Chilean Corn and Artichoke Bake with Merkén-Seared Chicken and Marraqueta Crumbs

Name: Chilean Corn and Artichoke Bake with Merkén-Seared Chicken and Marraqueta Crumbs
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 75 min
Yield: 6
Cuisine: Chilena
Ingredients: 18 oz Boneless chicken breast; 6 cups Corn kernels; 14 oz Artichoke hearts; 1 1/4 cups Onion; 4 cloves Garlic; 6 oz Chanco cheese; 4 oz Marraqueta bread; 1 cup Milk; 3/4 cup Chicken stock; 3 tbsp Butter; 2 tbsp Vegetable oil; 3 tbsp Fine cornmeal; 1 tbsp Merkén; 1 tsp Paprika; 1/2 tsp Ground cumin; 1/2 tsp Dried oregano; 1/4 cup Fresh parsley; 1 1/4 tsp Salt; 1/2 tsp Black pepper

An original Chilean-inspired dish featuring a creamy corn and artichoke base, topped with merkén-seared chicken, melted chanco cheese, and crisp parsley marraqueta crumbs.

30 minPrep

45 minCook

75 minTotal

6Servings

High Protein

Ingredients

Adjust servings

500 g Boneless chicken breast (cut into small cubes)
900 g Corn kernels (fresh or frozen)
400 g Artichoke hearts (drained and chopped)
180 g Onion (finely chopped)
12 g Garlic (minced)
180 g Chanco cheese (grated or thinly sliced)
120 g Marraqueta bread (crumbs only, crumbled)
250 ml Milk (whole milk)
180 ml Chicken stock (or water)
40 g Butter (divided)
30 ml Vegetable oil (divided)
24 g Fine cornmeal (to thicken)
8 g Merkén (divided)
3 g Paprika (sweet)
1 g Ground cumin
1 g Dried oregano
15 g Fresh parsley (chopped)
8 g Salt (or to taste)
2 g Black pepper (freshly ground)

Nutrition facts

per serving

476 kcal

Calories

29 g

Protein

32 g

Carbs

25 g

Fat

5 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

GlutenDairy

Instructions

1
Preheat the oven to 200 °C / 400 °F. Lightly grease a medium baking dish with a little of the vegetable oil.
2
In a large skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of the vegetable oil and 10 g (about 2 teaspoons) of the butter over medium heat. Add the onion and cook for 5 to 6 minutes until softened. Stir in the garlic and cook 1 minute more.
3
Add the chopped artichoke hearts, oregano, cumin, 1/2 tablespoon of merkén, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and black pepper. Cook for 3 minutes, stirring. Remove and set aside.
4
Place 700 g (about 4 2/3 cups) of the corn in a blender or food processor with the milk and chicken stock. Blend until creamy but still slightly textured.
5
Pour the corn mixture into a medium pot. Add the remaining corn, fine cornmeal, the remaining 20 g butter, paprika, and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Cook over medium-low heat for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring often, until thickened.
6
Stir the sautéed artichoke and onion mixture into the pot. Mix well and cook 2 minutes more. Adjust salt if needed. Spread this corn-artichoke mixture into the prepared baking dish.
7
In the same skillet, heat the remaining 1 tablespoon vegetable oil over medium-high heat. Season the chicken with the rest of the merkén and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Sear the chicken for 5 to 7 minutes, stirring, until cooked through and lightly caramelized.
8
Arrange the browned chicken over the corn and artichoke base. Top with the chanco cheese.
9
In a bowl, combine the marraqueta crumbs with the parsley and 1 tablespoon of the chicken pan juices or fat if any remain; otherwise mix with 1 teaspoon oil from the baking dish. Scatter these crumbs over the cheese.
10
Bake for 20 minutes at 200 °C / 400 °F, until the cheese is melted and the crumbs are golden. For deeper color, broil or bake 2 to 3 more minutes at 220 °C / 425 °F, watching closely.
11
Let rest for 5 minutes before serving so the bake sets slightly.

Chef tips

If your corn is very sweet, an extra pinch of salt will balance the dish better. For a more rustic texture, blend only half of the corn and leave more whole kernels intact.

Substitutions

You can replace chanco cheese with firm mozzarella or a mild melting cheese. Marraqueta can be swapped for any sturdy white bread. If you do not have fresh or canned artichokes, use well-drained frozen artichoke bottoms or hearts.

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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