Peruvian-Style Cornish Game Hens with an Aji Amarillo Sauce

If you’re around the Washington, D.C. area, you’re likely familiar with the many Peruvian chicken restaurants – especially Pollo Rico, famed by Anthony Bourdain on No Reservations. And they’re famous for a reason: the chicken is fall-off-the-bone delicious with so, so much flavor (if you haven’t tried them, you’re really missing out!). The chicken also comes with two sauces – widely known as the ‘yellow sauce’ and the ‘green sauce’. Now, most people are partial to one or the other; my preference happens to be the yellow sauce. After a little bit of research, I actually found a recipe that is extremely similar to the delicious, creamy goodness found inside those little plastic containers. The special ingredient is aji amarillo paste – essentially a hot yellow pepper paste which gives the sauce it’s yellow coloring. And the sauce is just plain yummy. My sous chef and I drove twenty minutes to a Latino market to find the aji amarillo paste (and for some reason my sous chef was surprised that I wanted to drive so far just to make a sauce – I mean, really? I’m a sauce-a-holic – let’s be honest). And it was well worth the journey. Everything was delicious. And I loved doing them with cornish game hens – it’s a great way to make a traditionally winter-esque dish summery, and summery it was. Well, let’s get started on these yummy little birds.

Peruvian-Style Cornish Game Hens:

(Serving size: 2-3)

• Two cornish game hens
• 2 1/2 tablespoons garlic powder
• 2 tablespoons smoked paprika
• 1 1/2 tablespoons cumin
• 2 teaspoons black pepper
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 4 tablespoons white wine vinegar
• 3 tablespoons white wine
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• Juice of 1 lemon
• 1 quart cold water

Aji Amarillo Sauce:

• 3/4 cup mayonnaise
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 1 1/2 tablespoons aji amarillo paste
• 2 green onions (both white and green parts), chopped
• Juice of 1 lime
• 1 tablespoon ketchup
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper

Okay friends, rewind to the night before you have the game hens for dinner: In a bowl, combine the garlic powder, smoked paprika, cumin, salt and pepper. Now, I’m not usually one for measuring, but it’s important that you do for this paste.

Mix well.

Then, add your white wine vinegar, white wine and olive oil into the spice mixture. Mix well to form a paste.

Set aside. Rinse game hens with water inside and out.

Next, in a large bowl – we used a jug – add a quart of water and the juice of 1 lemon. Then, submerge the cornish game hens and let sit for several minutes.

Remove the game hens and place on a large cutting board. We are going to coat the birds with our spice paste – and using a pairing knife, slice and inch or so whole between the breast and the leg, allowing for you to put some paste beneath the skin of the birds, too. Be sure to also place a generous amount of the paste inside of the cavity.

When you’re all done, place the birds in a large ziplock bag.

Place in the fridge and let the game hens marinate for up to 24 hours. Next, we are going to make our sauce. In a food processor, combine the mayonnaise, sour cream, aji amarillo paste, chopped green onions, ketchup, lime juice, minced garlic, salt and pepper. Pulse until completely smooth and mixed. Then, place the sauce in a sealed container and refrigerate until ready to use.

Alright: day-of, preheat your grill to 300 degrees. Once preheated, place the birds on the grill.

They’re going to cook for about one hour total, or until the internal temperature of game hens reach 165 degrees. Flip half way through (so about thirty minutes in).

After the game hens have cooked through, remove from the grill.

Serve with your delicious aji amarillo sauce and enjoy!

Grab an ice cold beer, and dig right in –

Cheers!