Hot Sauce And Chicken Pot Pie: A Match Made In Heaven?

Chicken pot pie is a classic dish, but it can be lacking in the sauce department. The right sauce can bring out the best in your chicken pot pie and give you options for how you want to eat it.

Hot sauce is a great option if you want something spicy but don't want to make a homemade salsa or vinaigrette. It's the perfect addition to this homey dish as it can really liven things up. The heat from the hot sauce will balance out the creamy, savoury filling and the flaky crust.

However, it's important not to go overboard with the hot sauce. Start with a small amount and then add more to taste. You can even add some hot sauce to the crust itself for an extra zing.

Hot sauce recommendations

Chicken pot pie is a classic dish, but it can be lacking in the sauce department. Adding a sauce can make or break a dish, taking it from bland to mouth-watering.

Franks Red Hot

A popular choice among chicken pot pie enthusiasts, Franks Red Hot is a well-known brand that packs a punch of flavour and heat. It's a great way to add some spice to your meal without being too overpowering.

Cholula

For those who enjoy a spicy kick, Cholula hot sauce is another excellent option. It has a unique flavour that will enhance your chicken pot pie.

Tabasco

If you're a fan of spicy food, Tabasco is a classic hot sauce that will add a nice kick to your chicken pot pie. It's a versatile sauce that can be used in a variety of dishes.

Louisiana Hot Sauce

Louisiana Hot Sauce is a great option if you're looking for something with a bit more flavour. It has a unique taste that will complement the other ingredients in your chicken pot pie without overpowering them.

Sriracha

Sriracha is a popular hot sauce that adds a creamy texture and a spicy kick to your chicken pot pie. It's a perfect choice if you want to balance the heat with a creamy consistency.

Mango Habanero

For a unique and fruity twist, mango habanero hot sauce is a great option. The combination of sweet and spicy will add a delicious layer of flavour to your chicken pot pie.

Black Truffle "Truff" Hot Sauce

For a more indulgent and luxurious option, black truffle hot sauce is a perfect choice. It adds a sophisticated touch to your chicken pot pie, elevating the dish to a new level of flavour.

When adding hot sauce to your chicken pot pie, it's important to start with a small amount and adjust to your taste preferences. You don't want to overpower the other flavours in the dish, but rather enhance them with a spicy kick.

So, go ahead and give it a try! Experiment with different hot sauces and find your favourite combination to spice up your chicken pot pie.

Chicken pot pie recipes

Chicken pot pie is a comforting, delicious, and simple dish to make. It's a great way to use up leftover chicken or turkey, and you can easily customise it with your favourite meats and vegetables. Here is a standard recipe, followed by some variations.

Classic Chicken Pot Pie

To make a classic chicken pot pie, you will need the following ingredients:

• Butter
• Onions
• All-purpose flour
• Salt and pepper
• Milk and/or chicken broth
• Cooked chicken or turkey
• Frozen mixed veggies (e.g. peas, carrots, celery)
• Refrigerated pie crusts

First, make a sauce by melting butter in a saucepan and cooking onions in it until soft. Then, stir in flour, salt, and pepper. Gradually add milk and/or chicken broth, stirring until you have a thick, bubbling mixture.

Next, stir in your cooked chicken or turkey and thawed frozen veggies. Spoon this mixture into a pie plate lined with a refrigerated pie crust. Add the top crust, seal the edges, and cut some slits in the top.

Bake in the oven at 425°F/220°C for around 30-40 minutes, or until the crust is golden brown.

Variations

There are many ways to customise your chicken pot pie:

• Meat: Try using turkey, rotisserie chicken, canned chicken, or turkey ham instead of chicken.
• Vegetables: You can use fresh or frozen veggies like broccoli, sweet potatoes, corn, potatoes, mushrooms, or zucchini. Just make sure not to add too many veggies, or there won't be enough gravy.
• Herbs and Seasonings: Experiment with different herbs and seasonings like parsley, rosemary, sage, celery seed, or poultry seasoning.
• Pie Crust: While this recipe uses refrigerated pie crusts, you can also make your own from scratch using a combination of butter and shortening for a flakier crust. Alternatively, you can use puff pastry or biscuits for the top crust.

