Tallarín Saltado de Pollo
(tah-yah-REEN sahl-TAH-doh deh POH-yoh)
Sopa a la Minuta & Los Salvavidas (Weeknight Lifesavers)
While the beef version gets all the glory, tallarín saltado de pollo is the true, unsung hero of the Peruvian weeknight. It is a beautiful, chaotic collision of Chinese wok technique and Italian pasta, born in the coastal kitchens of Lima and perfectly suited for an American suburb. The secret here is speed and starch. If you are still chopping tomatoes while the chicken sears, you have already lost. Prep everything first, and whatever you do, do not pour that starchy pasta water down the drain. A heavy splash of it is exactly what binds the soy sauce and vinegar into a glossy, savory glaze that coats every single strand. Fast, authentic, and profoundly comforting.
Before you start
Chop all your vegetables before turning on the stove.
This dish cooks violently fast in under ten minutes. You must have your mise en place fully prepared and stationed next to the burner.
Marinate the chicken.
In a bowl, toss the cubed chicken with 1 tablespoon of the soy sauce, half of the minced garlic, the cumin, black pepper, and salt. Let it sit while you prep everything else.
Mix the sauce base.
In a small bowl, whisk together the remaining 4 tablespoons of soy sauce, red wine vinegar, oyster sauce, and 1/4 cup of the reserved pasta water. Keep it right next to the stove.
Ingredients
- spaghetti1 lb
- boneless skinless chicken thighs1 lb
- soy sauce5 tbsp
- garlic4 small
- ground cumin1/2 tsp
- ground black pepper1/2 tsp
- kosher salt1/4 tsp
- red onion1 large
- roma tomatoes2 med
- aji amarillo1 med
- scallions4 med
- fresh ginger1 tbsp
- red wine vinegar2 tbsp
- oyster sauce1 tbsp
- neutral cooking oil3 tbsp
- fresh cilantro1/4 cup
Method
- 01
Boil the pasta to al dente.
Cook the spaghetti in heavily salted water for 1 to 2 minutes less than the package instructions dictate. Crucially, scoop out and reserve 1/2 cup of the starchy pasta water before draining the noodles.
- 02
Sear the chicken over maximum heat.
Heat a large heavy skillet or wok until smoking. Add 2 tablespoons of oil, then the chicken in a single layer. Leave it completely untouched for 2 minutes to develop a golden crust, then toss for another 3 minutes until cooked through. Remove to a plate.
- 03
Blister the vegetables.
To the same screaming hot pan, add a drop more oil if needed. Toss in the red onion petals, white scallion batons, and aji amarillo for 1 minute until the edges char slightly but the centers remain crisp. Add the remaining garlic, ginger, and tomatoes, tossing for just 30 seconds.
- 04
Deglaze to create the saltado flavor.
Return the chicken and its resting juices to the pan. Pour the sauce mixture around the hot edges of the pan—it should immediately vaporize the vinegar and release a cloud of tangy, savory steam.
- 05
Marry the pasta and sauce.
Instantly dump the drained spaghetti into the pan. Use tongs to aggressively toss the noodles with the chicken, vegetables, and sauce for 1 to 2 minutes. The starch will emulsify the liquids into a rich glaze.
- 06
Finish and serve.
Turn off the heat. Toss in the scallion greens and cilantro. Serve immediately straight from the pan, ensuring everyone gets plenty of the savory jugo.
Notes
Do not crowd the pan.
Standard American stoves lack the BTUs of a commercial wok burner. If your pan is small, sear the chicken in batches. Crowding drops the temperature, causing the meat to steam pale rather than sear golden.
Sourcing aji amarillo.
If you cannot find whole frozen peppers at your local Latin market, a tablespoon of jarred aji amarillo paste works perfectly. Add it to the pan right when you toss in the garlic and ginger.
From Cook Peruvian in America.