Chile
High-Protein Chilean Pastel de Choclo
Chef-tested recipe
Beef pino, chicken, eggs, olives, and raisins beneath a thick basil-scented fresh-corn crust
Pastel de choclo is a beloved Chilean summer casserole traditionally baked in clay. Its savoury base is pino, a beef-and-onion mixture seasoned with cumin and ají de color, layered with chicken, hard-boiled egg, black olives, and raisins. A thick purée of fresh starchy corn and basil covers the filling and is dusted lightly with sugar before baking to a spotted golden crust. This substantial version keeps every classic layer and uses both beef and chicken to provide abundant protein. The corn topping must be cooked before assembly so it loses raw starchiness and sits as a cohesive cap rather than watery creamed corn.
Recipe at a glance
Before you begin
Ingredients & equipment
Gather what you need first, then cook through the method with confidence.
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Ingredient and equipment links marked “paid link” may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.
Equipment
- Six clay baking dishespaid link
- Wide sauté panpaid link
- Heavy saucepanpaid link
- Food processorpaid link
- Wooden spoonpaid link
- Baking traypaid link
- Chef’s knifepaid link
- Cutting boardpaid link
- Digital kitchen scalepaid link
- Instant-read thermometerpaid link
Ingredients
For the beef pino
- Coarsely minced beef: 1000 g
- Yellow onions, finely diced: 650 g
- Beef dripping or neutral oil: 45 g
- Garlic, finely chopped: 20 g
- Ground cumin: 8 g
- Ají de color or sweet paprika: 8 g
- Dried oreganopaid link: 4 g
- Fine sea saltpaid link: 14 g
- Freshly ground black pepper: 5 g
- Unsalted beef stock: 250 ml
For the remaining filling
- Bone-in chicken thighs: 1200 g
- Fine sea saltpaid link: 8 g
- Large eggs, hard-boiled and quartered: 4 large
- Chilean black olives: 12 whole
- Seedless raisinspaid link: 100 g
For the corn topping
- Fresh starchy corn kernelspaid link: 2000 g
- Full-fat milk: 350 ml
- Fresh basil leaves: 50 g
- Unsalted butter: 60 g
- Fine sea saltpaid link: 8 g
- Caster sugar for the crustpaid link: 35 g
Preparation Overview
Prepare the pino one day ahead if possible so it cools and settles. Roast or poach the chicken thighs until safely cooked, remove the bones, and keep the meat in large pieces. Hard-boil the eggs. Process fresh corn in batches with milk and basil, keeping a slightly textured consistency.
Method
Cook the onions. Heat the dripping or oil in a wide pan and cook onions with 7 g salt for 15 to 20 minutes until soft and lightly golden.
Build the pino. Add garlic, cumin, ají de color, oregano, and pepper, then brown the beef. Add stock and simmer for 15 minutes until juicy but not wet.
Cook the chicken. Season the thighs with 8 g salt and roast at 190°C until they reach 74°C, then cool slightly, remove bones, and divide into six portions.
Purée the corn. Process the kernels with milk and basil in batches until thick and textured rather than completely smooth.
Cook the topping. Melt butter in a heavy pot, add the corn mixture and 8 g salt, and stir over medium-low heat for 15 to 20 minutes until very thick.
Layer the dishes. Divide pino among six clay dishes, then add chicken, egg quarters, two olives, and raisins to each.
Cover with corn. Spread the cooked corn mixture in a thick even layer and lightly dust each surface with caster sugar.
Bake until blistered. Bake at 200°C for 25 to 30 minutes, then grill briefly if needed until the top develops golden-brown spots.
Rest and serve. Leave the bubbling dishes for 15 minutes before serving so the filling settles and the clay cools slightly.
Beginner Technique Notes
Fresh, mature starchy corn thickens more reliably than very sweet watery kernels.
Cook the onions patiently; undercooked onions make pino harsh and watery.
The pino should remain moist but must not flood the corn layer.
Stir the corn continuously as it thickens because its natural sugars catch easily.
Clay dishes stay dangerously hot for a long time, so serve them on heatproof underplates.
Tips and Variations
Frozen corn can be used outside Chilean summer, but drain it well and extend the stovetop thickening time.
Some cooks use boneless chicken breast, although thigh remains moist under the second bake.
Raisins and sugar divide opinion but remain established elements in many traditional household versions.
Bake one large family casserole when individual greda dishes are unavailable.
Do not replace the corn cap with polenta; fresh corn and basil define pastel de choclo.
Serving Ideas
- Present individual bubbling clay dishes on wooden or cork underplates, with the dark pino visible only after diners break the golden corn surface. Serve the cool tomato-onion salad separately.
Storage
Cool within 2 hours and refrigerate covered for up to 3 days. Reheat at 170°C until the centre reaches 74°C. Freeze assembled, unbaked pastel for up to 2 months, thaw overnight, then bake thoroughly.
Nutritional Value
Allergen Notes
Contains milk and egg. Check stock and processed spices for celery, gluten, sulphites, and cross-contact declarations. Chilean olives contain pits unless specifically purchased pitted.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is pino?
It is the Chilean savoury filling of beef and onions, commonly seasoned with cumin and ají de color.
Why is sugar sprinkled on top?
A light dusting helps produce the characteristic sweet-savoury browned corn crust.
Can I omit raisins?
Household preferences vary, but raisins are a recognised traditional component and contribute sweet contrast.
What kind of corn works best?
Mature, starchy fresh corn similar to Chilean choclo gives the thickest, least watery topping.
Can I make it in advance?
Yes. Prepare all layers, refrigerate, and bake the following day, allowing extra time from cold.