Serving Suggestions

Chicken pot pie is a complete meal on its own, but you can serve it with a crisp green salad or fruit on the side. Pillsbury also suggests serving it with freshly baked biscuits or crescents for extra comfort food.

Sauce Pairings

Chicken pot pie is delicious on its own, but you can also pair it with a variety of sauces to add extra flavour. Here are some sauce ideas:

• White sauce (made with milk, flour, and butter)
• Creamy sauce (add some cream cheese to the white sauce)
• Gravy (made with chicken broth, Worcestershire sauce, and dry mustard)
• Bernaise sauce (French sauce made with egg yolks, vinegar, shallots, and butter)
• Blackberry sauce (made with blackberries and honey)
• Blue cheese sauce (for a savoury, salty twist)
• Brown butter (cook butter over medium-high heat until nutty)
• Buffalo sauce (spicy sauce made with hot sauce, butter, and vinegar)
• Chimichurri sauce (bright green sauce with fresh herbs, olive oil, and garlic)
• Cilantro pesto (similar to traditional pesto but with cilantro instead of basil)
• Creamy dill sauce (with lemon juice, honey, and dill)
• Creamy red pepper sauce (pairs well with veggie-filled pies)
• Enchilada sauce (spicy sauce made with tomatoes, onion, garlic, cumin, oregano, chili powder, and salt)
• Aioli (French sauce made with mayonnaise, garlic, and herbs)
• Salsa (tangy and spicy, easy to make at home)
• Vinaigrette (light and tangy, perfect for those who don't like heavy sauces)
• Hot sauce (for those who like it spicy)
• Soy sauce (adds umami and saltiness)
• Fish sauce (similar to soy sauce but with a more complex flavour)
• Worcestershire sauce (slightly sour)
• Tartar sauce (tangy and creamy, classic with fried dishes)
• Cheese sauce (rich and comforting)

Best vegetables to pair with hot sauce

While hot sauce can be a great addition to chicken pot pie, it is also a great pairing with vegetables. Here are some of the best vegetables to pair with hot sauce:

Raw Vegetables

Raw vegetables such as carrots, celery, cucumbers, red peppers, cauliflower, and broccoli florets can be dipped directly into hot sauce. The sweetness and refreshing crunch of these vegetables contrast well with the heat of the hot sauce. For those who prefer a milder spice level, the hot sauce can be mixed with ranch dressing to create a cooler dipping sauce.

Bok Choy

Bok choy, a type of leafy green, can be braised in a spicy sauce. The unique crunch of the water-filled stem and the delicate leaves absorb the flavours of the sauce. To prepare, cut the head of bok choy in half lengthwise, wash it, and place it cut-side down on a hot oiled pan. A spicy sauce made with tamari, maple syrup, hot chilli sauce, minced ginger, and garlic can be added to the pan to create a flavourful and aesthetically pleasing dish.

Eggplant

Eggplant is a versatile vegetable that pairs well with hot sauce due to its mild flavour and sweet undertones. It can be marinated in a teriyaki sauce and then drizzled with an Asian hot chilli sauce after cooking. Toasted sesame seeds and additional hot sauce on the side can further enhance the dish.

Butternut Squash

Roasted butternut squash has a sweet and creamy texture that complements the heat of hot sauce. A spice-baked butternut squash recipe can be created by using ingredients such as olive oil, cumin, chilli, salt, rosemary, and hot sauce. For a more experimental flavour profile, coconut oil, ginger, honey, and hot sauce can be combined with cracked pepper and sea salt.

Stir Fry

Hot sauce can elevate a vegetable stir fry by adding a burst of flavour. Different types of hot sauce can be selected based on the theme of the stir fry. For example, habanero hot sauce pairs well with South American stir fry, while sriracha is a versatile option that can be used in various dishes.

