What is your definition of a good chicken pot pie?
As a fundraiser for our school, we have a bake sale that has really become a "frozen dinner for tired working parents" sale. My chicken pot pies always sell out but I'd like to rethink them this year. In the past, it has been a top crust only, all butter pie crust dough filled with large chunks of chicken breast, peas, and carrots in gravy. I make everything from scratch.
So what do you think makes a perfect chicken pot pie?
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ARGHHHHH
I am now in the process of making said pies. All butter pie dough done. Rich stock done. $50 worth of organic chicken breasts roasted and shredded.
Assembly comes the next day and my refrigerator is not really very cold. Within a few hours refrigerator is not cold at all.
Starting all over again. *Fingers crossed I can save the pie dough*
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greygarious
Oct 20, 2012 10:02 PM
Another way to go: Make your filling a bit thicker than usual, then chill it. Stack 4 sheets of phyllo, brushing each layer with melted butter or bacon grease, or spray with butter-flavored baking spray. You can also use a combination, like butter on one and Pam on the others, to speed things and save money. Cut the stacks lengthwise into long strips - you'll get 3 or 4 per stack. Put a couple of tbsps of filling at the corner of a stack, then make a triangular fold. Keep flipfolding to the end, adding extra melted butter to tack the final end in place and glaze the top. Bake seam side down at 375 (if memory serves) until golden brown.
This way, people can buy as many as they want, and quickly reheat them in the oven. It also makes it easy for you to vary the filling - some curry, some with cheese, potatoes or not, etc. I particularly like making these with a filling of ground lamb cooked with garlic, onion, spinach, tomato paste, pepper, and a little cream cheese as a creamy binder.
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I'd say yours sounds pretty close to perfect. You could add a bottom crust to soak up some of the gravy.
For me the key is a light flaky crust, lots of chicken and a flavorful gravy. Bake Sale Betty does a pretty good example of that, although I like more gravy.
Where is your school? I'd like to come buy some of your pies!
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re: sr44
mamachef
Oct 17, 2012 06:58 PM
Well now you've got my wheels turning, sr44. Loving the sweet potato biscuit dough: that would be perfect for a beef stew pot pie w/ winter veg. But what about a ham pot pie, wouldn't that be good? Or a sausage pot pie......
ticktickticktickticktick......I think my clients will be well-pleased with some plays on these....
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Karl S
Oct 17, 2012 03:52 PM
Use rotisserie chickens to streamline the process: shred, do not dice, the meat (shredded white meat doesn't become as rubbery as diced white meat).
Vegetables should be diced to about the size of corn kernels, and should not be so numerous, flavorful and distinctive as to obscure the chicken flavor. Herbs and spices ditto.
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meatn3
Oct 17, 2012 10:58 AM
I use a chicken pot pie as a one dish meal, so I use a wider variety of vegetables. I only use a top crust. My cream gravy is made from homemade stock seasoned with pepper, thyme, marjoram and a little sage. I change the vegetable with the season. I always use onion, carrots, a little finely chopped celery, and a small amount of garlic infused in the gravy. Frequent additions are mushrooms, corn, potato, edamame or limas. Seasonal variations include summer squash, asparagus, roasted winter squash, parsnips, turnip, rutabaga.I don't care for peas so I never use them. (Watery vegetables have been roasted first.)
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Crockett67
Oct 17, 2012 05:27 AM
Don't change it. Crust on top stays flaky the bottom crust just turns soggy with re-heat.
When I make them for other people go with common vegetables (carrots, onions, peas, celery) I don't deviate since it's a safety comfort food to many. I had many a food demo bomb because the general population is apprehensive with leeks, squash, or even kale.
Now for myself, mushrooms, butternut squash, and leeks are usually added.
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re: sandylc
HillJ
Oct 16, 2012 08:13 PM
Couldn't disagree more but it's interesting that you think that cubed potatoes don't belong. We adore potatoes in our pot pies! Several versions of pot pie even include mashed potatoes as the crust in lieu of a pastry. Potatoes are included in most beef pot pies. The ingredient I wouldn't want in a chicken pot pie is cheese, but plenty of folks add that too.
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mamachef
Oct 16, 2012 06:59 PM
Well, what you've described is the platonic ideal, the classic CPP, and it happens to be my favorite version. Things of major importance are:
1. The crust. It must be handmade, preferably half shortening and half butter, IMO making for the best-possible tasting & textured crust. Said crust should be golden brown and tender, to the extent that it almost shatters when it is cut, but not quite. When biting into it, it should separate into hundreds of buttery-tasting, flaky layers. The rim should be a little browner and deeper-flavored. It should provide the perfect mop for:
2. The gravy, which should be completely smooth, medium-thick, and made with an excellent chicken stock made from the carcass of the chicken roasted to provide the meat for the CPP. While tasting mostly and deeply of chicken and whatever spices are used to flavor it, there should be undertones of carrot, celery and onion, a hint of lemon for clarity and brightness, and a good taste of pepper. At home, we enrich with cream and reduce - it mellows everything and makes it just perfect.
