Creamy Ají Amarillo Chicken with Easy Pan Sauce
Creamy Ají Amarillo Chicken with Easy Pan Sauce is a cozy, comforting meal that’s better than takeout. After making this many times, I’ve discovered the trick to making the creamy sauce perfectly every time. The golden, creamy sauce is irresistible and coats the chicken perfectly. Keep reading for my best tips or jump to the recipe card. If you love recipes like this, you’ll also enjoy Creamy Gorgonzola Truffle Mushroom Sauce for Pasta and Creamy Zucchini Noodle Chicken Alfredo Recipe.
Why This Creamy Ají Amarillo Chicken with Easy Pan Sauce Is Pure Comfort
- The creamy sauce is made with just a few ingredients
- It's a one-pan meal that's easy to clean up
- The ají amarillo paste adds a unique, slightly spicy flavor
- It's perfect for meal prepping and leftovers
What You'll Need for Creamy Ají Amarillo Chicken with Easy Pan Sauce
Choosing the right ingredients makes a big difference, but this recipe is forgiving enough to work with what you have.
- boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- aji amarillo paste
- heavy cream
- chicken broth
- garlic
- onion
- olive oil
- salt
- black pepper
- cumin
- chili powder
- paprika
- oregano
- Optional: fresh cilantro
- Optional: green onions
- Optional: shredded cheese
📝 Ingredient Notes
- aji amarillo paste: You can find this in Latin American markets or online. It's a mild, sweet pepper paste that adds a unique flavor to the dish.
🛒 Tools & Equipment I Recommend
- Immersion Blender — Makes blending the sauce right in the pan easy and mess-free → See on Amazon
- Cast Iron Skillet — Helps create a perfect sear on the chicken and a delicious crust on the pan sauce → See on Amazon
How to Make Creamy Ají Amarillo Chicken with Easy Pan Sauce
- Step 1: Season chicken breasts with salt, black pepper, cumin, chili powder, and paprika. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken and cook until browned and cooked through, about 6-7 minutes per side. Remove chicken from skillet and set aside.
- Step 2: In the same skillet, add onion and garlic. Cook until softened, about 3-4 minutes. Stir in aji amarillo paste and cook for another minute. Pour in chicken broth and heavy cream. Stir well to combine. Bring to a simmer and let it cook until the sauce has thickened, about 5-7 minutes.
- Step 3: Return chicken to the skillet. Spoon the sauce over the chicken to coat. Let it cook for another 2-3 minutes. Garnish with fresh cilantro and green onions. Serve hot with shredded cheese if desired.
Cook's Tips for Perfect Creamy Ají Amarillo Chicken with Easy Pan Sauce
- Common mistake and fix: The #1 reason this recipe fails is using low-fat or non-dairy milk substitutes. They can cause the sauce to curdle. Use full-fat heavy cream for the best results.
- Pro tip: For a spicier version, add more aji amarillo paste or a pinch of cayenne pepper.
- Pro tip: To make this dish even more flavorful, marinate the chicken in the aji amarillo paste, garlic, and olive oil for at least 30 minutes before cooking.
- Pro tip: For a gluten-free version, make sure your chicken broth is gluten-free.
Storing & Reheating Creamy Ají Amarillo Chicken with Easy Pan Sauce
Short-Term Storage
Store in an airtight container in the fridge. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Make-ahead tip: The chicken can be cooked and the sauce can be made up to 2 days ahead. Store separately in the fridge. Reheat in the oven or microwave before serving.
Freezing Creamy Ají Amarillo Chicken with Easy Pan Sauce
Freeze cooked chicken and sauce separately for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating.
How to Reheat Without Drying It Out
Oven: Reheat in a 350°F oven for 15-20 minutes or until heated through. Microwave: Reheat in the microwave for 2-3 minutes or until heated through. The sauce may separate, but it will come back together once stirred.
