How to Make Peru’s Spicy Masterpiece Aji de Gallina

Step 1

Break up the pita bread into small pieces and place in a shallow bowl. Cover with a ½ cup of the stock and allow to soak.

Step 2

Lightly salt and pepper the chicken and cook skin side down on the stovetop in a skillet over medium heat. Cook slowly to slowly brown the skin without burning. Check occasionally. When the skin is browned well, flip over the pieces of chicken and continue to cook until cooked through. You can cover and move to a 200F (93C) oven to keep warm if the chicken is done before you’ve completed the sauce.

Step 3

Meanwhile, place the walnuts into a food processor and pulse until nuts are finely ground. Then add the soaked bread and continue to pulse until a fine paste is formed. Add more stock if it’s too thick to mix well.

Step 4

In a skillet over medium high heat, saute the onion and shallot in olive oil and a pinch of salt. When onion becomes soft and translucent, add the garlic, peppers, turmeric and cumin. Cook several minutes longer until the garlic is fragrant but not browned.

Step 5

Deglaze the pan with a cup of stock, then add the walnut and bread puree and the remainder of the salt. The sauce will be very thick, so thin it with additional stock until you have a thick, velvety sauce. Bring to a simmer and cook for a few minutes. Stir in the parmesan cheese. Cover and set aside.

Step 6

In a separate skillet, fry the olive slices in a little bit of olive oil until the surface becomes slightly crispy. Remove from skillet and set aside.

Step 7

To serve, remove the chicken from the bone and slice into thin slices. Plate with potatoes or rice and cover with sauce. Garnish with cilantro and fried olives.