Recipe

Ají de gallina with a hint of ají cachucha

Name: Ají de gallina with a hint of ají cachucha
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 70 min
Ingredients: 500 g skinless, boneless chicken breast; 1 liter water; 1 bay leaf; 100 g white bread crumb, crusts removed; 250 ml unsweetened evaporated milk; 150 g chopped onion; 2 cloves garlic, chopped; 2 ají cachucha peppers, about 30 g, seeded and chopped; 45 g ají amarillo paste, about 3 tablespoons; 30 ml oil; ¼ teaspoon cumin; 30 g finely ground walnuts; 25 g grated Parmesan cheese; 250 to 450 ml of the chicken cooking broth, depending on texture; Salt to taste; Pepper to taste; 400 g potatoes, peeled and cut into 2 cm slices; 20 g pitted black olives

A fusion version of Peruvian ají de gallina, made with chicken and ají amarillo sauce, with the aroma of Cuban ají cachucha.

CiberCubaNovember 7, 2026

AI-generated image.CiberCuba

Preparation20 min
Cooking45 min
Total time1 h 10 min
Servings4 servings
DifficultyMedium

The name of the dish is ají de gallina, a classic of Peruvian cuisine, although this home-style version is made with chicken. It keeps the base of the sauce: bread soaked in evaporated milk, ají amarillo, walnuts and Parmesan cheese, which give it its thick texture and natural yellow color.

This recipe is a contemporary fusion adaptation, not a traditional Cuban variation. The Cuban touch comes from the ají cachucha, which is sautéed together with the onion and garlic and adds aroma without heat. The cachucha accompanies the ají amarillo; it does not replace it. It is served over sliced potatoes and finished with black olives.

Method

Put the bread crumb in a bowl and cover it with the evaporated milk. Let it soak for at least 10 minutes.
AI-generated image.CiberCuba
While the bread soaks, cook the chicken in the liter of water with the bay leaf and a little salt, at a gentle simmer, for about 15–20 minutes, until it reaches 74 °C/165 °F in the center.
In another pot, boil the potatoes in salted water for 15–20 minutes, until tender. Drain them and set aside, covered.
Remove the chicken, let it cool slightly for 5 minutes and shred it. Strain the broth and reserve 450 ml.
AI-generated image.CiberCuba
Blend the bread with all the soaking milk until you have a smooth mixture with no lumps.
Heat the oil in a pot. Sauté the onion for 8 minutes; add the garlic and ají cachucha and cook 3 minutes more. Add the ají amarillo paste and the cumin and cook for 2 minutes, stirring.
AI-generated image.CiberCuba
Add the bread and milk mixture and 250 ml of the reserved broth. Cook over low heat for 5 minutes, stirring so it does not stick. Add the shredded chicken, ground walnuts and Parmesan and cook another 5 minutes.
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Taste and adjust the salt and pepper. If needed, add the rest of the reserved broth 50 ml at a time: it should be a thick sauce that coats the shreds of chicken, not a soup.
Place the potato slices on plates, spoon the ají over the top and finish with the black olives.
AI-generated image.CiberCuba