Pastelón de Yuca Recipe (Cassava and Chicken Casserole) is a one-dish meal that is worth trying if you find yourself in possession of some yuca (cassava).
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We Dominicans love our pastelones. And while this isn't the most popular one (that title goes to Pastelón de Plátano Maduro), nobody is going to turn down this Pastelón de Yuca.
The most popular filling for pastelones (Dominican casserole dishes) is our minced beef filling, but I find that it overwhelms the delicate, buttery flavor of yuca, so my go-to choice is this creamy chicken filling.
About this recipe
This is the odd recipe that, while not strictly traditional, a Dominican won't bat an eye if served this dish. The creamy, oniony chicken filling is perfect for this dish. And of course, there has to be cheese, so I was very generous with the cheese, and in this case I used mozzarella layered between yuca and meat, and added some parmesan to the chicken to elevate its flavor.
This is a sure hit in my family, and I'd love to hear if you have a preferred combination for your Pastelón de Yuca.
Pastelón de Yuca Recipe (Cassava and Chicken Casserole)
Ingredients
- 1 ½ lb [0.7 kg] of cassava , peeled and washed
- ½ cup of milk
- 2 tablespoons of butter
- 1 egg
- 1 ½ teaspoon of salt
For the filling
- 4 chicken breasts (1.8 lb [0.8 kg])
- 2 sprigs of parsley (or cilantro)
- 2 cloves of garlic , mashed
- 2 tablespoons of butter
- 3 white onions (1.3 lb [600g]), cut into thin strips
- 2 tablespoons of all-purpose flour
- 1 cup of milk
- 1 teaspoon of salt (or more, to taste)
- ⅓ grated Parmesan cheese
To assemble
- 2 tablespoons of butter
- 2 cups of grated mozzarella
Instructions
- Cut the cassava into small pieces and boil until it is cooked through, after adding salt to the water. Remove from the water and discard the water. Mix yuca with milk, butter and egg and mash until it becomes a soft puree (if you have a potato ricer (Amazon affiliate link) use it to obtain a smoother puree). Set the cassava puree aside.
For the filling
- Mix chicken breasts, cilantro and garlic. Cover with water and add 1 teaspoon of salt. Boil until chicken is very tender, adding water if it becomes necessary. Cool to room temperature.
- Remove chicken from the liquid (you can save it and use it as chicken broth). Shred the chicken into very small pieces.
- In a skillet heat the butter over very low heat. Add in onions and cook stirring until the onions have become translucent. Stir in chicken and cook and stir until the chicken is heated through. Sprinkle with the flour and mix well. Pour in the milk and cook until most of the liquid has evaporated and there is a small amount of thick sauce in the skillet. Remove from the heat and mix in the parmesan
- Season with salt to taste. Reserve.
To assemble
- Grease a mid-sized baking pan 8 x 8 inches [20 x 20 cm] with the butter. Spread half of the mashed yuca, smoothing it out to obtain a level layer. Top with half the mozzarella, follow with the chicken filling, spreading into a level layer. Top with the remaining mashed yuca. Spread and smooth it. Sprinkle with the rest of the mozzarella.
- Bake in preheated oven at 300 ºF [160 ºC] for 35 minutes, or until the cheese in the edge turns golden brown.
I'm dying to make this. I too have the frozen yucca rallada (2lbs) and would like to use it however I'm not sure what to do with it. Do I take it from frozen and boil it until soft or do I defrost it first? Also, in place of the… Read more »
I can’t find decent yuca where I live in the states and so I made this using frozen yucca (which was amazingly good!) And it turned out great! I used ground turkey also. Just because that’s what I had. Winning recipe! My family loved it and so did my not… Read more »
Hey Aunt Clara,
I was just wondering, when you say 4 chicken breast, do you mean the ones on the thin side or the heftier ones? Thank you