Venezuelan FoodYuca and corn fritters with sweet pepper stewed chicken, avocado cream, and crispy cassava flatbread
An original Venezuelan recipe featuring golden yuca and sweet corn fritters topped with sweet pepper stewed chicken, a smooth avocado cream, and toasted cassava flatbread crumbs for contrast. It delivers classic Venezuelan flavors, varied textures, and a presentation perfect for a special lunch.
Ingredients
- 400 g peeled yuca (cocida hasta suave)
- 180 g sweet corn kernels (puede ser fresh or descongelado)
- 60 g pre-cooked cornmeal (for dar estructura)
- 1 unit egg (lightly beaten)
- 50 g grated llanero cheese (or queso fresh salado)
- 8 g salt (divided to taste)
- 2 g black pepper (divided)
- 60 ml vegetable oil (divided, for sofreír and dorar)
- 500 g boneless chicken breast or thigh (cut diced small)
- 120 g white onion (finely chopped)
- 100 g Venezuelan sweet pepper (without semillas and chopped)
- 12 g garlic (machacado)
- 150 g ripe tomato (chopped diced small)
- 12 g grated panela (aporta equilibrio)
- 1 g ground cumin (optional pero recomendado)
- 120 ml chicken broth or water (for the guiso)
- 20 g fresh cilantro (chopped, divided)
- 200 g ripe avocado (pulpa solamente)
- 30 ml lime juice (freshly squeezed)
- 80 g thick plain yogurt (for the cream)
- 60 g cassava flatbread (troceado)
- 15 g melted butter (for the casabe crujiente)
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
1. Preheat the oven to 180 °C / 350 °F. Place the broken cassava flatbread on a tray, toss it with the melted butter and a pinch of salt, and bake for 6 to 8 minutes until toasted and crisp. Let it cool, then crush it lightly with your hands into small pieces.
- 2
2. Cook the yuca in water with a pinch of salt until very tender. Drain well, remove any tough inner fibers, and mash while still warm until you have a thick puree.
- 3
3. In a bowl, mix the mashed yuca with the sweet corn, pre-cooked cornmeal, beaten egg, grated llanero cheese, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper. Combine until a shapeable mixture forms. If it feels too wet, let it rest for 5 minutes so the cornmeal absorbs some moisture.
- 4
4. Shape the mixture into 8 medium fritters. Heat 2 tablespoons of the vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium heat and cook the fritters for 3 to 4 minutes per side, until firm and golden. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate.
- 5
5. Season the chicken with 1/2 teaspoon salt, the remaining black pepper, and the cumin. In the same skillet, add 1 tablespoon vegetable oil and cook the chicken for 4 to 5 minutes until it loses its raw color and starts to brown.
- 6
6. Add the onion, sweet pepper, and garlic to the chicken. Sauté for 4 minutes, stirring. Add the diced tomato and grated panela, mix well, and cook 2 minutes more.
- 7
7. Pour in the chicken broth or water, reduce to medium-low heat, and cook for 10 to 12 minutes until the stew is juicy but not watery. Adjust salt if needed and stir in half of the chopped cilantro. Remove from the heat.
- 8
8. For the cream, place the avocado, plain yogurt, lime juice, the remaining cilantro, and a pinch of salt in a blender or food processor. Blend until smooth. If you want a looser sauce, add 1 to 2 tablespoons of water.
- 9
9. To serve, place 2 fritters on each plate, top with the sweet pepper chicken stew, add spoonfuls of avocado cream, and finish with the crispy cassava flatbread on top.
- 10
10. Serve immediately to keep the contrast between the golden fritters, juicy stew, cool cream, and crunchy cassava flatbread.
Chef tips
For firmer fritters, chill the mixture for 10 minutes before shaping. If you want a slightly smokier flavor, lightly toast the corn in a skillet before mixing it with the yuca.
Substitutions
You can replace llanero cheese with mild feta or salty fresh cheese. The yogurt can be swapped for crema or sour cream. If Venezuelan sweet peppers are unavailable, use sweet red bell pepper and a little extra cilantro to get closer to the aromatic profile.
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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