Cabbage and Cauliflower "Steaks"

Cabbage and cauliflower "steaks" are thick slices of these vegetables that can be grilled or cooked similarly to meat steaks. A marinade with acidic, sweet, salty, and spicy elements, including a generous amount of hot sauce, can be used to add flavour to these vegetable steaks. The hot sauce can also be drizzled over the cooked vegetable as a finishing touch.

Collard Greens, Spinach, and Chard

Hot sauce can be added to a garlic and olive oil saute to enhance the flavour of these leafy greens.

Hummus

Hot sauce can be mixed into hummus to create a spicy dip for vegetables. Harissa, a spicy Moroccan condiment made with chilli peppers, garlic, and olive oil, is a particularly good pairing with hummus.

Vegetable Tacos

Hot sauce can be added to the spices and marinade used in vegetarian tacos. Mexican-style hot sauce, which is thinner and less fermented than traditional hot sauce, is a good option for this application. It can be mixed with vegan mayo to create a spicy and tangy aioli for the veggies.

Corn on the Cob

Hot sauce can be added to a coleslaw dressing to create a spicy and tangy side dish to accompany grilled corn on the cob.

These are just a few examples of vegetables that pair well with hot sauce. Experimenting with different combinations of vegetables and hot sauces can lead to some delicious and unexpected flavour profiles.

Chicken pot pie wine pairings

Chicken pot pie is a classic, comforting dish. But what wine should you pair with it? Here are some ideas to get you started.

Firstly, if your chicken pot pie has a classic creamy filling, a smooth, creamy (but not too oaky) chardonnay is a great choice. A Chablis or Macon-Villages would be a classic match, but you could also try a French Chenin Blanc or a Californian Pinot Noir. If you're looking for something a little different, an old vine chenin blanc with a touch of oak or a medium-bodied red like a merlot would also work well.

On the other hand, if your chicken pot pie contains red wine and/or tomatoes in the sauce, a medium-bodied red is the way to go. A merlot or an Alentejo red would be perfect.

For those who prefer a beer, a blonde or golden ale is a great match for chicken pot pie. And if you're a cider drinker, a medium-dry cider is a lovely pairing, especially if the sauce is made with cider or the pie contains leeks.

So, there you have it! Whether you're a wine, beer, or cider enthusiast, there's a perfect drink pairing for your chicken pot pie.

Hot sauce alternatives

Chicken pot pie is a classic, comforting dish. While hot sauce can be a great addition to this meal, there are several alternatives to spice up your chicken pot pie.

Make Your Own Hot Sauce

If you have vinegar, water, cayenne pepper powder, and salt, you can make a simple hot sauce. This sauce is best used for cooking, as it is quite vinegary, but it can add a nice kick to your meal.

Cayenne Pepper Powder or Red Pepper Flakes

For a simpler option, you can add cayenne pepper powder or red pepper flakes directly to your chicken pot pie. A few dashes of hot sauce are roughly equivalent to about an eighth of a teaspoon of powder or flakes.

Non-Pepper Heat Sources

If you're looking to move away from chili peppers, there are several options for adding heat to your meal:

• Horseradish
• Wasabi
• Hot mustard
• Ginger
• Cinnamon

Other Hot Sauces

Some other hot sauces that can be used as alternatives include:

• Sriracha: This hot sauce is often considered in a category of its own due to its sweeter flavour profile.
• Gochujang: A Korean fermented red chili paste that is both spicy and sweet.
• Chili-Garlic Sauce: This sauce can be easily found in stores and works well as a substitute in many recipes.

Other Sauces

While not a hot sauce alternative, there are numerous other sauces that pair well with chicken pot pie. These include:

• Bernaise Sauce
• Blackberry Sauce
• Blue Cheese Sauce
• Brown Butter
• Buffalo Sauce
• Chimichurri Sauce
• Cilantro Pesto Sauce
• Creamy Dill Sauce
• Creamy Red Pepper Sauce
• Enchilada Sauce
• Honey Mustard
• Lemon Dill Sauce
• Marinara Sauce
• Tomato Sauce
• BBQ Sauce
• Tzatziki Sauce
• Aioli
• Salsa
• Vinaigrette

Frequently asked questions