Dominican Yuca Pastelón with Braised Chicken, Sweet Corn, and Oregano Cheese

Name: Dominican Yuca Pastelón with Braised Chicken, Sweet Corn, and Oregano Cheese
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 55 min
Total time: 85 min
Yield: 6
Cuisine: Dominicana
Ingredients: 2.6 lb peeled cassava, cut into chunks; 1.5 lb skinless chicken breast; 1 cup sweet corn kernels; 6 oz shredded mozzarella cheese; 3 tbsp butter; 1/2 cup whole milk; 1 cup red onion; 3 oz Dominican sweet peppers; 4 cloves garlic; 1 cup ripe tomato; 2 tbsp tomato paste; 1 cup chicken broth; 2 tbsp olive oil; 2 tsp dried oregano; 1 tsp ground cumin; 1/4 cup sour orange juice; 1 3/4 tsp salt; 1 tsp black pepper; 1/4 cup fresh cilantro; 1 large egg; 1 tsp oil or butter for greasing

An original Dominican-inspired pastelón made with layers of mashed cassava enriched with butter, a juicy braised chicken filling with sweet peppers, onion, tomato, and sweet corn, and an oregano-scented melted cheese topping. Comforting, flavorful, and perfect as a family main course.

30 minPrep

55 minCook

85 minTotal

6Servings

High ProteinGluten-Free

Ingredients

Adjust servings

1200 g peeled cassava, cut into chunks (for hervir and majar)
700 g skinless chicken breast (cut diced small)
150 g sweet corn kernels (fresh or congelado)
180 g shredded mozzarella cheese (for cubrir)
45 g butter (for the yuca)
120 ml whole milk (for suavizar the yuca)
150 g red onion (cut en cubitos)
80 g Dominican sweet peppers (without semillas, chopped)
12 g garlic (chopped or majado)
180 g ripe tomato (chopped diced small)
30 g tomato paste (for dar color and profundidad)
240 ml chicken broth (for guisar the relleno)
30 ml olive oil (divided)
4 g dried oregano (divided)
2 g ground cumin (for the chicken)
60 ml sour orange juice (for sazonar the chicken)
10 g salt (or to taste, divided)
2 g black pepper (or to taste, divided)
15 g fresh cilantro (chopped)
1 unit egg (lightly beaten, for dar estructura)
5 ml oil or butter for greasing (for the fuente of horno)

Nutrition facts

per serving

468 kcal

Calories

32 g

Protein

35 g

Carbs

21 g

Fat

4 g

Fiber

31 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
1. Preheat the oven to 200 °C / 400 °F. Lightly grease a medium baking dish with the oil or butter for greasing.
2
2. Place the chicken breast in a bowl and season it with the sour orange juice, half of the garlic, 1 teaspoon dried oregano, the cumin, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper. Mix well and let it rest for 10 minutes.
3
3. Meanwhile, cook the cassava in a large pot with enough water and 1 teaspoon salt for 20 to 25 minutes, until very tender. Drain, remove any tough fibrous core, and keep warm.
4
4. Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the seasoned chicken and brown for 4 to 5 minutes.
5
5. Add the red onion, sweet peppers, and the remaining garlic. Sauté for 3 minutes. Add the tomato, tomato paste, the remaining teaspoon of dried oregano, 3/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper. Cook 3 minutes more.
6
6. Pour in the chicken broth and add the sweet corn. Cook over medium-low heat for 10 to 12 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the filling is juicy but not watery. Turn off the heat and stir in the fresh cilantro. Set aside.
7
7. Mash the hot cassava with the butter and milk until you get a rustic, smooth mash. Add the beaten egg and mix quickly so it incorporates evenly.
8
8. Spread half of the mashed cassava in the greased baking dish. Evenly distribute all the chicken and corn filling on top. Cover with the remaining cassava and smooth the surface with a spoon or spatula.
9
9. Sprinkle the shredded mozzarella cheese over the top layer and bake for 18 to 22 minutes at 200 °C / 400 °F, until the cheese is melted and the pastelón is heated through.
10
10. For a more golden top, broil for 2 to 3 additional minutes, watching closely. Let rest for 8 minutes before slicing and serving.

Chef tips

For a firmer pastelón, let the drained cassava rest for 2 minutes before mashing so excess moisture evaporates. For deeper Dominican flavor, add an extra pinch of oregano over the cheese before baking.

Substitutions

You can substitute the chicken breast with boneless chicken thigh. Mozzarella can be replaced with grated Dominican frying cheese or Monterey Jack. If you do not have sour orange juice, use half orange juice and half lime juice.

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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