Peruvian Ají de Gallina Creamy Chicken in Yellow Chili Walnut Sauce over Rice

Ingredients

• 2 lbs bone-in chicken breasts or thighs
• 1 onion, quartered (for poaching)
• 3 cloves garlic (for poaching)
• 6 ají amarillo peppers (or 4 tbsp ají amarillo paste from a jar)
• 4 slices white sandwich bread, crusts removed
• 1 cup evaporated milk
• 1 cup walnuts, toasted, plus extra chopped for garnish
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan or Cotija cheese
• 1 large onion, finely diced
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tbsp vegetable oil
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1/2 tsp ground turmeric (for color)
• Salt and black pepper to taste
• Steamed white rice for serving
• 4 small potatoes, boiled and halved
• 4 hard-boiled eggs, halved, for garnish
• Black olives for garnish
• Fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped, for garnish

Instructions

1. Poach the chicken: place chicken in a pot with water to cover, quartered onion, whole garlic cloves, and salt. Bring to a simmer, cook 25-30 minutes until cooked through. Remove chicken, cool slightly, then shred into bite-sized pieces. Reserve 1.5 cups of the poaching broth.
2. If using fresh ají amarillo, roast over an open flame or under the broiler until charred. Peel, seed, and devein. Blend to a paste. (Jarred paste skips this step.)
3. Tear bread into chunks and soak in evaporated milk for 5 minutes. Blend together with toasted walnuts and soaked bread until completely smooth. Set aside.
4. Heat oil in a large heavy skillet over medium heat. Sauté diced onion 8 minutes until soft and golden. Add minced garlic, cumin, and turmeric, cook 2 minutes. Add ají amarillo paste and cook 3 minutes, stirring — the oil will turn a vivid yellow-orange.
5. Add the walnut-bread mixture to the pan. Stir well and cook 2 minutes. Pour in 1 cup reserved broth and stir to combine into a thick, creamy sauce. Add Parmesan and stir until melted.
6. Add shredded chicken to the sauce. Stir to coat every piece. Cook on low heat 5 minutes. Adjust consistency with remaining broth — the sauce should cling to the chicken but be scoopable. Season generously with salt and pepper.
7. Serve over white rice alongside boiled potatoes. Garnish with halved hard-boiled eggs, black olives, chopped walnuts, and fresh parsley. This is Peru's beloved Sunday comfort food.