- Prep
- 20 min
- Cook
- 30 min
- Total time
- 50 min
- Yield
- 4 servings
- Difficulty
- EASY
- Calories
- 260 kcal
Quick summary
“Tapioca stuffed with chicken and cheese combines hydrated cassava gum sifted in a skillet with a hot filling of shredded chicken sautéed with onion and oil. The heat of the skillet melts the grated mozzarella, joining the crispy crust to the creamy and protein-rich filling.”
What you need to know
- The tapioca starch hydrates and binds the starch grains in seconds under the heated surface of the skillet.
- The cooked and seasoned chicken breast enters hot with the mozzarella to accelerate the melting of the cheese.
- The half-moon fold in the final minutes protects the moisture of the filling while lightly toasting the tapioca disc.
Ingredients
Main
- 1 cup of tapioca starch
- 200g cooked and shredded chicken breast
- 100g of grated mozzarella cheese
- 1 tablespoon chopped onion
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
Instructions
Principal
- In a skillet, heat the olive oil and saute the onion until translucent.
- Add the shredded chicken to the sauté and season with salt and pepper to taste.
- In another skillet, add a layer of tapioca gum to form a uniform base.
- After a few seconds, add a portion of the chicken filling and on top, a portion of mozzarella cheese.
- Fold the tapioca in half and cook for another 2 minutes until the cheese melts.
- Repeat the process for the second tapioca, ensuring the filling is well distributed.
- Remove from the skillet and serve hot.
Chef's tips
- Sift the tapioca starch directly over the cold or warm skillet to ensure a uniform thickness without hard lumps.
- Do not add oil to the skillet to make the batter; pure cassava starch binds without sticking to non-stick coating.
- Cook over medium-low heat so as not to dry out the tapioca dough before the internal mozzarella melts.
Variations
- Add cooked sweet corn and chopped olives to the chicken stir-fry to bring more texture to the filling.
- Add fresh arugula leaves and sun-dried tomato slices inside the tapioca right after removing from the heat.
- Sprinkle chia or sesame seeds on the skillet before spreading the tapioca starch to create a functional crust.
Substitutions
- Grated mozzarella can be replaced by grated coalho cheese, minas padrão cheese, or block requeijão.
- Shredded chicken breast can be replaced by desalted shredded carne-seca or drained solid tuna.
- The olive oil of the sauté can be swapped for clarified butter for a northeastern touch.
How to store
The ready-made tapioca should be consumed soon after preparation to maintain the crispy crust and elasticity. If you need to get ahead, store the chicken sauté in the refrigerator for up to 3 days and assemble the tapioca at the time.
Can it be frozen?
Do not freeze the assembled and baked tapioca, as the starch becomes hard and brittle after defrosting. Raw tapioca starch can be kept frozen in a closed package for up to 6 months without altering its properties.
What to serve with
Serve with hot coffee with milk, fresh cashew juice, or cold fresh coconut water at breakfast. For a hearty snack, a light salad of greens with olive oil complements the meal.
Frequently asked questions
How to prevent the Tapioca from getting dry and breaking when folding?
Do not let the dough bake for too long; As soon as the disc comes together (about 1 to 2 minutes), add the filling and fold immediately.
Can I use ready-made tapioca starch from a package?
Yes, the ready-hydrated starch sold in supermarkets is ideal for this recipe; just pass through a sieve to loosen the lumps.
Why did the tapioca become crumbly in the pan?
This occurs when the gum is dried out due to lack of moisture or when the layer spread in the skillet was too thin.
Do I need to grease the skillet to prepare the tapioca?
You should not grease the skillet; the hydrated cassava starch binds through dry heat and releases easily from non-stick skillets.
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