Tallarín Saltado de Pollo
Sopa a la Minuta & Los Salvavidas (Weeknight Lifesavers)
Growing up in the Midwest, the smell of soy sauce hitting hot vinegar in a pan meant one thing: someone was making saltado. While lomo gets all the Hollywood glory, this chicken and noodle iteration is the unsung hero of the Peruvian weeknight. It is a chaotic, beautiful marriage of Chinese wok technique and Italian pasta, born in the coastal kitchens of Lima. The secret here isn't a blazing restaurant burner. It is ruthless preparation and a splash of starchy pasta water to bind a glossy, savory glaze that coats every single strand.
Before you start
Marinate the chicken in soy sauce and spices.
Toss the cubed chicken with 1 tablespoon of the soy sauce, the garlic paste, cumin, black pepper, and a pinch of salt, then leave it on the counter.
Mix the savory sauce for the deglaze.
In a small bowl, whisk together the remaining 4 tablespoons of soy sauce, red wine vinegar, and oyster sauce. Keep it right by the stove.
Ingredients
- dried spaghetti or linguine1 lb
- boneless skinless chicken thighs1 lb
- low-sodium soy sauce5 tbsp
- garlic paste1 tsp
- ground cumin1/2 tsp
- ground black pepper1/2 tsp
- kosher salt1 pinch
- red onion1 large
- Roma tomatoes2 med
- ají amarillo paste1 tbsp
- scallions4 med
- fresh ginger1 tbsp
- garlic cloves2 small
- red wine vinegar2 tbsp
- oyster sauce1 tbsp
- neutral cooking oil3 tbsp
- fresh cilantro1/4 cup
Method
- 01
Cook the pasta just short of al dente.
Bring a large pot of heavily salted water to a rolling boil and cook the spaghetti a minute or two shy of the package directions. Before draining, scoop out about half a cup of the starchy cooking water and set it aside.
- 02
Sear the chicken over high heat.
Heat a large skillet or wok over high heat until smoking, add two tablespoons of oil, and lay the chicken in a single layer. Let it develop a hard, golden crust for two minutes without touching it, then toss until cooked through and remove it to a plate.
- 03
Blister the vegetables to develop flavor.
Add a drop more oil to the smoking pan and vigorously toss the red onion petals, the white parts of the scallions, and the ají amarillo paste for one minute. The onions should char on the edges but remain crisp in the center; add the minced garlic, ginger, and tomatoes, tossing for just thirty seconds more so the tomatoes do not disintegrate.
- 04
Deglaze the pan with the sauce.
Return the chicken and its resting juices to the wok and pour the sauce mixture around the hot edges so it immediately sizzles and vaporizes into a tangy steam.
- 05
Glaze the noodles in the pan.
Dump the drained spaghetti directly into the wok along with a quarter cup of the reserved pasta water. Toss aggressively until the starch binds with the soy and vinegar, emulsifying into a rich gloss that coats every single strand.
- 06
Finish with fresh herbs and serve immediately.
Pull the pan off the heat, toss in the scallion greens and fresh cilantro, and serve straight from the pan to the table.
Notes
Do not skip the prep.
This dish cooks in under ten minutes. If you are chopping tomatoes while the chicken is searing, you have already lost. Have everything chopped and ready by the stove before you turn on the heat.
Do not waste the pasta water.
Standard American kitchens do not have restaurant-grade wok burners. The starchy pasta water is the vital secret to naturally thickening the sauce and helping it cling to the noodles without turning the pan into a watery soup.
From Cook Peruvian in America.