Puerto Rican FoodChicken breasts stuffed with sweet plantains and queso del país with light rum and culantro sauce
An original Puerto Rican-inspired dish: chicken breasts butterflied and stuffed with caramelized sweet plantain, queso del país, and a touch of sofrito, seared and finished in the oven, then served with a light rum, culantro, and broth sauce. It brings together sweet, savory, and herbal flavors typical of Puerto Rican cooking.
Ingredients
- 4 piezas (aprox. 680 g / 24 oz) 680 g boneless skinless chicken breasts (abiertas tipo mariposa, without separar por completo)
- 1 grande (aprox. 220 g / 8 oz) 220 g ripe plantain (pelado and en cubitos small)
- 120 g 120 g queso del país cheese (grated or in strips finas)
- 60 ml 60 ml Puerto Rican sofrito (divided)
- 15 g 15 g fresh culantro (chopped, divided)
- 12 g 12 g garlic (chopped or majado, divided)
- 100 g 100 g white onion (en slices finas)
- 80 ml 80 ml gold rum (for the sauce)
- 240 ml 240 ml chicken broth (low sodium if preferred)
- 45 ml 45 ml olive oil (divided)
- 15 g 15 g butter (for caramelizar the ripe)
- 2 g 2 g dried oregano
- 1 g 1 g ground cumin
- 2 g 2 g sweet paprika
- 6 g 6 g salt (or to taste, divided)
- 2 g 2 g black pepper (or to taste)
- 15 ml 15 ml lemon juice (fresh)
- 8 g 8 g brown sugar (for ayudar a caramelizar the ripe)
- 8 unidades 8 units toothpicks (for cerrar the relleno, retirar antes of servir)
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.
- 2
Season the chicken breasts on both sides with 1 tablespoon sofrito, half of the garlic, the oregano, cumin, paprika, 3 g salt, black pepper, and lemon juice. Set aside while you prepare the filling.
- 3
Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil and the butter in a skillet over medium heat. Add the ripe plantain and brown sugar; cook for 3 to 4 minutes until lightly caramelized. Stir in 1 tablespoon sofrito and cook 1 minute more. Remove from the heat and let cool slightly.
- 4
Butterfly each chicken breast open. Divide the cooked sweet plantain, queso del país, and a little chopped culantro among the breasts. Close the breasts and secure them with toothpicks.
- 5
Heat the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil in an oven-safe skillet over medium-high heat. Sear the stuffed chicken breasts for 2 to 3 minutes per side, until lightly browned.
- 6
Transfer the skillet to the oven and bake at 400°F / 200°C for 12 to 15 minutes, or until the chicken is fully cooked. Remove the breasts and keep them loosely covered.
- 7
In the same skillet over medium heat, add the onion and cook for 2 minutes. Add the remaining garlic and cook for 30 seconds. Stir in the remaining 2 tablespoons sofrito and cook for 1 minute.
- 8
Pour in the gold rum and let it reduce for 1 minute, scraping up any browned bits. Add the chicken broth, the remaining chopped culantro, and the remaining 3 g salt. Cook for 4 to 5 minutes until the sauce is light but flavorful.
- 9
Remove the toothpicks from the chicken breasts. Serve each breast topped with the rum and culantro sauce and some of the skillet onions.
Chef tips
If queso del país does not melt easily, cut it into thin strips so it distributes better. Do not overfill the chicken breasts so they close properly and keep their juices during cooking.
Substitutions
You can substitute queso del país with firm mozzarella or Monterey Jack, and culantro with cilantro if culantro is unavailable. If you prefer not to use rum, replace it with the same amount of chicken broth plus 1 extra teaspoon of lemon 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 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
Illustrative imageT-fal Ultimate Hard Anodized 12" Non-Stick Pan
Eggs, omelets and stir-fries
- Eggs and omelets that don’t stick
- Comfortable, sturdy handle
- Use wooden or silicone utensils
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