Dominican Sweet Plantain Casserole with Creole Rum Chicken and Soft Corn Cream

Name: Dominican Sweet Plantain Casserole with Creole Rum Chicken and Soft Corn Cream
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 75 min
Yield: 6
Cuisine: Dominicana
Ingredients: 1.5 lb skinless chicken breast, small diced; 4 whole large ripe plantains; 1 cup red onion; 3/4 cup Dominican sweet peppers; 1 tbsp garlic; 1 cup crushed tomato; 2 tbsp tomato paste; 2 tbsp Dominican rum; 1 tsp dried oregano; 1/2 tsp ground cumin; 1 1/4 tsp salt; 1/2 tsp black pepper; 3 tbsp vegetable oil; 1 1/2 cups sweet corn kernels; 1 cup evaporated milk; 1 cup mild shredded cheese; 1 tbsp butter; 2 whole eggs; 1/4 cup fresh cilantro; 1 tbsp white vinegar

An original Dominican-inspired casserole featuring layers of golden sweet plantain, stewed chicken with a touch of Creole rum, sweet peppers, and tomato, finished with a soft corn cream and melted cheese.

30 minPrep

45 minCook

75 minTotal

6Servings

High ProteinGluten-Free

Ingredients

Adjust servings

700 g skinless chicken breast, small diced (for the relleno)
4 unit large ripe plantains (well ripe)
180 g red onion (chopped; mitad for the chicken and mitad for decorar)
90 g Dominican sweet peppers (chopped)
18 g garlic (majado or chopped fino)
240 ml crushed tomato (for the sauce of the chicken)
30 g tomato paste (for intensificar the guiso)
30 ml Dominican rum (for desglasar)
2 g dried oregano (divided)
1 g ground cumin (for the chicken)
8 g salt (or to taste, divided)
2 g black pepper (divided)
45 ml vegetable oil (divided)
240 g sweet corn kernels (for the cream)
240 ml evaporated milk (for the cream of maíz)
120 g mild shredded cheese (for gratinar)
15 g butter (for engrasar and enriquecer the cream)
2 unit eggs (batidos)
10 g fresh cilantro (chopped)
15 ml white vinegar (for the onion of terminación)

Nutrition facts

per serving

485 kcal

Calories

31 g

Protein

35 g

Carbs

24 g

Fat

3 g

Fiber

32 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

DairyEggs

Instructions

1
Preheat the oven to 375°F / 190°C. Grease a medium baking dish with the butter and set aside.
2
Peel the ripe plantains and slice them lengthwise into strips about 1/4 in / 6 mm thick. Heat 2 tablespoons of the vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium heat and brown the slices in batches for 2 to 3 minutes per side, until tender with caramelized edges. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate.
3
Season the chicken with 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, the cumin, and 1/2 teaspoon of the dried oregano.
4
In the same skillet, add the remaining 1 tablespoon vegetable oil. Cook half of the red onion with the sweet peppers for 3 minutes. Add the garlic and cook 30 seconds more.
5
Add the seasoned chicken and sauté for 5 to 6 minutes, stirring, until no longer pink. Stir in the tomato paste and cook for 1 minute.
6
Pour in the Dominican rum and let it reduce for 1 minute. Add the crushed tomato, remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt, remaining 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, and remaining 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano. Cook over medium-low heat for 10 minutes, until the filling is juicy but thick. Remove from the heat and stir in the fresh cilantro.
7
Place the sweet corn, evaporated milk, and a pinch of salt in a blender. Blend until smooth and thick but pourable. Transfer to a small saucepan and cook over low heat for 4 to 5 minutes, stirring, until slightly thickened. Remove from the heat and let cool for 3 minutes.
8
Add the beaten eggs to the warm corn cream, whisking immediately so they blend in without scrambling.
9
Mix the remaining red onion with the white vinegar and a pinch of salt. Let it stand while you assemble the casserole.
10
To assemble, place a layer of ripe plantain on the bottom of the baking dish, covering it well. Add half of the stewed chicken, then one-third of the shredded mild cheese. Repeat with another layer of plantain, the remaining chicken, and another third of the cheese.
11
Top with a final layer of ripe plantain. Pour the soft corn cream over the top and finish with the remaining cheese and the drained pickled onion.
12
Bake at 375°F / 190°C for 25 minutes. Then switch to broil at 450°F / 230°C for 2 to 3 minutes, watching closely, until the top is golden and bubbling.
13
Let the casserole rest for 10 minutes before slicing and serving so it sets properly.

Chef tips

For cleaner slices, let the casserole rest the full 10 minutes. If the plantains are very ripe, they brown faster, so fry them over medium heat to prevent burning.

Substitutions

You can use boneless chicken thighs instead of chicken breast. The mild cheese can be replaced with low-moisture mozzarella or Monterey Jack. If you prefer not to use rum, replace it with the same amount of chicken broth.

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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