Shredded poached chicken folded into a golden sauce of aji amarillo, bread-thickened chicken stock, evaporated milk, Parmesan, and walnuts. Served over white rice and yellow potatoes. A Peruvian classic — creamy, spiced, and deeply satisfying.
Recipe
4 halves
Chicken breast halves
About 2 lbs total
6 medium
Yellow potatoes
Boiled separately, for serving
3–4 tbsp
Aji amarillo paste
Fruity, mildly spicy Peruvian chili paste
2 slices
White bread, day-old
Soaked in stock — natural thickener for the sauce
3
Boiled eggs, sliced
For garnish
Steps
Poach the chicken: Bring stock to a gentle boil. Add chicken with a pinch of salt. Simmer 20–25 min until cooked through. Remove and reserve 2 cups stock. Shred chicken with two forks.
Build the base: Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium. Cook onion 5 min until translucent. Add garlic 1 min more. Add aji amarillo paste, stir 1–2 min to release fragrance.
Make the sauce: Soak bread in ½ cup hot stock, mash into a paste. Add to the pan with remaining 1.5 cups stock. Simmer 5 min, stirring.
Add dairy and chicken: Pour in evaporated milk, stir. Add shredded chicken and half the walnuts. Simmer gently 10–15 min. Sauce should be rich and golden, coating the chicken lightly.
Finish: Stir in Parmesan. Adjust salt and white pepper. Serve over white rice and boiled yellow potatoes. Garnish with remaining walnuts, sliced eggs, and black olives.
Thermomix
4 halves
Chicken breast halves
About 900g total
350g
Evaporated milk
1 standard can
80g
Parmesan cheese
In chunks — will be grated in TM
Steps
Poach chicken in Varoma: Weigh 900g chicken breast, cut into halves. Add 1 liter stock to mixing bowl. Heat 10 min/100°C/Speed 1. Place chicken in Varoma basket with pinch of salt. Set Varoma in place. Cook 20 min/Varoma/Speed 1. Remove chicken to cool. Reserve 500ml stock in bowl. Shred chicken finely.
Blend aromatics: Empty bowl. Add onion quarters and garlic cloves to mixing bowl. Chop 5 sec/Speed 6. Scrape down sides.
Sauté base: Add olive oil. Sauté 3 min/120°C/Speed 1. Add aji amarillo paste. Cook 2 min/100°C/Speed 1. Scrape down. Result: fragrant, deeply coloured base.
Build sauce: Soak bread slices in 200ml reserved warm stock, mash with a fork into a paste. Add bread paste and remaining 300ml stock to mixing bowl. Simmer 5 min/100°C/Speed 2. Result: thick, golden sauce.
Add chicken and dairy: Add shredded chicken and evaporated milk to mixing bowl. Stir gently with spatula. Cook 10 min/90°C/Speed 1 (Reverse). Do not exceed Speed 2 — chicken should remain in shreds. Add half the walnuts in last 2 min.
Grate Parmesan and finish: In a clean dry bowl, grate Parmesan chunks 10 sec/Speed 10. Stir grated Parmesan into sauce by spatula. Adjust salt and white pepper. Serve over rice and boiled yellow potatoes. Garnish with remaining walnuts and sliced eggs.
Note: Use Reverse mode (Speed 1, Reverse) when the chicken is in the bowl to prevent the blades shredding it further. The sauce thickens considerably as it cools — add a splash of stock when reheating.
Flavor Profile
First taste: Rich, golden, and mildly spiced — aji amarillo is fruity and aromatic, not aggressively hot.
Mid-palate: Evaporated milk and Parmesan add creamy, salty depth; walnuts bring earthy bitterness to balance the sweetness.
Finish: White pepper (not black) keeps the sauce refined and light in appearance. This is comfort food made gracefully — Peruvian home cooking at its best.
Variations & Customization
Less Spice
Use 2 tbsp aji amarillo and add gradually. The sauce should be warming, not burning.
More Body
Add ¼ cup mashed yellow potato to the sauce for extra thickness and a traditional Peruvian texture.
Vegetarian Version
Replace chicken with firm tofu or chickpeas. Use vegetable stock. The aji amarillo sauce works beautifully either way.
Make-Ahead
Sauce keeps 3 days refrigerated. Reheat gently with a splash of stock. Serve over fresh rice and potatoes at time of serving.