Ingredients:

  • 1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breast
  • 1 medium yellow onion, chopped
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
  • 1/4 cup Ají Amarillo paste
  • 3 slices stale white bread, crusts removed
  • 1/4 cup whole milk
  • 1/4 cup ground walnuts or pecans
  • 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
  • 1/2 cup reserved chicken poaching liquid (broth)
  • Salt, to taste
  • 2 hard-boiled eggs, sliced, for garnish
  • 4 black olives, for garnish

Instructions:

  1. Poach the Chicken: Place chicken breasts in a pot with water, salt, and a bay leaf (optional). Simmer gently until fully cooked (about 20 minutes). Remove chicken, reserving 1/2 cup of the poaching liquid. Once cool enough to handle, shred the chicken finely.
  2. Prepare Binder: Soak the bread slices in the whole milk until completely saturated. Set aside.
  3. In a large pan or pot, heat the vegetable oil over medium heat. Add the chopped onion and sauté until translucent (5-7 minutes). Add the minced garlic and Ají Amarillo paste. Cook, stirring constantly, for 3 minutes to temper the heat and concentrate the fruit flavors.
  4. Blend Sauce Base: Transfer the soaked bread/milk mixture, the ground walnuts, and the reserved chicken broth to a blender or food processor. Blend until the mixture is completely smooth and velvety.
  5. Combine and Simmer: Pour the blended sauce back into the pan with the aderezo. Stir in the grated Parmesan cheese until fully melted and the sauce is homogenous and thick. Season with salt to taste.
  6. Finish Stew: Fold the shredded chicken into the sauce. Simmer gently for 5 minutes, allowing the chicken to heat through and absorb the flavors. Do not boil rapidly.
  7. Serve: Serve the Ají de Gallina hot, typically over steamed white rice or boiled potatoes, garnished with slices of hard-boiled egg and black olives.