Puerto Rican FoodChicken Breasts Stuffed with Sweet Plantains and Queso del País with Roasted Garlic, Recao and White Bean Sauce
An original Puerto Rican recipe featuring chicken breasts stuffed with caramelized sweet plantains and queso del país, seared on the stove and finished in the oven, served over a creamy sauce of white beans, roasted garlic, and recao. It delivers classic island flavor, comforting texture, and an elegant yet homey presentation.
Ingredients
- 4 piezas, 680 g g boneless skinless chicken breasts (abiertas en forma of libro and lightly flattened)
- 1 grande, 220 g g ripe plantain (pelado and cut en cubitos small)
- 120 g g Puerto Rican white cheese (grated or desmenuzado)
- 45 ml ml olive oil (divided)
- 28 g g butter (divided)
- 160 g g white onion (chopped, divided)
- 60 g g sweet chili pepper (without semillas and chopped)
- 1 cabeza, 50 g g garlic (the mitad for roasting and the mitad chopped)
- 20 g g culantro leaves (chopped finely)
- 400 g g cooked white beans (escurridas and divided)
- 360 ml ml chicken broth (low sodium if preferred)
- 120 ml ml heavy cream (for suavizar the sauce)
- 2 g g dried oregano
- 1 g g ground cumin
- 2 g g sweet paprika
- 8 g g salt (or to taste, divided)
- 2 g g black pepper (divided)
- 15 ml ml lemon juice
Nutrition facts
per serving
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
Instructions
- 1
Preheat the oven to 400°F / 200°C. Slice off the top of the garlic head to expose the cloves, place it on foil, drizzle with 5 ml (1 tsp) olive oil, wrap, and roast for 25 minutes at 400°F / 200°C until soft.
- 2
While the garlic roasts, heat 15 ml (1 tbsp) olive oil and 14 g (1 tbsp) butter in a skillet over medium heat. Add half of the onion and the sweet chili pepper and cook for 3 to 4 minutes until softened.
- 3
Add the diced ripe plantain to the skillet and cook for 4 to 5 minutes, stirring gently, until golden and caramelized. Stir in half of the culantro, a pinch of salt, and a pinch of black pepper. Remove from the heat, mix with the queso del país, and let cool for 5 minutes.
- 4
Season the chicken breasts on both sides with the dried oregano, ground cumin, sweet paprika, 4 g (3/4 tsp) salt, the remaining black pepper, and the lemon juice.
- 5
Stuff each chicken breast with the sweet plantain and cheese mixture. Fold or roll each piece tightly and secure with wooden toothpicks if needed.
- 6
Heat 15 ml (1 tbsp) olive oil in an oven-safe skillet over medium-high heat. Sear the stuffed chicken breasts for 2 to 3 minutes per side until nicely colored. Transfer to the oven and bake at 400°F / 200°C for 12 to 15 minutes, or until the chicken is fully cooked.
- 7
While the chicken finishes in the oven, squeeze the roasted garlic cloves out of their skins. In another skillet or saucepan, heat 14 g (1 tbsp) butter with 10 ml (2 tsp) olive oil over medium heat. Add the remaining onion and the raw chopped garlic and cook for 2 minutes.
- 8
Add the roasted garlic, the white beans while reserving 1/2 cup for texture, and the chicken broth. Cook for 5 minutes over medium heat. Then lightly mash some of the beans with a spoon to thicken the sauce.
- 9
Stir in the heavy cream, the remaining culantro, 4 g (3/4 tsp) salt, and a little black pepper. Add the reserved 1/2 cup white beans and cook 2 to 3 minutes more over low heat, without boiling hard, until creamy.
- 10
Let the chicken rest for 5 minutes out of the oven. Spoon the white bean sauce onto each plate, place a stuffed chicken breast on top, and, if desired, finish with a little extra chopped culantro.
Chef tips
For a firmer filling, cool the plantain and cheese mixture before stuffing. If the chicken breasts are very thick, cover them with wax paper and pound them evenly so they cook at the same rate.
Substitutions
You can use low-moisture mozzarella or firm fresh cheese if queso del país is unavailable. Culantro can be partially replaced with cilantro, though the flavor will be less traditional. Cannellini beans work very well in place of other white beans.
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 imageNinja Professional BL610 Blender
Smoothies, sauces and soups
- Smoothies, sauces and soups
- Easy-to-wash jar
- Check the power and jar size
Illustrative imageCosori 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
Illustrative imageTempPro 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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