Chilean chicken pascualina is a savory pie of thin homemade dough layers filled with diced chicken breast, green beans, carrot, and celery in a creamy white sauce, sealed with two more dough layers and baked until golden. It takes about 2 hours of preparation and 35 minutes of cooking, and serves 6.
It is a generous, family friendly dish and a base you can adapt with many different fillings.
How to Make Chicken Pascualina?
The pie starts with a simple dough of flour, water, oil, egg, and salt, rolled into four thin rounds, two for the base and two for the top. The chicken and vegetables are boiled, a white sauce is made with butter, onion, flour, broth, and milk, and everything is assembled in the pan and baked at 200°C (392°F).
Nutritional Information
Each serving of chicken pascualina contains approximately 500 kcal, 23 g of protein, 22 g of fat, 115 mg of cholesterol, 55 g of carbohydrates, 4 g of sugars, 4 g of fiber, and 750 mg of sodium. These values are estimates and may vary depending on ingredients and portion sizes.
Homemade Chilean Chicken Pascualina Recipe
Preparation: 2 hours
Cooking: 35 minutes
Servings: 6
Ingredients
Dough
- 400 g (3¼ cups) of all purpose flour
- 200 ml (¾ cup plus 1 tablespoon) of water
- 2 teaspoons of salt
- Olive oil
- 1 egg
Filling
- 500 g of chicken breast
- 500 ml (2 cups) of chicken broth
- 250 g of green beans
- 125 ml (½ cup) of milk
- 80 g (5½ tablespoons) of butter
- 3 tablespoons of flour
- 2 celery stalks, chopped
- 1 carrot, sliced
- ½ onion, chopped
- Fine salt
- Black pepper
Instructions
- In a large bowl, sift the flour and make a well in the center. Sprinkle the salt around the edges and add a splash of oil, the egg, and half the water to the center. Mix with your hands or a wooden spoon, adding more water until the dough is soft and smooth.
- Let rest for about 10 minutes. Divide the dough into four balls and roll each into a thin round the size of your pie dish. Preheat the oven to 200°C (392°F) for at least 10 minutes.
- In a medium pot, combine the diced chicken, green beans, celery, and carrot, cover with water, bring to a boil over high heat, and cook for about 15 minutes, until everything is tender. Drain and set aside.
- In a small pot, melt the butter over medium heat, add the chopped onion, and sauté until soft and translucent. Add the flour, season with salt and pepper, pour in the chicken broth and milk, and cook until it forms a thick cream. Turn off the heat.
- Oil the pie dish and lay one dough round on the bottom, brush it with oil, and place a second round on top. Fill with the chicken and vegetables, pour over the hot cream, cover with the third round, brush with oil, and top with the last round, sealing the edges.
- Prick the top layers with a fork so the pie does not puff up and break while baking. Bake for about 30 minutes, until the top is golden and the filling bubbles. Let it rest at room temperature before serving.
Additional Tips
Try other fillings
Pascualina works with many fillings, such as chard, spinach, or mushrooms. The classic Argentine and Uruguayan version uses chard or spinach with whole hard boiled eggs.
Use leftover chicken
Roast or boiled chicken from the day before works perfectly. Skip boiling the chicken and add it diced with the cooked vegetables and sauce.
Save time with store bought dough
Ready made pascualina or puff pastry dough also works, usually with one layer for the base and one for the top.
| Original ingredient | Substitute | Ratio | Flavor note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Homemade dough | Store bought pascualina dough | 2 rounds | Faster |
| Chicken breast | Leftover roast chicken | 500 g | Deeper flavor, no boiling |
| Green beans | Chard or spinach | 300 g | Classic Rioplatense style |
| Butter | Olive oil | 60 ml | Lighter sauce |
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1. Does the dough need to rest before assembling?
Yes, the 10 minute rest relaxes the gluten, which makes the dough much easier to roll out thin and keeps it from shrinking.
2. Can I use already cooked chicken?
Absolutely. Leftover roast or boiled chicken is traditional. Skip boiling it and add it diced directly to the filling with the vegetables and sauce.
3. How do I know the pascualina is done without opening the oven?
It is ready when the top is evenly golden and the sauce bubbles gently through the fork holes. About 30 minutes is a good guide.
4. Can I use store bought puff pastry?
Yes. With puff pastry you usually need only one layer on each side, and the baking time may be slightly shorter. Seal the edges well and prick the top.
History of Pascualina
Pascualina, or torta pasqualina, comes from Liguria in northern Italy, where it was traditionally baked for Easter, Pascua in Spanish, which gives it its name. Italian immigrants brought it to Argentina, Uruguay, and Chile.
What Is Chilean Pascualina?
In Chile, pascualina is a savory pie with a thin, crisp dough and a creamy filling. While the Italian original is made with greens and ricotta, chicken versions in white sauce are very popular in Chilean homes.
Did You Know?
Many Chilean families make chicken pascualina as a way of using up leftovers after a celebration, turning yesterday’s chicken into a whole new dish.
How to adapt this recipe to a vegan or vegetarian version?
How to adapt this recipe to a gluten-free version?
How to adapt this recipe to a keto (ketogenic) version?
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