High-protein creamy chicken in cepa de apio baskets started as a substitution and became a signature.
Cepa de apio is celery root - the knobby, pale root vegetable that grows in the cool mountains of Constanza alongside the fresas and espárragos that have made that region famous. It has a mild, slightly nutty flavor that is nothing like the celery stalk.
When you slice it into thick rounds and roast them until golden at the edges, they become the most elegant and structurally sound natural bowl you have ever put a protein filling into.
The filling is shredded chicken breast cooked in homemade sofrito, reduced with a small amount of high-protein milk and cottage cheese until creamy. Queso blanco folded in. Fresh parsley and garlic throughout. Parmesan on top, gratinéed under the broiler until golden.
The cepa de apio drops the glycemic load significantly compared to a potato basket - celery root has a glycemic index of approximately 35 versus 70-90 for potato. For women managing blood sugar after 45, that substitution changes the metabolic response of the entire dish while preserving everything that makes the original recipe worth eating.
Constanza grows this. Your table should have it.
Table of Contents
Gaila | AFPA Certified Holistic Nutritionist | Dominican Cook
Protein Score
Base protein: 35g per serving | Tier: Powerhouse
The cubed chicken breast filling provides approximately 25-28g of protein per serving, depending on portion. The cottage cheese base adds 6-7g per half cup in the sauce. The Parmesan topping adds 2g. The cepa de apio itself contributes 2g per cup. Total: approximately 35g of complete protein per serving.
Protein Boost Options
- Use full-fat cottage cheese instead of Greek yogurt in the sauce - same protein contribution, creamier texture
- Add 2 tablespoons of collagen peptides to the sauce before filling the baskets - adds protein to the batch invisibly
- Top each basket with a whole egg cracked on top before broiling - adds 6g protein per basket and creates a stunning presentation
- Double the chicken filling amount per basket - increases protein per serving to 40g+ with no other changes
Why You'll Love This High-Protein Creamy Chicken in Cepa de Apio Baskets Recipe
- Cepa de apio sliced into thick rounds and roasted produces a natural bowl that holds the filling without softening - it has more structural integrity than a potato basket and a flavor that complements rather than competes with the chicken
- The cottage cheese béchamel is the same sauce as the tayota rellena - once you make it, it becomes part of your regular kitchen rotation for any dish that needs a high-protein creamy sauce
- The Constanza connection - cepa de apio, fresas, espárragos - creates a narrative across multiple recipes on this blog that positions Dominican mountain produce as a premium, functional ingredient
- Works under the broiler for 3 minutes after baking to produce the golden Parmesan crust that elevates the presentation from home cooking to something you would order at a restaurant
- Make-ahead friendly - roast the cepa de apio and make the filling a day ahead. Assemble and broil when ready to serve
High-Protein Creamy Chicken in Cepa de Apio Baskets
Ingredients
For the baskets::
- 2 large cepa de apio celery root, peeled and sliced into 1.5-inch rounds (4 rounds per person = 8 large rounds total)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- Salt and black pepper
For the creamy filling:
- 2 cups cooked chicken breast Cubed
- 3 tablespoon homemade sofrito
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- 1 cup full-fat cottage cheese blended smooth
- ½ cup high-protein milk
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch
- ½ cup queso blanco crumbled
- ¼ cup fresh parsley chopped
- 1 teaspoon butter
- Salt pepper, and a pinch of nutmeg
Toppings:
- ½ cup grated Parmesan
Instructions
- Roast the baskets: preheat oven to 400F (200C). Arrange cepa de apio rounds on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Brush with olive oil, season with salt and pepper. Roast 20-25 minutes until golden at the edges and tender when pierced. Remove and use the back of a spoon to gently press a small well in the center of each round.
- Make the sauce: blend cottage cheese, milk, and cornstarch completely smooth in a blender. In a pan, heat butter over medium heat. Add garlic and sofrito, cook 2 minutes. Pour in the cottage cheese blend. Simmer 4-5 minutes stirring constantly until thickened. Add a pinch of nutmeg. Season with salt and pepper.
- Add chicken: fold chicken and crumbled queso blanco into the sauce. Stir to combine. Add parsley.
- Fill and gratinée: spoon the chicken filling generously into each cepa de apio well. Top with Parmesan. Broil on high for 3-4 minutes until golden.
