A Chincha classic born from the meeting of pasta, criollo seasoning and fresh herbs. The noodles absorb a chicken-rich base colored with annatto, tomato, ají panca, basil and parsley until moist and concentrated, never soupy. Once the lid comes off and that green, reddish aroma escapes, remembering to carry the pot all the way to the table becomes surprisingly difficult.
Turn what you find into an experience you can actually bring to your kitchen.
Dice the red onion and tomato into small pieces and keep the chicken pieces refrigerated until needed. Break the noodles in half so they can later settle into the pot without needing to be broken during cooking.
Blend the basil with most of the parsley and part of the water for 20 to 30 seconds, until the mixture is green, aromatic and still slightly textured. Set aside; it does not need to be completely smooth.
Heat part of the annatto oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add the chicken pieces and brown them for 4 to 5 minutes, turning so they develop golden color on several sides without trying to cook them through. Transfer them to a plate.
Add the remaining annatto oil to the same pot and cook the red onion for 6 to 7 minutes, until very soft and translucent. Stir in the ground garlic, ají panca paste, tomato, cumin, black pepper and most of the salt. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring often, until the tomato has partially broken down and the aderezo is thick, reddish and glossy.
Pour the blended basil and parsley into the aderezo and cook for 3 minutes, until the herbs mingle with the annatto while keeping their fresh aroma. Return the chicken to the pot, add another portion of the water, cover and cook over medium-low heat for 10 minutes; when uncovered, a well-seasoned broth should have formed and the chicken will be partially cooked.
Add the noodles and remaining water, arranging them around the chicken pieces. Once the pot returns to a boil, lower to medium-low heat, partially cover and cook for 10 to 12 minutes, stirring carefully once halfway through. It is ready when the noodles are tender, saturated with sauce and leave only a glossy trace of moisture at the bottom, with no loose broth. Also make sure the chicken is fully cooked; the thickest part should reach 74°C / 165°F.
Turn off the heat, add the remaining parsley and salt, cover and let the pot rest for 5 minutes. Serve hot, with a piece of chicken in each portion and the noodles still moist and loose rather than compact. And that's it! If opening the lid brings basil first and then that deeper note of tomato, annatto and chicken, it becomes easy to understand why in Chincha this dish was never meant to remain lonely.