3. The chicken: chunks of both white and dark meat chicken cut to roughly the same size, cut off a juicy roast chicken and added to the sauce just before the cream is added. IMO, the easiest way to make sure it doesn't go stringy.
One variation I've made that was well-received was a curried chicken pot pie - I added best quality pre-blended curry powder (I know, I know, I'm ashamed...) to the sauce, and besides chicken I used peas, potatoes, apple chunks, pearl onions and sliced celery. I considered adding raisins and didn't. Not too far from the original, but far enough that it was different enough to be noticed but not so different that they didn't care for it. :) I served it with sauteed greens w/ paneer and garlic, chutney of some type, and I think some kind of raita but I'm not sure.›12 Replies-
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re: JudiAU
Consider Mr. SMT's compromise. I only prepare the peas for one meal at a time. If you have cooked the stew in a crust, place the peas on the plate and then serve the stew ontop. I serve my chicken stew [no crust] in a pasta bowl and sprinkle the peas over the top. As much as I like a crust, I like biscuits even more.
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re: Ruthie789
There's a vietnamese diner here in LA that makes a craveworthy curry chicken pot pie.
The owner was kind enough to share the recipe with the NY Times:
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Ruthie789
Oct 16, 2012 06:50 PM
I love chicken pot pie. I have been using a recipe from Cooking Light for many years. One good ingredient in this recipe is Poultry Seasoning which I always use in my chicken pot pie. Sometimes I use puff pastry for the top or a pie crust. I also like to use leeks in my pie.
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HillJ
Oct 16, 2012 06:26 PM
Puff pastry does make a nice topping but for a school fundraiser kinda pricey.
I never add dark meat because I don't like the greasy mouth feel in pot pie it brings.
How many do you plan to make for the fundraiser? If your recipe is already popular with the school crowd and it fits the budget and time-I say go for it and stick with a winner.›6 Replies-
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re: JudiAU
HillJ
Oct 16, 2012 08:12 PM
God bless that your school would pay that much for a chicken pot pie fundraiser. My hats off to you. Also a good reason to then make as much profit on each as you can. I wouldn't pass up the opportunity to offer a delicious pot pie at a great profit.
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1POINT21GW
Oct 16, 2012 05:46 PM
I agree with Icool. Yours already sounds near perfect. Maybe consider using both breast and leg meat for more of a chicken flavor. Also, you could consider using a bottom crust in addition to the top crust.
My perfect chicken pot pie is pretty much what yours is - nothing fancy, nothing that's trying to break new ground, no weird ingredients that don't belong in a typical American chicken pot pie. Pepper is the only spice I use and no herbs. I'd go with what you've been doing just making sure that everything is cut small enough to easily be bite-sized (which you probably already do) and I'd make sure the crust is super flaky and a little shiny (from egg wash). That, to me, is a great American pot pie.
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re: JudiAU
1POINT21GW
Oct 16, 2012 07:19 PM
2 inches by 2 inches by 2 inches? Dang. That's big.
If yours are "good sized" and you like them, I wouldn't change a thing. I'd keep doing what you're doing.
I was just saying that I like pieces chicken no bigger than 3/4" cubed because I like to get more things in my mouth at once. But, I can certainly see why others like the bigger pieces.
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HillJ
Oct 16, 2012 05:44 PM
My filling includes white breast meat, peas, carrots, potatoes a cream of chicken gravy. I make a lattice crust top. No bottom. Occasionally I add pearl onions. I like ground black pepper in my gravy. If I was going to go out on a limb and guild the lily for a school group I might consider adding sweet pototoe cubes in place of the Idaho.
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Butter crust, both top and bottom if time and calories are available. Sauteed carrots, onions, and celery. Corn is particularly good in it. If there are peas, they have to be tender and sweet. I sometimes just leave them out. Homemade stock for the sauce. Fresh thyme.
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What a great idea, and pre-made chicken pot pies sound like a tasty option for a quick dinner you don't have time to prepare. To me, a buttery, flaky crust and moist chicken are most important. I like to use rotisserie chicken when I make it - less fuss, and you get a nice mix of dark and white meat. I prefer a double crust, but a top-only pot pie is more health conscious and probably bakes more consistently.
Mmm, I think chicken pot pies are on the menu in the coming week now! :)
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re: ipsedixit
Well, yours certainly sounds good. How likely is your audience to go for more exotic options? Chicken and mushroom pie is an English staple, as is chicken and leek pie. And Moroccan chicken pie is essentially a pot pie with ingredients like cinnamon and raisins. Maybe something with curry? Google will give you recipes.
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