- Rest 3 minutes. Serve immediately.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritionist Note
As an AFPA Certified Holistic Nutritionist, this recipe makes the case for looking at what grows in Constanza as a serious nutritional and culinary resource.
Cepa de apio at GI 35 versus potato at GI 70-90. The same bowl, the same technique, half the glycemic impact. For women managing insulin sensitivity, blood sugar, or weight through midlife, this substitution at dinner makes a real difference without requiring any sacrifice in the eating experience.
The cottage cheese béchamel connects this recipe to the tayota rellena and creates a consistent Strength & Sazón principle: every time a recipe calls for a white sauce, the cottage cheese blend replaces it. The result is always the same - creamy, protein-dense, indistinguishable from the flour-based version in texture and function.
The National Institutes of Health confirms that women over 50 need 1.0-1.2g of protein per kilogram of body weight for muscle preservation. This dish covers a significant portion of that target in one serving.
For bariatric patients in the general diet and maintenance phases, the soft roasted cepa de apio and creamy chicken filling are appropriate in portions of one to two baskets per meal. The American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery identifies creamy chicken dishes as one of the most successful soft protein categories for post-surgical eating.
Smart Swaps
No cepa de apio: use thick rounds of auyama (butternut squash) instead. Roast at the same temperature for 20 minutes. The flavor is sweeter and the color is more dramatic. GI is slightly higher than celery root but significantly lower than potato.
Lower-fat sauce: replace full-fat cottage cheese with 2% cottage cheese. Protein contribution stays the same, fat drops approximately 30%.
Pork-free: this recipe is already pork-free as written with chicken and queso blanco.
Higher protein: add 2 tablespoons of Greek yogurt to the sauce along with the cottage cheese. Adds protein and a slight tanginess that brightens the filling.
Make-ahead: roast the cepa de apio and make the filling separately up to 24 hours ahead. Store covered in the refrigerator. Fill, top with Parmesan, and broil just before serving.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is cepa de apio? Cepa de apio is celery root - the round, pale root of the celery plant, also called celeriac. It has a mild, slightly nutty flavor with a subtle celery note. It is not related to the celery stalk in flavor or texture when cooked.
Grown in Constanza in the Dominican Republic's Cordillera Central mountains, cepa de apio is available at most Caribbean and Latin grocery stores and at specialty produce sections of larger supermarkets.
Why cepa de apio instead of potato? Celery root has a glycemic index of approximately 35 versus 70-90 for potato. For women managing insulin sensitivity after 45, this substitution produces a lower blood sugar response from the same dish. The flavor is different - mild and nutty rather than starchy and neutral - but it works equally well as a vessel for savory fillings.
Can I make this in the air fryer? Yes. Air fry the cepa de apio rounds at 375F for 15 minutes until golden and tender. Fill, top with Parmesan, and air fry 3-4 more minutes until the cheese is melted and golden.
Try these next:
- 5 High-Protein Dominican Bowls
- Low-Carb Dominican Pastelón - Easy Cauliflower Casserole with 29g Protein
- Pollo Asado Dominicano with Avocado Salsa
- Delicious Low-carb chicken nuggets
If this hits the spot, drop a comment below or tag me @strengthandsazon on Instagram. I want to see your version. And if you want recipes like this in your inbox each week, join the newsletter.
Con Fuerza y Sazón,
Gaila
AFPA Certified Nutritionist, Dominican Cook, Bariatric Patient
Did you make this recipe? I want to see your plate! Tag @strengthandsazon and use #StrengthAndSazon so I can share your creation with our whole community 🇩🇴
If you love this kind of cooking, the 5 High-Protein Dominican Bowls guide takes the same approach to five classic dishes.
Let's stay connected:
I love all the flavor you packed into these cups!
Thank you for stopping by! I know my kids loved it! 🙂
Thanks to you I have a new mission of making cheesy potato baskets. Oh my they look so good!
Hahaha! guilty! Let me know how they turn out! happy cooking!
I LOVE this idea. I'm always trying to figure out how to sneak veggies into dinner for my little picky munchkins. Welcome to the Sunday Supper family!
Thank you so much Tammi! I know I am trying to find ways to sneak in the veggies! as well and let me tell you that my kids were hooked! Thank you for stopping by.
I love, love, LOVE this dish. Super fun twist and the potato baskets?! Oh My GAWSH, I would gobble up about a dozen of those! Can't wait to try this!!! xoxo
They were good and I did not eat a dozen but not far from that ! hahahaha 🙂