Chicken pastil is a popular and flavorful breakfast dish from Mindanao, particularly among Filipino Muslims. This dish features rice topped with shredded chicken and wrapped in banana leaves. It’s a Maguindanaoan delicacy that’s simple and easy to prepare.
Preparing the Chicken Pastil
To make the dish, start by washing the rice in tap water 2-3 times. Combine two cups of rice and three cups of water in a pot, and add turmeric powder. Let the rice simmer until it’s fully cooked.
For the shredded chicken, boil chicken breast and season with salt and pepper. Once it’s tender, debone and flake the chicken meat. In a separate pan, sauté garlic, onion, and minced turmeric until the garlic is slightly browned. Then add the flaked chicken breast and stir in soy sauce, vinegar, and sugar. Continue stirring until the edges of the chicken become fried and crispy.
Assembling the Chicken Pastil
To assemble the dish, lay a piece of cut banana leaf on a flat surface. Put a cup of turmeric rice in the center of the leaf and shape it into a rectangular or oblong shape. Then put 2-3 tablespoons of flaked chicken on top, garnish with a half-slice of hardboiled egg and a slice of cucumber on the side. Finally, wrap the rice and chicken in the banana leaf.
The use of turmeric powder in the rice adds an extra burst of flavor and a bright yellow color. If desired, you can use other coloring agents to be more creative with the presentation. This dish can also be served with a side of soup or dipping sauce for added flavor.
Chicken pastil is a great way to switch up your breakfast routine and try something new. It’s simple and easy to prepare, yet packed with flavor and a unique texture. Give this delicious Maguindanaoan delicacy a try and see for yourself why it’s such a popular breakfast dish in Mindanao.
NOTE ON THE INGREDIENTS:
TURMERIC
There are two kinds of turmeric used in this recipe, turmeric powder and turmeric root. But I think you can use turmeric root only since it is much easier to purchase it in wet market or supermarkets. And its cheaper than the turmeric powder.
SHREDDED CHICKEN
Chicken breast is the common chicken part in making shredded chicken. Maybe because it is the most meaty part of the chicken and the easiest to fillet. Using other parts like legs or thigh will yield less meat compared to the chicken breast. But its up to you what part you want to use.
Chicken Pastil Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 cups rice
- 3 cups water
- 1 Tbsp. turmeric powder
- 2 whole boiled chicken breast deboned and flaked
- 1/4 cup minced garlic minced
- 1/2 cup minced onion chopped
- 1 Tbsp. minced turmeric root minced
- 4 Tbsp. soy sauce
- 3 Tbsp. vinegar
- 2 Tbsp. brown sugar or washed sugar
- 8 pcs hard boiled eggs
- sliced cucumber
- banana leaves for wrapping
Instructions
How to Cook Chicken Pastil
- Cook the the rice by washing it first in tap water until the water 2 to 3 times. Then combine the 2 cups of rice and 3 cups of water in a pot. Add turmeric powder. Simmer until the rice is cooked.
- Boil the chicken breast and season with salt and pepper. When tender, debone the chicken breast and flake the chicken meat.
- Heat 3 to 4 Tbsp. of cooking oil in a pan and sauté garlic, onion and minced turmeric. Saute until the garlic is a little brown. Then add the flaked chicken breast and stir.
- Add soy sauce, vinegar and sugar. Stir again until edges becomes fried and crispy.
- In a flat surface, lay a piece of cut banana leaf, just enough to wrap the rice and the chicken. Put a cup of turmeric rice of the center of the leaf and shape it in rectangular or oblong shape.
- Then put 2 to 3 tablespoons of flaked chicken on top. Garnish it with a half slice of hardboiled egg and a slice of cucumber on the side.
- Then wrap the rice and chicken in the banana leaf. Now it's ready to serve.
Video
Notes
