Every home cook who likes corn needs to know about this authentic pastel de choclo recipe. I first tried this amazing corn pie in Chile and immediately fell in love with it. So what is pastel de choclo exactly? Well, it’s a corn pie with meat, eggs and more.
The ingredients might sound a little strange but it’s really good, I promise! Some people use beef while others use chicken. I’ve only had it made with chicken thighs and it was so good.
The corn topping on this pastel de choclo recipe is crisp, sticky and sweet and the eggs, black olives and other ingredients lend authenticity. Make a pastel de choclo Chilean recipe and you won’t regret it!
Side Dish Options for Pastel de Choclo
What is a good side dish for our pastel de choclo? Well, I like it with a simple tomato, garlic and onions salad on the side, or you might want to steam some broccoli or another favorite vegetable instead. This oven roasted tomato recipe would pair well too.
Pastel de choclo keeps well in the refrigerator for a few days and is easy to reheat in the microwave so you enjoy a different side each time.
Pastel de Choclo Recipe: What Kind of Corn to Use
Although some people prefer to use fresh corn when making a pastel de choclo recipe, I usually just use the canned kind which is fine in this corn pie as long as you drain it properly.
Feel free to adjust the amount of sugar. It helps with the caramelization but if you prefer not to have sugar, you can use sweetener for a similar flavor, albeit less caramelization. Or use some of each. This is a great winter warmer of a recipe and you will find pastel de choclo to be wonderful comfort food.
PrintPastel de Choclo – Chilean Recipe
This delicious concoction of chicken, spices, raisins, egg and more is topped with a delicious sweet corn mixture. Which country is pastel de choclo from? Why, Chile of course. Served with tomato and onion salad, this ticks all the boxes where flavor is concerned.
- Prep Time: 15 mins
- Cook Time: 45 mins
- Total Time: 1 hour
- Yield: 4 1x
- Category: Main Dish
- Cuisine: Chilean
Ingredients
- One pound (450g) chopped chicken thighs
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- One chopped large yellow onion
- 1 tablespoon cumin seeds
- A tablespoon of ground paprika or chili powder
- 2 sliced hard-boiled eggs
- 2 tablespoons raisins
- 8 halved hulled black olives
- 3 tablespoons white sugar
For the Topping
- 1⁄2 cup (125 ml) whole milk
- 28 oz (800g) corn kernels
- 2 tablespoons sliced fresh basil
- 1 teaspoon white sugar
- ½ teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Drain the corn well then put it with the milk in a pan and bring to a boil.
- Cover and simmer gently for 15 minutes.
- Take the corn off the heat and let it stand for 5 minutes.
- Use a potato masher or immersion blender to puree it until smooth.
- Stir in the basil, sugar, and salt.
- Meanwhile sauté the chicken, onion, cumin, salt and paprika or chili until the chicken is cooked through.
- Spoon this mixture into a baking dish or separate ramekins.
- Arrange the eggs, raisins and olives on top.
- Pour over the corn mixture and bake at 400 degrees F (200 degrees C) for 20 minutes.
- Sprinkle some sugar on top and broil until caramelized.
Notes
- Swap the chicken thighs for chicken breasts if you want (but thighs are much tastier!)
- You can use creamed corn instead of fresh corn kernels and milk (saves having to mash them) if you wish.
- Buy corn in bulk, on Amazon.