Causa Limeña de Pollo (Chicken-filled Layered Potato Dish) - Eat Peru (2024)

4.60 from 5 votes

• ▢ 4 cups yellow potatoes 700 g.
• ▢ 4 cups water 1 liter
• ▢ 1 teaspoon salt
• ▢ 2 cups chicken cooked and minced, 300 g.
• ▢ ¾ cups mayonnaise 150 g.
• ▢ 2 tablespoons black olives
• ▢ ½ cup peas 75 g.
• ▢ 1 egg
• ▢ ½ cup onion 60 g.
• ▢ 3 yellow peppers ají amarillo, 1/8 cup, 40 g.
• ▢ ¼ cup olive oil
• ▢ ½ avocado 200 g.
• ▢ 2 limes 40 g.

• Wash the potatoes with plenty of water and peel with a vegetable peeler. Cut them into four or six parts according to their size. You should get pieces of (at most) 5 cm.

• Place them in a large saucepan with 4 cups of water and a teaspoon of salt. Cook half covered for at least 15 minutes until potatoes are soft. The way to test them is to prick them with a fork. If your fork meets little resistance, they are soft enough to puree.

• Strain the potatoes, let them drain for a few minutes.

• The best Causa Limeña meat is chicken breast. A small chicken breast gives around 300 grams of shredded chicken. Roast or boil the chicken according to your taste. Remember to add a pinch of salt and a little pepper for cooking.

• Peel the onion and chop finely.

• Boil the egg in plenty of water, and remove the shell. Cut it into thin slices.

• While the potatoes are still warm, place them in a large bowl, and with a potato masher, mash them until there are no lumps left.

• Wash the chili peppers and place them on a cutting board. Remove the stem with a sharp knife, cut crosswise and remove all the veins and seeds. Cut the chili peppers into large pieces. Don’t worry about size because they will liquefy later.

• Put the oil and peppers into the blender glass. Beat for about three minutes. The mixture will not be completely hom*ogeneous.

• Pour the chili sauce over the mashed potatoes with a pinch of salt and mash again for a few minutes until the chili is fully blended into potatoes. Taste and if necessary, rectify with salt.

• In a mixing bowl place the shredded chicken. Make sure that all the chicken is finely chopped. Add mayonnaise, chopped onion, lime juice, and peas. Stir until all ingredients are well mixed.

• Remove the seed from the avocado, peel the skin away and cut the soft flesh into thin slices. Sprinkle a few drops of lime over the avocado slices to prevent it from turning brown.

• For the next step, the assembly of the causa rellena, use an empty can with the base and lid removed (using a can opener). If you wish, you can use a round mold or a square mold or even a glass container.

• Place the can on a flat plate and add two tablespoons of mashed potatoes. With a spoon or any other utensil that you consider convenient, press the mashed potatoes towards the bottom of the plate and flatten.

• Add a layer of avocado pieces.

• Then add three tablespoons of chicken with mayonnaise. Press down gently.

• Cover with a second layer of mashed potatoes and flatten once more. Very carefully remove the can by pulling it upwards. Repeat this procedure until you run out of ingredients. We make 6 Causas Limeñas with the ingredients listed above.

• On top of each Causa Limeña place an egg slice, a few black olives and some thin slices of yellow chili.

• Serve individually as a starter for dinner or a cold appetizer for lunch.

Nutrition Facts

Causa Limeña – Delicious Cold Appetizer From Peru

Amount Per Serving

Calories 386Calories from Fat 198

% Daily Value*

Fat 22g34%

Saturated Fat 4g25%

Cholesterol 45mg15%

Sodium 682mg30%

Potassium 996mg28%

Carbohydrates 41g14%

Fiber 7g29%

Sugar 4g4%

Protein 9g18%

Vitamin A 342IU7%

Vitamin C 155mg188%

Calcium 53mg5%

Iron 2mg11%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Peruvian foodie. I’ve been writing about the food of Peru for over 10 years. Read more about the Eat Peru team here