Aji de Gallina (Peruvian Creamy Chicken Stew)

• 700 g Chicken thighs, boneless, skinless
• 300 g Long-grain white rice
• 4 Egg
• 1 large Yellow onion
• 4 cloves Garlic
• 2 tbsp Olive oil
• 3 tbsp Aji amarillo paste
• 120 g White bread, stale is ideal
• 500 ml Whole milk
• 60 g Walnuts
• 50 g Parmesan
• 80 g Black pitted olives
• 2 tsp Fine sea salt
• 1 tsp Black pepper

1. Put the chicken in a large pot and cover with water. Add 1 tsp of the fine sea salt, bring to the boil, then simmer for 15–18 minutes until the chicken is cooked through. Lift out the chicken, reserving 400 ml of the cooking liquid, then shred the meat.
2. Meanwhile, cook the long-grain white rice in salted boiling water until tender, then drain and cover to keep warm. In a saucepan, cover the eggs with cold water, bring to the boil, then simmer for 9 minutes; cool under cold running water and peel. Halve the eggs and set aside with the black pitted olives for serving.
3. Tear the white bread into pieces and put in a bowl with the whole milk to soak for 5 minutes. Roughly chop the walnuts. Peel and finely chop the yellow onion, and peel and crush the garlic.
4. Heat the olive oil in a frying pan over medium heat. Cook the onion with a pinch of the remaining fine sea salt for 6–8 minutes until soft and sweet, then stir in the garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add the aji amarillo paste and cook for 1 minute more, stirring constantly.
5. Scrape the onion mixture into a blender. Add the soaked bread and milk, the walnuts, and 300 ml of the reserved chicken cooking liquid, then blend until very smooth. If it seems too thick to blend, add a splash more of the reserved liquid.
6. Pour the blended sauce back into the frying pan and bring to a gentle simmer over low heat. Cook for 6–8 minutes, stirring often, until thickened to a creamy, spoon-coating consistency. Stir in the parmesan and black pepper, then taste and adjust with the remaining fine sea salt if needed.
7. Fold the shredded chicken into the sauce and warm through for 2–3 minutes until piping hot. Serve over the rice, topped with the egg halves and black pitted olives. Spoon over any extra sauce at the table.

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