• 4 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 2 large red onions, finely chopped
• 8 garlic cloves, chopped
• 1 ounce chopped shelled pecans
• 1 cup aji amarillo paste or yellow chili paste
• 1/2 cup aji mirasol paste or mirasol chili paste; you can buy these pastes at Peruvian markets and sometimes you can find them at supermarkets like Fiesta, the one in Bellaire only; or go to Amazon online
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 2 teaspoons dried oregano
• 8 white bread slices; does not work well with wholegrain bread
• 1/2 cup evaporated milk; you may need to add extra if necessary to make it creamier
• 1 1/2 cups chicken broth; you may need to add extra
• 1 pound of shredded poached chicken breast
• 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
• 2 white potatoes
• 2 cups white rice, cooked

For the aji amarillo chili paste, if you want to make it or can't find it:

• 2 1/4 pounds yellow chiles, seeded, membrane removed, and cut into pieces
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil

For the aji mirasol chili paste, if you want to make it or can't find it:

• 2 1/4 pounds dried mirasol chiles
• Note: need overnight soaking

To garnish:

• 4 pitted black olives, optional
• 1 hard boiled egg, cut into quarters, optional
• 1 bunch curly parsley

First, if you are making the chili paste from scratch, start with the paste recipes. If you bought the paste, skip to cooking the potatoes. Ají amarillo: Place the 2 1/4 pounds of yellow chiles in a pan with cold water, covering it and bringing to a boil. Then remove from heat and drain. Repeat the process 3 times, changing the water each time. Put the blanched chiles in a blender with the vegetable oil and a tablespoon of water and blend for about 5 minutes, to form a thick paste. Once the mix is well blended, push it through a strainer. This chili paste is best if used immediately, but it will be okay refrigerated for 2 days in a sealed bag. Ají mirasol: Wash the mirasol chiles to remove any dust or dirt. Cut in half lengthwise and remove the seeds and veins. Put the chiles in a bowl, cover with water, and let soak overnight. If possible, change the water 3 or 4 times during the soaking. Once soaked, drain the chiles and put in a blender with 1/2 cup of boiling water. Blend together thoroughly for about 5 minutes, then strain to remove any remaining chile pieces that didn't blend well. Transfer to a container and keep refrigerated until needed. For the gallina: Cook the potatoes in salted water until tender when pierced with a fork. Let cool, cut in quarters, and set aside. Cook the rice with 4 finely chopped garlic cloves; add 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil at the end and mix well. Set aside. Soak the 8 pieces of bread with the evaporated milk in a large bowl; set aside. Place the chicken breast in a pot with the chicken stock and bring to a simmer; cook for about 15 minutes, until the chicken is just barely cooked. Set aside. Once cooled, shred into bite size pieces. Strain the broth and set aside 2 to 3 cups for further cooking. In a pan, heat the oil over low heat. Add the onions and sauté for a few minutes, on slow heat; then add remaining garlic and sauté until the onions have softened. Add the chopped pecans, leaving a little for garnish, and chili pastes; mix well and add salt and pepper. Continue to cook on medium low heat. Then add the cumin and the oregano and continue to cook for another two to three minutes, stirring often. Once it's all mixed and the chili paste is cooked, remove from the heat and set aside. In a blender or food processor, put the soaked white bread with the milk, the shredded cheese, leaving some for garnish, pecans and blend together well. Once it's all blended, add the cooked onion with chili paste mixture and make it all a soft paste. Then return the blended mixture to a large pan and add the strained broth you saved from the chicken. Bring to a simmer, stir well, and add the shredded chicken. Add more chicken stock if the sauce is too thick; it should be creamy. Serve the rice, the potatoes, and the ají de gallina, topped with quartered boiled eggs, black olives if desired, remaining Parmesan cheese, and shredded pecans. Garnish with parsley.