Plantain and Chicken Pasteles with Walnut Sauce

By AislePrompt Editorial · Published 2026-04-07 · Updated 2026-04-07

How this recipe was made — this recipe was drafted by AislePrompt's AI-assisted pipeline from technique templates and USDA-sourced nutrition data, and published by AislePrompt Editorial — see how AislePrompt recipes are drafted and published.

A traditional Puerto Rican comfort food featuring green plantain dough wrapped around spiced chicken filling, served with a creamy walnut sauce. This Puerto Rican-inspired one-pot recipe, ready in about 70 minutes, pairs green plantains, chicken breast, yellow onion for a weeknight-friendly dinner that comes together with one pan and minimal cleanup. Each serving lands at about 480 calories and feeds 4, so it slots cleanly into a weekly meal plan and pairs well with a quick salad or grain on the side. Tap "Plan a meal with the AI" below to drop this recipe into your week and send the ingredients straight to Instacart. Nutrition values are approximate, calculated from USDA FoodData Central (fdc.nal.usda.gov) — verify against ingredient labels for any health-driven dietary plan.

Prep: 30 min Cook: 40 min Serves 4 Puerto Rican cuisine 480 cal/serving

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Ingredients

4 medium green plantains
1 lb, cooked and shredded chicken breast
1/2 cup, finely diced yellow onion
2 cloves, minced garlic
1/4 cup, finely diced green bell pepper
2 tbsp olive oil
1/4 cup, chopped fresh cilantro
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/2 cup, chopped walnuts
2 tbsp olive oil
1 clove, minced garlic
1 tbsp lemon juice

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Instructions

Step 1: Boil 4 medium peeled and sliced green plantains in salted water for 20 minutes until tender. Drain and mash until smooth. Set aside.
Step 2: Heat 2 tbsp olive oil in skillet over medium heat. Add 1/2 cup finely diced yellow onion, 2 minced garlic cloves, and 1/4 cup finely diced green bell pepper. Sauté 5 minutes until softened.
Step 3: Add 1 lb shredded chicken, 1/4 cup chopped cilantro, 1/2 tsp kosher salt, and 1/4 tsp black pepper. Cook 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Step 4: Spread 1/2 cup mashed plantain on a plate. Place 1/4 cup chicken filling in center. Fold plantain dough around filling to form a log, sealing edges tightly. Repeat for all pasteles.
Step 5: For sauce: blend 1/2 cup chopped walnuts, 2 tbsp olive oil, 1 minced garlic clove, and 1 tbsp lemon juice until smooth.
Step 6: Serve pasteles with 2 tbsp walnut sauce drizzled over each portion.