Street-Food Chicken Causa for Business

A standardized Peruvian chicken causa engineered for street-food vendors and small food businesses, with exact weights and measures. Yellow potato base flavored with house-made yellow chili paste, lime, and oil; loaded with a juicy poached chicken breast filling bound with industrial mayonnaise; layered with avocado for a striking, durable presentation that holds up at carts and markets.

smart_display Published 2026-05-04 download Extracted 2026-05-06

45m Prep

30m Cook

3h 15m Total

12 Servings

peruvian causa chicken street-food make-ahead cold-dish business potato aji-amarillo lunch

Ingredients

Assembly & Garnish

to cover avocado (peeled, sliced; salt lightly; work fast to avoid oxidation)
a pinch salt (for avocado layer)
to taste industrial mayonnaise (for piping) (in a piping bag for service)
1/4 per portion hard-boiled egg optional
to garnish black olives optional
for plating lettuce leaf (optional bed under the slice) optional
a drizzle neutral oil (for plating) (rub on the knife to slice cleanly)

Chicken Filling (Relleno)

1 whole chicken breast (boneless, skinless) (deboned to cook faster; poached 8-10 min and cooled in its own broth)
1.5 L water (for chicken short-broth)
20 g salt (for short-broth)
a handful celery leaves (for the short-broth)
a small piece onion (for broth) (for the short-broth)
to taste garlic cloves (for broth) (lightly crushed)
to taste carrot (for broth) (optional aromatic) optional
a pinch black pepper (for broth)
120 g carrot (small dice) (diced small) optional
100 g green peas (added 4-5 min after the carrots) optional
1 L water (for vegetables)
10 g salt (for vegetable water)
100 g white onion (filling) (very finely diced)
28 g celery (filling) (stringed and very finely diced)
a small splash lime juice (for onion-celery cure) (tossed with onion and celery to mellow them)
100 g industrial mayonnaise (mandatory for street-food sale; equal to 1/4 of the chicken weight)

Potato Mash (Masa)

2 kg yellow potatoes (well washed and brushed, medium and uniform in size)
3 L water (for boiling potatoes) (brought to a rolling boil before adding potatoes)
30 g salt (for potato water)
150 g yellow chili paste (pasta de aji amarillo) (homemade, thick (not watery), strained after blending)
60 g fresh lime juice (freshly squeezed and strained)
40 g neutral oil (sunflower)
14 g salt (for masa)
0.5 tsp white pepper (freshly ground if possible)

Yellow Chili Paste (sub-recipe)

1 kg fresh yellow chili (aji amarillo) (gross weight; deveined and deseeded, then twice-blanched (boil, drain, refresh water and cook again))

Steps

Assembly & Garnish

1

Line a 32 x 23 x 4 cm tray with plastic film, paying special attention to the bottom. Lay an even layer of masa, press lightly. Spread all the chicken filling on top, level it. Cover the surface with sliced avocado, sprinkle a little salt over it, then top with a final even layer of masa and smooth flat.

Tip: If you mold individual portions in metal rings instead, the plastic film is not needed.

~10 min
2

Refrigerate at least 1-2 hours so the resistant starch sets and the causa holds clean cuts when sliced.

~120 min
3

Unmold onto a board, trim the edges with an oiled knife (rub a neutral oil on the blade for a clean cut). Cut into 12 portions for sale.

Tip: The trimmings are perfect for the cook's lunch - do not waste them.

~5 min
4

To plate, pipe industrial mayonnaise from a piping bag with a small tip. Optionally garnish each portion with a quarter of hard-boiled egg, an olive, and a lettuce leaf - or keep it minimalist for the lowest-cost street version.

Tip: Garnishes raise food cost; price accordingly. Use cost x2 for low-end pitches, x2.5 for mid, x3 for upscale residential markets.

~5 min

Chicken Filling (Relleno)

1

Build a short broth (caldo corto): 1.5 L cold water + 20 g salt + celery leaves, a small piece of onion, lightly crushed garlic, optional carrot, and a pinch of black pepper. Boil 5 minutes so the aromatics infuse.

~8 min
2

Slip the deboned chicken breast into the boiling short broth and poach 8-10 minutes (turning at 6 minutes). Turn off the heat and let the chicken cool completely in its own broth so it stays juicy. This is concentration cooking.

Tip: Adding the chicken to boiling liquid seals in the juices and flavor.

~30 min
3

In a separate pot bring 1 L water with 10 g salt to a boil. Cook 120 g diced carrot for 4-5 minutes, add 100 g peas, then drain and shock in ice-cold (boiled, then chilled) water to fix the color.

~10 min
4

Build the filling: combine 100 g finely diced onion and 28 g finely diced celery, toss with a small splash of lime juice to mellow the onion. Add the cooked vegetables (about 211 g), 400 g shredded poached chicken, and 100 g industrial mayonnaise (one quarter of the chicken weight). Mix until evenly bound.

Tip: For street sale, industrial mayonnaise is mandatory for shelf life and food safety - homemade only for same-day home use.

~5 min

Potato Mash (Masa)

1

Bring 3 L of water with 30 g salt to a rolling boil in a wide pot. The water must be boiling before adding the potatoes.

Tip: Use a wide pot so the potatoes sit in a single layer; stacked potatoes break apart.

~8 min
2

Add the 2 kg of well-washed yellow potatoes. Once it returns to a boil, lower to a gentle simmer and do not cover the pot.

Tip: Yellow potatoes are starchy and low in water; pressure under a lid makes them burst.

~25 min
3

When the potatoes are just cooked, immediately drain and remove from the water so they do not over-cook and burst.

~2 min
4

While the chicken cools, peel the warm potatoes (a small spoon helps remove dark eyes) and pass through a potato press (ricer) while still warm for the smoothest result.

Tip: Wear gloves if you are preparing this for sale - non-negotiable food-safety rule.

~15 min
5

Build the masa: to about 1.25 kg of pressed potato (the yield from 2 kg raw), add 1/2 tsp white pepper, 150 g aji amarillo paste, 60 g lime juice, 14 g salt, and 40 g neutral (sunflower) oil. Mix gently with gloved hands - just enough to even the color and flavor.

Tip: Do NOT over-work the masa or the resistant starch wakes up and the causa turns gummy.

~5 min

Yellow Chili Paste (sub-recipe)

1

While the potatoes cook, devein and deseed the yellow chili (aji amarillo), then chop. Cover with cold water, bring to a boil, drain that first water (it carries the strongest heat), then return to fresh water and cook until tender. Cool the chili in its own cooking water.

Tip: Steaming the chili gives an even cleaner result if you have a steamer.

~20 min
2

Drain the cooled chili, transfer to a blender and blend with a splash of the chicken poaching broth (instead of plain water) for extra savor. Strain the paste so it is smooth and thick - it must NOT be watery.

Tip: House-made paste is mandatory; do not buy it ready-made.

~5 min

Nutrition (per serving)

320

Calories

16g

Protein

38g

Carbs

12g

Fat

Fiber

Cultural Context

Causa is one of the pillars of Peruvian cuisine, a layered cold dish built on a seasoned mashed yellow-potato base. The 'causa carretillera' or 'causa para emprendedores' version is the street-vendor format: scaled in trays, sliced into portions, and finished with mayonnaise, hard-boiled egg, and olives. The yellow potato (papa amarilla) and aji amarillo are non-negotiable Andean ingredients that give the dish its signature golden color and gentle heat. Victor's twist is enriching the aji paste with a touch of the chicken poaching broth so the masa carries an extra layer of savor.