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Peruvians are fiercely protective of our gastronomy. We love our traditional dishes so much that we are often hesitant to try anything outside the box. You see it everywhere, brands and advertisers constantly exploit the image of a family sharing a strictly traditional meal because they know it sells. We are so rooted in our classic flavors that if a foreign franchise wants to survive in Peru, they have to adapt to our exact palate, or they fail.
Years ago, I attended a book fair at Larcomar in Miraflores. A team member from Virgilio Martinez’s restaurant, Central, was giving a presentation on innovating Peruvian cuisine. He wasn’t talking about crazy molecular gastronomy; he was redefining what our food meant. His philosophy was that Peruvian cuisine is simply native Peruvian ingredients, cooked by Peruvians, using a mix of traditional and modern techniques. I stayed until the end, and I remember hearing people in the crowd furiously rejecting the idea. To them, if it wasn’t the exact traditional street food they grew up with, it wasn’t Peruvian.
But as cooks, we have a duty to keep exploring. We have to constantly ask ourselves, “what if?” If we don’t experiment, our cuisine stops evolving. This Lasagna de Ají de Gallina is exactly that, a “what if.” It is not molecular gastronomy, and I highly doubt I will ever write a recipe for home cooks using those fancy techniques. This is simply a twist on a beloved classic. It takes the creamy, slightly spicy profile of our traditional chicken stew and merges it with Italian layers. It is a first step into creativity that respects the traditional base while pushing our boundaries just a little bit further.
This dish is a direct bridge between traditional Peruvian flavors and classic Italian cuisine. Instead of using a tomato-based ragù between the pasta sheets, the filling is a slightly modified version of Ají de Gallina, a classic Peruvian creamy chicken stew.
The stew is built on a base of sautéed red onions, garlic, ají amarillo, and ají mirasol and amarillo pastes. That base is blended with milk-soaked bread to create a thick, vibrant sauce before folding in shredded chicken. When layered alongside a nutmeg-scented bechamel, mozzarella, and parmesan, it bakes into a rich, savory dish that honors both gastronomies.
The Chili Pastes: You need Ají Amarillo and Ají Mirasol pastes to give this dish its authentic flavor and yellow color. You can find them in the Latin aisle of many major supermarkets, at local Hispanic grocers, or by ordering Aji Amarillo Paste and Aji Mirasol Paste on Amazon.
The Poultry: In Peru, this is traditionally made with gallina (older hen), which provides a much deeper, richer flavor than standard chicken. In the US, hen can be hard to find outside of specialty butchers. While using standard chicken breasts saves time and is easier to source, you will lose some depth of flavor. Try to boil the chicken with aromatics (celery, carrots, onions) to maximize the flavor of the meat before shredding it.
The Cheese: Do not use pre-grated parmesan in a plastic shaker. Because the flavors here are so creamy and delicate, using a high-quality, freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano will drastically elevate the entire dish.
Keep the chicken stew loose
The Ají de Gallina should not be overly thick when you build the lasagna. It needs to be slightly runny because the pasta sheets will absorb a lot of moisture, and the oven heat will dry the filling out further as it bakes.
Do not burn the bechamel roux
When melting the butter and whisking in the flour for your bechamel, keep the heat on medium-low. You want to cook the raw flour taste out for about 3 minutes without letting the mixture turn brown.
Let it rest before slicing
Like any lasagna, if you cut into it boiling hot straight from the oven, the layers will slide apart and the creamy filling will spill everywhere. Let it rest for at least 15 to 20 minutes to set properly.
Making Ají de Gallina makes me so hungry, the flavors and aromas of this dish are really good!
The texture should be a bit loose, it will dry a bit once it is on the oven
I just love a good Lasagna and Aji de Gallina makes it even better.
Because this lasagna is incredibly rich, creamy, and carbohydrate-heavy, you do not need much else on the plate. A very simple, highly acidic green salad, like arugula or mixed greens with a sharp lemon vinaigrette is the perfect side to cut through the heavy cream and cheese.
Lasagna almost always tastes better the next day once the flavors have fully melded. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
To reheat, place a slice in an oven-safe dish, cover it tightly with aluminum foil so it doesn’t dry out, and bake at 350°F (175°C) for about 15-20 minutes until heated through. You can also microwave individual slices for about 2 minutes.
Can I use no-boil lasagna noodles?
Yes, no-boil (oven-ready) noodles work perfectly here. The Ají de Gallina and bechamel provide plenty of moisture for the pasta to absorb while baking.
Can I freeze this lasagna?
Absolutely. You can freeze the entire assembled, unbaked lasagna tightly wrapped in plastic and foil for up to 2 months. You can also freeze leftover baked slices individually.
Can I add pecans or walnuts?
Ají de Gallina sometimes includes chopped pecans or walnuts. I omitted them here to keep the texture perfectly smooth for the lasagna layers, but you can absolutely blend a small handful of pecans into the sauce.
Tried it? Let me know.
If you made this recipe at home, leave a comment below and let me know how it turned out! Tag @Chewinghappiness on Instagram to show me your plated dish.
