Pollo Saltado (Peruvian Chicken Stir-Fry)

Pollo Saltado is a Peruvian Stir-Fry with seasoned chicken, onions, and tomatoes. It is traditionally served with French fries and rice. Peruvian cuisine has been heavily influenced by Chinese immigrants and the resulting fusion is known as Chifa. This combination of chicken with aji amarillo, soy sauce, vinegar, french fries, and rice sounded a bit odd at first, but it was absolutely delicious. If you would rather have beef, there is a more popular version called Lomo Saltado.

This dish cooks quickly at a high heat. Make sure to have all your ingredients chopped and ready to add in before starting the cooking process.

I used pre-made, frozen French fries and baked them to serve with the stir-fry. Homemade fries cooked immediately prior to serving would also be delicious.

I kept the French fries separated from the stir-fry to keep them from becoming soggy for leftover purposes, but I have also seen them tossed right into the stir-fry when served immediately.

Aji Amarillo (Amarillo Chili) is a bright orange chile with about the same heat level as Tabasco or Cayenne on the Scoville Scale. In addition to heat, it also has a bit of fruitiness. I was able to find Aji Amarillo Paste in the Peruvian section of the International market. I have also seen it in the international section of larger supermarkets like Wegmans. You can sometimes find the chilies dried or frozen. If you can’t find it locally, it is available on Amazon (but for a more expensive price): Zócalo Peru Aji Amarillo Paste Organic, 8 Ounce.

Pollo Saltado (Peruvian Chicken Stir-Fry)
Adapted from Peru Delights
Serves 4

1 pound skinless and boneless chicken breasts
Salt and pepper to taste
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 red onion, thickly sliced
3 tablespoons soy sauce
3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
2 large tomatoes, thickly sliced
1/2 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
1 aji amarillo pepper, seeds removed and thinly sliced or 1 tablespoon ajo amarillo paste
2 cups French fries for serving
Cooked long grain white rice for serving

 

Thinly slice the chicken breasts and season with salt and pepper.

In a large wok, drizzle oil over high heat. When thoroughly heated, add the sliced chicken breasts. Cook, stirring often, until golden on all sides. Toss in the garlic and onions, then the soy sauce and vinegar. Once the onions begin to soften, stir in the tomatoes, cilantro, aji amarillo, and additional salt and pepper.

Remove from heat and serve immediately with French fries and rice.