A Peruvian criollo classic built around ají amarillo and shredded chicken. The sauce is creamy and silky with gentle heat, served over yellow potatoes with egg, black olives and white rice.
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Place the chicken breast in a pot with part of the water and part of the salt. Bring it just to a boil, then lower the heat to a gentle simmer for 18 to 20 minutes, until the center is no longer pink and the juices run clear; if you have a thermometer, aim for 74°C / 165°F in the thickest part. Turn off the heat and leave it 5 minutes in the broth, then remove it, shred it into thick strands and reserve the broth.
While the chicken cooks, place the yellow potatoes in another pot with another portion of the water and salt. Cook for 20 to 25 minutes, until a knife slides into the center with little resistance; when 10 minutes remain, add the eggs. Drain, let the eggs cool just enough to handle, peel and halve them; peel the potatoes if needed and cut them into thick slices.
Heat a small portion of the oil in another pot, add a small portion of the ground garlic and stir for 30 seconds, just until fragrant. Add the white rice, stir for 1 minute, then add the remaining water set aside for the rice and another portion of the salt. Once it boils and the water drops almost to the level of the rice, cover and cook over low heat for 12 to 14 minutes, until the grains are tender and no free water remains; turn off the heat and keep it covered while you finish the stew.
Remove the seeds and veins from the ají amarillo and blend it with a little of the reserved broth, using only enough liquid to keep the blades moving. Heat the remaining oil in a pot and cook the red onion over medium-low heat for 8 to 10 minutes, until very soft, translucent and just lightly golden at the edges. Add the remaining ground garlic for 1 minute, then add the blended ají with another portion of the salt; cook for 10 to 12 minutes, stirring often, until the raw aroma is gone and the aderezo looks glossy, thick and shows small traces of oil around the edges.
Soak the sandwich bread in most of the evaporated milk for 5 minutes, until completely soft. Blend it with the pecans and a little reserved broth until smooth; pour it into the aderezo and cook over medium-low heat for 6 to 8 minutes, stirring so it does not catch, until the sauce coats the spoon but still falls from it slowly. If it gets too thick, loosen it gradually with reserved broth.
Fold in the shredded chicken, the remaining evaporated milk and the Parmesan cheese. Cook over low heat for 3 to 4 minutes, stirring gently, until the chicken is fully coated and the sauce remains creamy and flowing, never pasty. Finish with the black pepper and remaining salt; taste and, if needed, correct the texture with a spoonful of broth at a time.
Arrange the yellow potato slices on each plate and spoon the ají de gallina over them, with the white rice on the side. Finish each serving with half an egg and a black olive. And that’s it! If the sauce falls creamy over the potatoes and you can still see distinct strands of chicken, you nailed the texture 😌
