Nochebuena Central: Pastelón
Savory layers of seasoned meat and mashed plantains, infused with melted cheese.
By: Nidianny Grullón | @cookwithnidi
Nochebuena—literally "Good Night"—is the night for many Latinos. Think Christmas Eve, but louder, longer, and packed with love, laughter, and legendary food. From roasting lechón to passing around abuelita’s pasteles, this night is about gathering with family and friends to eat, dance, and stay up way too late.
For many of us, it’s less about Christmas morning and more about the magic of the night before—sharing traditions passed down through generations, reconnecting with loved ones, and making space for anyone who wants to join in the fun. Join us in celebrating this special night and bring a little extra sabor to your holiday traditions!
Pastelón is one of those dishes that is relatively easy to make and the result is incredibly rewarding. If you're cooking with little ones, this is the perfect opportunity to get their apron on and have them help add in each layer of meat and plantains - they will probably have a lot of fun mashing up the plantains too!
There are so many different ways to make it - and trust us, we love them all, but for this year's Nochebeuna we're going with this delicious recipe from @cookwithnidi.
Nochebuena Central: Pastelón
Ingredients
2-3 lbs chicken tenderloin
¼ cup vinegar
1 lime
2-3 tbsp Loisa Classic Sofrito
1 tbsp Loisa Organic Adobo
1 tbsp Loisa Organic Sazón
Olive oil
1 tsp sugar
1-2 cups water
1 tbsp tomato paste
1 red onion
Fresh cilantro
Minced garlic
1 cubanelle pepper
Tomato sauce (2 cans)
6-10 ripe yellow plantains
2 tbsp butter
Shredded cheddar cheese
Shredded mozzarella cheese
Optional: Sliced avocado
Directions
Wash chicken with vinegar and lime. Season with Loisa Sofrito, Adobo, and Sazón. Marinate for at least 2 hours.
Heat olive oil in a pot over medium heat. Add sugar and let it caramelize. Brown the chicken in the pot.
Add 1-2 cups of water (reuse the marinade bowl), tomato paste, half an onion, and cilantro. Simmer for 15-20 minutes, then shred the chicken.
In the same pot, sauté minced garlic, chopped red onion, cubanelle pepper, and cilantro until softened.
Add the shredded chicken, tomato sauce, and a canful of water. Simmer on low for 5-8 minutes.
Boil plantains until soft (15-20 minutes). Mash with butter until smooth.
Butter a baking dish. Layer mashed plantains, chicken filling, and shredded cheese. Repeat layers, finishing with cheese on top.
Bake at 350°F for 25-30 minutes, until the cheese is melted and bubbly.
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Nochebuena Central: Pastelón
Ingredients
2-3 lbs chicken tenderloin
¼ cup vinegar
1 lime
2-3 tbsp Loisa Classic Sofrito
1 tbsp Loisa Organic Adobo
1 tbsp Loisa Organic Sazón
Olive oil
1 tsp sugar
1-2 cups water
1 tbsp tomato paste
1 red onion
Fresh cilantro
Minced garlic
1 cubanelle pepper
Tomato sauce (2 cans)
6-10 ripe yellow plantains
2 tbsp butter
Shredded cheddar cheese
Shredded mozzarella cheese
Optional: Sliced avocado
Directions
Wash chicken with vinegar and lime. Season with Loisa Sofrito, Adobo, and Sazón. Marinate for at least 2 hours.
Heat olive oil in a pot over medium heat. Add sugar and let it caramelize. Brown the chicken in the pot.
Add 1-2 cups of water (reuse the marinade bowl), tomato paste, half an onion, and cilantro. Simmer for 15-20 minutes, then shred the chicken.
In the same pot, sauté minced garlic, chopped red onion, cubanelle pepper, and cilantro until softened.
Add the shredded chicken, tomato sauce, and a canful of water. Simmer on low for 5-8 minutes.
Boil plantains until soft (15-20 minutes). Mash with butter until smooth.
Butter a baking dish. Layer mashed plantains, chicken filling, and shredded cheese. Repeat layers, finishing with cheese on top.
Bake at 350°F for 25-30 minutes, until the cheese is melted and bubbly.