Aji de Gallina: A Fusion of Creole and French Cuisine

Aji de Gallina is a chicken or hen-based dish that is an integral part of Peruvian cuisine. The literal translation of Aji de Gallina would be "hen in chili sauce," and it is believed to have originated in Lima following a wave of immigration from Europe, with notable Spanish and French influences. This dish is truly beloved by Peruvians and is easy to find on restaurant menus throughout the country.

The Origins of Aji de Gallina in Peruvian Gastronomy

Historically, this dish marks a particularly fascinating chapter in Peruvian cuisine's ability to fuse with culinary traditions from around the world. Indeed, during the French Revolution, certain aristocratic and bourgeois families found themselves ruined or forced into exile, abandoning their properties, their châteaux, and their staff. Some accomplished chefs thus found themselves without work and chose to emigrate to the Americas. Distinguished Spanish chefs, but especially French ones, came to Perú to work on the estates of wealthy landowners.

Their talents, their culinary expertise, and the refined tastes of French cuisine had to blend with local ingredients and the Creole cooking of enslaved workers on these wealthy estates. It was in this cultural context that Aji de Gallina was born!

A Quick Lesson in Peruvian Cooking: The Aji de Gallina Recipe!

Ingredients for Aji de Gallina

The basic recipe for Aji de Gallina, serving 4 to 5 people, includes:

• 5 chicken breasts
• 6 slices of white bread
• 1 onion, diced
• 60 grams of grated Parmesan cheese
• 600 grams of potatoes
• 500 grams of white rice
• 125 grams of Ají Amarillo (yellow chili peppers)
• Garlic, finely minced
• Celery
• 1 bay leaf
• 6 pecan nuts, chopped
• 4 hard-boiled eggs
• Oil
• Salt, pepper, and cumin

Preparing Aji de Gallina

To prepare Aji de Gallina, plan for about twenty minutes of prep time and roughly 40 minutes of cooking. It's a signature Peruvian dish that doesn't require advanced culinary skills to achieve excellent results.

1. Begin by finely chopping the onions and garlic; set half of this mixture aside. Place the other half in salted and peppered water and bring to a boil, adding a bay leaf and the chicken breasts. Let simmer and rest for 20 minutes.

2. Remove the crusts from the bread and soak the crumbs in milk, then blend the mixture. Once the 20 minutes have elapsed, remove the cooked chicken breasts and onions, reserving the cooking liquid.

3. Finely slice the chili peppers and let them warm gently in a heated oiled pan. Add the raw garlic and onion, a pinch of salt, pepper, cumin, then the cooking liquid (approximately 3 cups) and the cooked onions. Stir regularly.

4. Meanwhile, shred the chicken into very fine pieces and add them gradually to the pan. Finish by adding the milk and bread crumbs, stirring gently over low heat for 15 minutes until a thick, creamy sauce forms.

5. Stir in the pecan nuts and Parmesan cheese and continue cooking for another 10 minutes. Serve hot over potatoes and rice, garnishing the plate with hard-boiled eggs or olives.