History

A Spanish-colonial criolla dish descended from manjar blanco, the medieval Spanish almond-thickened poultry. Walnut and queso fresco replaced the almonds in viceregal Lima kitchens; aji amarillo gave the sauce its yellow colour and gentle heat. Now the canonical Sunday lunch criolla dish across Lima homes. El Bolivariano in Pueblo Libre, Isolina in Barranco and Astrid y Gaston all keep defensible versions on the menu year-round.

Common allergens: Dairy, Gluten, Tree nuts

Make it at home

Yield Serves 4Hands-on 25 minTotal 60 minDifficulty Intermediate

Ingredients

  • 500g chicken breast, poached and shredded
  • 4 tbsp aji amarillo paste
  • 1 yellow onion, finely chopped
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 60g walnuts, ground
  • 120g queso fresco, crumbled
  • 4 slices white bread, crusts off, soaked in 200ml whole milk
  • 200ml chicken stock
  • 60ml vegetable oil
  • Cooked white rice to serve
  • 2 hard-boiled eggs, halved
  • Black olives and boiled potato slices to garnish

Method

  1. Sweat the onion and garlic in oil over medium heat 5 minutes until soft.
  2. Add aji amarillo paste. Cook 3 minutes, stirring.
  3. Add the milk-soaked bread, breaking it up. Stir to combine.
  4. Add chicken stock and ground walnuts. Simmer 8 minutes until thick.
  5. Blend the sauce in a food processor until smooth.
  6. Return to the pan with the shredded chicken and queso fresco. Warm through 5 minutes.
  7. Plate over rice. Top with hard-boiled egg, olives and potato.

Tip from the editors. The sauce should coat the back of a spoon; if thin, simmer longer; if thick, thin with chicken stock.

Where to eat aji de gallina

Aji de Gallina in Lima

El Bolivariano ★ 4.3

Peruvian$$pueblo-libreMon-Thu 07:30-23:00, Fri-Sat 07:30-01:00, Sun 07:30-17:00

El Bolivariano on Pasaje Santa Rosa in Pueblo Libre Lima is a criolla institution in a republican casona, far quieter than the Miraflores tourist axis.

Why locals love it: A republican casona in mid-city Pueblo Libre, off the Miraflores-Barranco tourist axis, with criolla tradition dating to the 1780s.

Tip: Open from 07:30 for breakfast tamales; Sunday lunch is the family-table service.

Pasaje Santa Rosa 291, Pueblo Libre, Lima 15084

Isolina ★ 4.6

Peruvian$$barrancoMon-Wed 12:00-22:00, Thu-Fri 12:00-23:00, Sat 09:00-23:00, Sun 09:00-19:00

Isolina at Av San Martin 101 in Barranco is Jose del Castillo's 2015 criolla taberna, a tribute to his mother Isolina Vargas and her Lima home cooking.

Signature: Cau cau, Tacu tacu con lomo, Ceviche carretillero

Order: The tacu tacu with steak and a portion of the carretillero ceviche.

Tip: Weekend brunch service runs 09:00-11:00 before the regular lunch carta.

Av San Martin 101, Barranco, Lima 15063 Book →

Astrid y Gaston ★ 4.7

PeruvianChef Gaston Acurio and Astrid Gutsche$$$$S/690san-isidroTue-Sat 13:00-22:30, Sun 12:00-15:30Book 4 weeks ahead

Astrid y Gaston at Casa Moreyra in San Isidro is the 1994 flagship of Gaston Acurio and Astrid Gutsche, in a 17th-century San Isidro hacienda from 2014.

Signature: Cuy pekines, Tasting menu, Tiraditos sequence

Order: The tasting menu, anchored by the cuy pekines, Peking-style guinea pig.

Tip: Closed Mondays; the patio of the hacienda is the seat to request when booking.

Av Paz Soldan 290, San Isidro, Lima 15073

Cosme ★ 4.5

PeruvianChef James Berckemeyer$$$S/180-280san-isidroMon-Sat 12:30-22:45, Sun 12:00-16:00Book 1 week ahead

Cosme at Calle Tudela y Varela 162 in San Isidro is chef James Berckemeyer's comfort-Peruvian room, opened 2015 after training under Gaston Acurio.

Signature: Comfort-food tasting plates, Beef tartare, Modern aji de gallina

Order: The chef's tasting plates, anchored by the modern aji de gallina and the beef tartare.

Tip: Sunday lunch is the easier reservation; closed for dinner Sunday.

Calle Tudela y Varela 162, San Isidro, Lima 15073 Book →

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