There's nothing very unusual about serving a chicken or potato salad at a cookout, which is why this layered Peruvian potato and chicken salad will cause such a stir. Or should I say, "causa" a stir, since in Peru that's what this gorgeous dish is called. Infused with ají amarillo, lime juice, and cilantro, these are perfect for making ahead and packing in your cooler on a hot summer day.
Ingredients
- chicken breast, diced or: 1 piece (shredded, cooked)
- green peas: 0.25 cup
- cooked carrot: 0.25 cup (diced)
- shallot: 1 tsp (minced)
- roasted red peppers: 2 Tbsp (finely chopped)
- fresh cilantro: 2 Tbsp (chopped)
- lime juice: 1 tsp
- mayonnaise: 0.25 cup (or as needed)
- ¼ pounds Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and quartered: 1 piece
- aji amarillo chili paste: 2 Tbsp (to taste)
- olive oil: 2 Tbsp
- lime: 1 piece (juiced, to taste)
- cayenne pepper: (to taste)
- salt: (to taste)
- avocado, quartered and: 1 piece (sliced)
- mayonnaise: 0.33333 cup
- sour cream: 1 Tbsp (optional)
- clove garlic: 1 piece (crushed)
- aji amarillo chili paste: 2 tsp (to taste)
- water as needed: 1 tsp
Metric Conversion
Stages of cooking
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Combine chicken, green peas, carrot, shallot, roasted red peppers, cilantro, and lime juice in a bowl. Season with salt and cayenne. Add mayonnaise and mix until combined. Cover chicken salad with plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to use.
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Place potatoes into a pot and cover with salted water; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until very tender but not falling apart, about 20 minutes. Drain well and transfer potatoes to a mixing bowl. Mash until smooth.
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Add ají amarillo, olive oil, and lime juice to the potatoes. Season with cayenne and salt. Mash together with a potato masher. Switch to a spatula and mix until completely smooth.
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Line four 6-ounce ramekins with plastic wrap. Scoop mashed potatoes evenly into ramekins; press and smooth out the tops. Cover each with a layer of avocado slices. Fill each ramekin to the top with chicken salad, pressing it down and pulling up the plastic wrap to eliminate any air pockets. Cover with a final layer of mashed potatoes, going up to 1/2 inch or more over the rim.
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Seal top with a new layer of plastic wrap and fold the sides over to seal. Refrigerate salads until completely chilled, at least 1 hour.
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Mix mayonnaise, sour cream, garlic, and ají amarillo together for the sauce, adding a splash of water to adjust the thickness.
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Remove the top layer of plastic wrap from each salad. Invert each ramekin onto a serving plate; remove ramekins, then plastic wrap. Spoon some sauce around each salad. Chef John