Recipe Notes
- Chef tip: For a quicker version, use store-bought rotisserie chicken and skip step 1.
- Best substitution: No substitutions for the aji amarillo paste. It's the key ingredient in this dish.
- Make-ahead: See storage notes above.
- Scaling: This recipe can be easily doubled or tripled. Just make sure to cook the chicken in batches to avoid overcrowding the pan.
- Troubleshooting: If the sauce is too thick, thin it out with a little more chicken broth. If it's too thin, let it simmer for a few more minutes to reduce.
Want to level up this recipe?
High-quality Aji Amarillo Paste — Using authentic aji amarillo paste is key to getting the right flavor in this dish. This paste is made from fresh, ripe aji amarillo peppers and has a rich, fruity flavor with just the right amount of heat. → Check price on Amazon
Creamy Ají Amarillo Chicken with Easy Pan Sauce
Ingredients
Main Ingredients
- boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- aji amarillo paste
- heavy cream
- chicken broth
- garlic
- onion
- olive oil
Seasonings
- salt
- black pepper
- cumin
- chili powder
- paprika
- oregano
Optional Toppings
- fresh cilantro
- green onions
- shredded cheese
Instructions
- Step 1: Season chicken breasts with salt, black pepper, cumin, chili powder, and paprika. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken and cook until browned and cooked through, about 6-7 minutes per side. Remove chicken from skillet and set aside.
- Step 2: In the same skillet, add onion and garlic. Cook until softened, about 3-4 minutes. Stir in aji amarillo paste and cook for another minute. Pour in chicken broth and heavy cream. Stir well to combine. Bring to a simmer and let it cook until the sauce has thickened, about 5-7 minutes.
- Step 3: Return chicken to the skillet. Spoon the sauce over the chicken to coat. Let it cook for another 2-3 minutes. Garnish with fresh cilantro and green onions. Serve hot with shredded cheese if desired.
Notes
- Chef tip: For a quicker version, use store-bought rotisserie chicken and skip step 1.
- Best substitution: No substitutions for the aji amarillo paste. It's the key ingredient in this dish.
- Make-ahead: See storage notes above.
- Scaling: This recipe can be easily doubled or tripled. Just make sure to cook the chicken in batches to avoid overcrowding the pan.
- Troubleshooting: If the sauce is too thick, thin it out with a little more chicken broth. If it's too thin, let it simmer for a few more minutes to reduce.
Storage
- Fridge: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
- Freezer: Freeze cooked chicken and sauce separately for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating.
- Oven reheat: Reheat in a 350°F oven for 15-20 minutes or until heated through.
- Microwave reheat: Reheat in the microwave for 2-3 minutes or until heated through. The sauce may separate, but it will come back together once stirred.
- Make ahead: The chicken can be cooked and the sauce can be made up to 2 days ahead. Store separately in the fridge. Reheat in the oven or microwave before serving.
Nutrition Per Serving
- Calories: 450
- Protein: 40g
- Fat: 25g
- Carbs: 12g
- Fiber: 1g
- Sugar: 3g
- Sodium: 700mg
- Cholesterol: 120mg
- Sat. Fat: 13g
Nutritional values are estimates only. Actual values may vary by brand and portion size.
Creamy Ají Amarillo Chicken with Easy Pan Sauce FAQs
Yes, see storage notes above.
Using low-fat or non-dairy milk substitutes can cause the sauce to curdle. Use full-fat heavy cream for the best results.
Yes, see storage notes above.
Add more aji amarillo paste or a pinch of cayenne pepper.
This dish goes well with rice, quinoa, or a side salad. For a cozy fall meal, try serving it with my Creamy Gorgonzola Truffle Mushroom Sauce for Pasta.
A Warm Final Note
I can’t wait for you to try Creamy Ají Amarillo Chicken with Easy Pan Sauce and see how effortlessly it comes together. When you make it, pop back here and leave a rating or share how it turned out — I love hearing from you!
