived into Peruvian soil they each took different routes and ended up having a unique to Peru variation. Thanks to the use of Peruvian products like the yellow hot peppers the “Menjar Blanc” became the creamy, spicy and very popular Peruvian Aji de Gallina.
There are several Aji de Gallina recipes that focus on the central idea of the dish and there are a few which deviate and replace certain ingredients such, as for example, the chicken.
You can find variations of this Peruvian dish such as replacing the chicken with other products and making Aji de Huevo (eggs), Aji de Quinoa or Aji de Atun (Tuna).
Cooking Tip: For more great recipes, we recommend Peru: The Cookbook by world-renowned Peruvian chef Gaston Acurio. The chef in the Journey Machu Picchu office uses the recipes to make the office lunch every Friday. The recipes are easy to follow and the flavors are definitely “Peruanos”. Check it our and enjoy or follow the recipe below for Aji de Gallina.
Estimate Cost : USD
Time Needed : 00 days 1 hours 00 minutes
Today we’ll show you how to make an amazing aji de gallina recipe, a sort of spicy hen stew. First up, the ingredients
Combine all the Ingredients
Once you have all the ingredients ready, you’ll be set to begin. First, place the chicken breasts, onion, carrot, and 2 cloves garlic in a large saucepan
Add Water and Let Simmer
pour in 2 quarts of water and slowly bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. Skim off the foam that forms on top, then cover, reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer until the chicken is tender, about 30 minutes.
Straining The Chicken
Remove chicken to a plate and allow to cool. Strain the resulting chicken stock, discarding the vegetables.
Combien Ingredients
Heat vegetable oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Stir in minced garlic and minced onion; cook until the onion has softened and turned translucent, about 5 minutes. Stir in shredded chicken and aji amarillo until heated through. Pour in bread puree and cook until hot, stirring frequently. Add more chicken stock if needed to keep from getting too thick. Season with turmeric and simmer for 5 minutes more. You can garnish it with hard-boiled egg slices and sprinkle some olives on top.
Tools
- Saucepan
Stove
Knive
Materials
- List of Ingredients:
* 2 pounds skinless, bone-in chicken breast halves
* 1 onion, coarsely chopped
* 2 carrots, chopped
* 2 cloves garlic
* 2 quarts water
* 1 loaf white bread, crusts removed and cubed
* 1 (12 fluid ounce) can evaporated milk
* 1/2 cup grated queso fresco (cheese)
* 1/4 cup walnut pieces1 teaspoon vegetable oil
* 2 cloves garlic, minced
* 1 onion, chopped
* 2 teaspoons aji amarillo paste
* 2 teaspoons ground turmeric
* 4 hard-boiled eggs, sliced
* 1/4 cup kalamata olives, pitted and quartered
Check out this cooking video of Gaston Acurio preparing this delicious Peruvian dish:
Easy, delicious and ready within the hour, pretty soon you’ll be whipping it up and adding a few flavors of your own to the recipe.
If you want to know anything more about Peru, Cusco and Machu Picchu Travel, check out the rest of our blog posts at Peru Travel Blog and be sure to follow us on Facebook and Instagram for our special packages.
Frequently Asked Questions About Aji de Gallina
How long does it take to prepare Aji de Gallina?
The typical time is of around 30-45 minutes in total.
Does the Aji de Gallina use chicken or hen?
The original dish traditionally used hen, this has changed though and chicken is commonly used.
Where did Aji de Gallina originate?
Aji de Gallina is said to have originated in Spain by means of a different recipe which was more sweet than savory.
Is it difficult to make Aji de Gallina?
Not at all. As usual though, practice makes perfect.
Can I use other parts of the chicken other than chicken breast?
The chicken breast is used because it does not have much fat, this creates a balance between the lean flesh and the yellow hot pepper sauce. Having said that, other parts can theoretically be used, your Aji de Gallina might be a little greasier than normal.
Can I replace the yellow hot peppers?
If you can’t find fresh yellow hot peppers to make the sauce, you can always go for the version that comes in a jar. Now switching to a different type of hot pepper might be an issue since that would probably change the flavor completely.
