Brazilian Dendê Chicken Escondidinho with Plantain Mash and Hearts of Palm

Name: Brazilian Dendê Chicken Escondidinho with Plantain Mash and Hearts of Palm
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 75 min
Yield: 6
Cuisine: brasileña
Ingredients: 1.5 lb chicken breast; 14 oz ripe plantain; 10.5 oz cassava; 1.5 cups yellow onion; 1 tbsp garlic; 1 cup red bell pepper; 1.5 cups tomato; 7 oz hearts of palm; 1 cup coconut milk; 2 tbsp dendê oil; 1 tbsp olive oil; 2 tbsp butter; 4 oz Minas cheese; 0.5 cup fresh cilantro; 2 tbsp lime juice; 1 tsp ground cumin; 1 tsp sweet paprika; 1.75 tsp salt; 1 tsp black pepper; 3 cups water

An original escondidinho inspired by Brazilian flavors: shredded chicken stewed with tomato, bell pepper, coconut milk, and dendê oil, topped with a smooth plantain and cassava mash, baked with queijo minas, and finished with hearts of palm and cilantro.

30 minPrep

45 minCook

75 minTotal

6Servings

Gluten-FreeHigh Protein

Ingredients

Adjust servings

700 g chicken breast (skinless ni hueso)
400 g ripe plantain (pelado and sliced)
300 g cassava (pelada and diced)
180 g yellow onion (chopped)
15 g garlic (chopped)
150 g red bell pepper (diced small)
300 g tomato (chopped without semillas)
200 g hearts of palm (sliced)
240 ml coconut milk (without endulzar)
30 ml dendê oil (divided)
15 ml olive oil (for cocinar)
30 g butter (for the puree)
120 g Minas cheese (grated or desmenuzado)
20 g fresh cilantro (chopped)
30 ml lime juice (freshly squeezed)
2 g ground cumin
4 g sweet paprika
10 g salt (or to taste)
2 g black pepper (or to taste)
750 ml water (divided)

Nutrition facts

per serving

439 kcal

Calories

33 g

Protein

27 g

Carbs

22 g

Fat

4 g

Fiber

23 g

Net carbs

Approximate nutritional information. Estimated from the recipe’s ingredients and amounts, using standard reference nutrition values. It may vary with brands, sizes and cooking method. For guidance only; not a substitute for medical or dietary advice.

Allergens

Dairy

Instructions

1
1. Preheat the oven to 200°C / 400°F. Lightly grease a medium baking dish with a little of the olive oil.
2
2. Place the chicken breast in a pot with 500 ml (2 cups) water and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat, and cook for 18 to 20 minutes until the chicken is fully cooked. Remove, let it cool slightly, and shred it. Reserve 120 ml (1/2 cup) of the cooking liquid.
3
3. While the chicken cooks, boil the cassava in a pot of water for 18 to 20 minutes until very tender. In another saucepan, cook the plantain with 250 ml (1 cup) water for 10 to 12 minutes until soft.
4
4. Drain the cassava and remove any tough inner fiber. Drain the plantain. Mash both with the butter, 60 ml (1/4 cup) coconut milk, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and a pinch of black pepper until smooth and thick. Keep covered.
5
5. Heat the olive oil and 1 tablespoon dendê oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Sauté the onion for 4 minutes. Add the garlic and cook 30 seconds more.
6
6. Stir in the red bell pepper, tomato, cumin, sweet paprika, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and the remaining black pepper. Cook for 6 to 8 minutes until a juicy sofrito forms.
7
7. Add the shredded chicken, the remaining 180 ml (3/4 cup) coconut milk, the reserved 120 ml (1/2 cup) cooking broth, and the remaining 1 tablespoon dendê oil. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring, until the filling is creamy but not runny.
8
8. Add the hearts of palm, lime juice, and half of the cilantro. Cook 2 minutes more and adjust the salt to taste.
9
9. Spread the chicken stew into the baking dish. Cover with the plantain-cassava mash, smoothing the top with a spoon. Scatter the Minas cheese over the top.
10
10. Bake at 200°C / 400°F for 18 to 20 minutes, until the cheese is melted and the edges are bubbling. For more color, broil for 2 additional minutes, watching closely.
11
11. Remove from the oven, let rest for 5 minutes, and finish with the remaining cilantro before serving.

Chef tips

For a silkier mash, pass the cassava and plantain through a potato ricer while still hot. If the filling becomes too thick, add 1 to 2 extra tablespoons of the cooking broth.

Substitutions

You can substitute Minas cheese with mild mozzarella or a soft fresh cheese that melts lightly. If cassava is unavailable, use the same amount of starchy potato, though the result will be less traditional. Cilantro can be replaced with parsley for a milder flavor.

What I used to make it

Generic kitchen tools that work for this recipe. You don’t need to buy anything to make it.

Illustrative image
Ninja Professional BL610 Blender
Smoothies, sauces and soups
- Smoothies, sauces and soups
- Easy-to-wash jar
- Check the power and jar size
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Illustrative image
Cosori Pro LE 5 Qt Air Fryer
Browning and baking with little oil
- Browns food with very little oil
- Handy for vegetables, chicken and reheating
- Check the basket capacity
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Illustrative image
TempPro TP19H Digital Thermometer
Checking doneness of meat and chicken
- Checks doneness of meat and chicken
- Quick reading
- Clean the probe after each use
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