Potato and Merquén Bake with Chicken-Mushroom Filling and Chuchoca Crust

Name: Potato and Merquén Bake with Chicken-Mushroom Filling and Chuchoca Crust
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 55 min
Total time: 80 min
Yield: 6
Cuisine: chilena
Ingredients: 2.6 lb potatoes; 18 oz chicken breast; 2 cups onion; 7 oz mushrooms; 2 cloves garlic; 1/2 cup toasted cracked corn flour; 4 oz Chanco or mellow melting cheese; 3/4 cup milk; 3 tbsp butter; 2 tbsp vegetable oil; 1/2 cup chicken broth; 2 tsp merkén; 1 tsp paprika; 1 tsp dried oregano; 1/2 tsp ground cumin; 1/4 cup fresh parsley; 1 large egg; 1 1/2 tsp salt; 1/2 tsp black pepper

An original Chilean-inspired baked dish featuring a juicy filling of chicken, onion, and mushrooms under rustic mashed potatoes, smoky merkén, and a crunchy chuchoca-cheese topping. Comforting, homey, and distinctly Chilean.

25 minPrep

55 minCook

80 minTotal

6Servings

High Protein

Ingredients

Adjust servings

1.2 kg potatoes (peladas and cut diced)
500 g chicken breast (cut diced small)
250 g onion (chopped fina)
200 g mushrooms (chopped)
10 g garlic (chopped fino)
60 g toasted cracked corn flour (for the crust)
120 g Chanco or mellow melting cheese (grated or desmenuzado)
180 ml milk (tibia)
40 g butter (divided)
30 ml vegetable oil
120 ml chicken broth (or agua)
6 g merkén (divided)
3 g paprika
2 g dried oregano
1 g ground cumin
15 g fresh parsley (chopped)
1 unit egg (beaten, for the crust)
8 g salt (or to taste)
2 g black pepper (or to taste)

Nutrition facts

per serving

430 kcal

Calories

28 g

Protein

30 g

Carbs

21 g

Fat

3 g

Fiber

27 g

Net carbs

Approximate nutritional information. Estimated from the recipe’s ingredients and amounts, using standard reference nutrition values. It may vary with brands, sizes and cooking method. For guidance only; not a substitute for medical or dietary advice.

Allergens

DairyEggs

Instructions

1
1. Preheat the oven to 200 °C / 400 °F. Lightly grease a medium baking dish with a little of the vegetable oil or butter.
2
2. Cook the potatoes in a pot of water with half of the salt for 15 to 18 minutes, or until very tender. Drain well.
3
3. Mash the hot potatoes with the warm milk and 20 g butter. Season with black pepper and set aside the rustic mash.
4
4. While the potatoes cook, heat the vegetable oil and the remaining butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Sauté the onion for 6 to 8 minutes until soft and lightly golden.
5
5. Add the garlic, mushrooms, paprika, oregano, cumin, and 1 teaspoon merkén. Cook for 4 to 5 minutes, stirring, until the mushrooms release and evaporate their liquid.
6
6. Add the diced chicken, the remaining salt, and a little more black pepper. Cook for 5 to 6 minutes until the chicken is well seared.
7
7. Pour in the chicken broth and cook 4 to 5 minutes more, until you have a juicy but not watery filling. Turn off the heat and stir in the fresh parsley.
8
8. Spread the chicken and mushroom filling in the baking dish. Cover with the mashed potatoes, smoothing the top with a spoon.
9
9. Mix the chuchoca with the Chanco cheese and the remaining 1 teaspoon merkén. Brush the surface of the mash with the beaten egg, then scatter the chuchoca-cheese mixture over the top.
10
10. Bake at 200 °C / 400 °F for 20 to 22 minutes, until the topping is golden and crisp. If desired, broil for 2 to 3 additional minutes, watching closely for more color.
11
11. Let the bake rest for 5 minutes before serving so it sets and slices more neatly.

Chef tips

For a more rustic texture, leave a few small chunks in the mashed potatoes. If the filling seems too wet, cook it for 1 to 2 extra minutes before assembling the bake.

Substitutions

You can replace the chicken with diced turkey. Chanco cheese can be swapped for low-moisture mozzarella or another mild melting cheese. If you cannot find chuchoca, use toasted coarse cornmeal, though the flavor will differ.

What I used to make it

Generic kitchen tools that work for this recipe. You don’t need to buy anything to make it.

Illustrative image
Ninja Professional BL610 Blender
Smoothies, sauces and soups
- Smoothies, sauces and soups
- Easy-to-wash jar
- Check the power and jar size
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Illustrative image
Cosori Pro LE 5 Qt Air Fryer
Browning and baking with little oil
- Browns food with very little oil
- Handy for vegetables, chicken and reheating
- Check the basket capacity
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Illustrative image
TempPro TP19H Digital Thermometer
Checking doneness of meat and chicken
- Checks doneness of meat and chicken
- Quick reading
- Clean the probe after each use
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