A Lima classic built in cool, clean layers. Yellow potato stays soft and shapeable, with ají amarillo and lime giving the base its signature lift over a creamy chicken and avocado filling.
Turn what you find into an experience you can actually bring to your kitchen.
Wash the yellow potatoes and cook them skin-on in a pot with most of the water, at a gentle boil, for 25 to 30 minutes. With about 10 minutes remaining, add the ají amarillo with the veins and seeds removed; take it out when the skin slips off easily, and remove the potatoes as soon as a knife slides into the center without resistance but before they begin to split.
While the potatoes cook, place the chicken breast in a second pot with the remaining water. Bring it just to a simmer and cook over medium-low heat for 15 to 18 minutes, until the thickest part is fully white with no pink areas when cut. Remove it and let the excess heat dissipate before shredding.
Drain the potatoes, peel them while still warm, and pass them through a potato ricer; let the mash release steam for 5 minutes, until the surface looks dry. Peel the cooked ají and blend it with the oil, most of the lime juice, and most of the salt. Fold this mixture into the potato just until the base is smooth, yellow, and easy to shape, without overworking it.
Shred the chicken and mix it with the mayonnaise, black pepper, and nearly all the remaining salt, until creamy and bound together while the strands of chicken are still visible. Slice the Hass avocado and gently coat the slices with the remaining lime juice and the last bit of salt so they stay fresh and properly seasoned.
Spread half of the potato mixture in the mold and level it without packing it too tightly. Cover with the avocado, distribute the chicken and mayonnaise filling on top, and finish with the remaining potato, smoothing the surface with gentle pressure. Refrigerate for 15 minutes, until the layers are firm enough not to shift when sliced.
Quarter the black olives and scatter them over the top. Cut the causa into portions with a clean knife and serve cool or chilled, not ice-cold; the potato should hold a clean slice while remaining soft when you bite into it, with a clearly creamy filling. And that’s it—the first yellow layer already tells everyone there’s causa on the table.
