Tillie Doyle
Mini chicken pot pies are a fun and delicious meal option that can be made in under 30 minutes with just four ingredients. They are a great way to use up leftover chicken and vegetables, and they can be easily customised to your taste preferences. Whether you're looking for a quick and easy weeknight dinner or a fun cooking project, mini chicken pot pies are a perfect choice. In this paragraph, we will explore the ingredients and steps required to make these delicious treats.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Ingredients | Chicken, vegetables (carrots, peas, green beans, corn, celery, onion, garlic, parsley), gravy, biscuits/pie crust dough, butter, flour, chicken stock, milk, egg |
| Recipe Steps | 1. Combine vegetables in a large bowl. 2. Melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat and add vegetables. 3. Cook until vegetables soften. 4. Add flour and cook for 1 minute. 5. Slowly add chicken stock and milk, stirring frequently. 6. Simmer until liquid thickens. 7. Stir in chicken, poultry seasoning, salt, and pepper. 8. Let the filling cool. 9. Roll out pie crust dough into circles and fit into mini pie plates. 10. Spoon filling into crusts. 11. Roll out remaining dough and place on top of pies, crimping the edges. 12. Brush pies with egg wash. 13. Bake for 20-30 minutes until crust is golden brown and filling is bubbling. |
| Variations | Use store-bought pie crust dough, crescent roll dough, or biscuit dough. Add potatoes or cheese. Use rotisserie chicken, canned chicken, or fresh chicken breast. Make gravy from scratch or buy pre-made. |
| Tips | Cut ingredients into small, uniform pieces (around 1/2-inch). Don't overstuff the pies. Spray muffin cups generously to prevent sticking. Cut slits in the top of the pies before cooking to release steam. |
| Serving Suggestions | Serve as a comfort food on its own or with a side of salad or fruit. |
Explore related products
What You'll Learn
Choosing your ingredients
Choosing the right ingredients for your mini pot pies is essential to ensure they turn out delicious. Here are some tips and suggestions for selecting the best components:
Meat
For the meat, you can use cooked chicken, whether it's leftover grilled chicken, rotisserie chicken, or canned chicken. If you don't have chicken, you can use other cooked poultry, such as cooked holiday turkey or diced smoked or precooked chicken sausages. Cut the meat into small, uniform pieces, about 1/2-inch in size, to ensure even distribution in the pies.
Vegetables
For the vegetables, you can use a variety of options. Frozen mixed vegetables, including carrots, peas, green beans, and corn, are a convenient choice. Just be sure to defrost them before cooking. Alternatively, you can use fresh vegetables like carrots, celery, onion, peas, garlic, and parsley. Chop the vegetables into small pieces, similar in size to the meat, to ensure even cooking. You can also add potatoes, either diced or mashed, for a heartier filling.
Dough/Crust
The type of dough or crust you use will depend on your preference and availability. Pillsbury™ Grands!™ Flaky Layers Original Biscuits are a popular choice as they are easy to work with and create a flaky, golden texture. However, you can also use other variations of Pillsbury biscuits or crescent roll dough. If you have the time and inclination, you can make your own pie crust dough from scratch using a recipe like the All-Butter Pie Crust.
Soup/Gravy
Using condensed cream of chicken soup is a convenient way to create a creamy sauce for your pot pies without having to make a roux from scratch. Simply open a can and mix it with your meat and vegetables. Alternatively, you can make your gravy from scratch by combining butter and cornstarch, cooking it until foamy, and then adding chicken stock and milk.
Pyrex Glass Pan: Safe Baking Option?
You may want to see also
Explore related products
Preparing the filling
Next, melt some butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the vegetables to the melted butter and cook until they begin to soften, stirring occasionally. This should take around 10 minutes. Then, sprinkle flour over the vegetables and stir to combine. Continue cooking the mixture for another minute.
Slowly add chicken stock and milk to the vegetable mixture. Bring it to a simmer and cook, stirring frequently, until the liquid thickens. This should take about 3 minutes. If you prefer to make your gravy from scratch, combine butter and cornstarch in a saucepan and cook until foamy but not browned, which takes about 3-4 minutes.
Finally, stir in your choice of cooked chicken. You can use leftover chicken, rotisserie chicken, canned chicken, or freshly cooked chicken breast. Cut the chicken into 1/2-inch pieces to ensure they fit nicely into the mini pies. You can also add some poultry seasoning, salt, and pepper to taste. Allow the filling to cool before assembling your mini pot pies.
Metal Frying Pans: Are They Oven-Safe?
You may want to see also
Explore related products
Making the pastry
If you're short on time, store-bought biscuit dough is a convenient option. Keep the dough refrigerated until you're ready to use it, as this will make it easier to work with. When you're ready, simply press each biscuit into a round shape that's big enough to hold your filling. Place each biscuit into a greased muffin tin and stretch the dough up the sides, building a rim to hold your filling.
For a more homemade touch, you can make your own pastry dough from scratch. One option is to use an All-Butter Pie Crust recipe, which you can find online or in cookbooks. This type of crust adds a savory flavor to your mini pot pies. Divide the dough into equal pieces, depending on how many mini pies you plan to make. Roll the dough out into circles and fit them into your mini pie plates.
Whether you use store-bought or homemade dough, the next step is to fill your pies. Spoon your desired filling into the dough-lined muffin tins or pie plates. Be careful not to overfill, as this can cause the filling to bubble over during baking. Once filled, you can top your pies with additional dough, crimping the edges to seal them shut.
The Mystique of the Black Iron Pan
You may want to see also
Explore related products
Assembling the pies
Next, prepare the dough. If using biscuit dough, separate the biscuits and place them into a greased muffin tin. Use your fingers to press down the middle of the dough, thinning it out, and then stretch the dough up the sides of the muffin tin. If using pie crust dough, divide the dough into equal pieces, depending on how many pies you are making, and roll them out into circles. Place the dough into the mini pie plates.
Now, you can assemble the pies. Spoon the filling into the dough cups or crusts, ensuring they do not overflow. Pull the edges of the dough up and over the filling, pinching the dough together to seal and prevent the filling from bubbling out during baking. If using pie crust dough, roll out the remaining dough and fit the dough circles over the tops of the pies, crimping the edges. Don't forget to cut slits in the tops of the pies to allow steam to escape. Brush the pies with egg wash.
Finally, bake the pies. Place the pies in the oven and bake for around 30 minutes or until the crust is golden brown and the filling is bubbling. If baking from frozen, bake for around one hour and thirty minutes. Once baked, allow the pies to cool for a minute or two before serving.
Cutting Bun Pan Racks: Is It Possible?
You may want to see also
Explore related products
Baking and serving
Once you've prepared your mini chicken pot pies, it's time to bake them to perfection. Preheat your oven to 350-375 degrees Fahrenheit. If you're baking the pies from frozen, remove any foil or plastic wrap and place them on a baking sheet. Bake for around 20 to 30 minutes, keeping an eye on them to ensure they don't overcook. You want the crust to be golden brown, and the filling should be bubbling.
Before baking, consider cutting slits in the top of the pies to allow steam to escape and prevent the filling from bursting out. Additionally, spraying your muffin cups or tins generously with cooking spray or grease will make it easier to remove the pies once they're baked.
Once your mini chicken pot pies are baked, let them cool for a few minutes before serving. This will help the filling set and ensure that the pies hold together when served. You can serve these as a comforting main course, perhaps with a fresh green salad or fruit on the side.
If you have any leftover pies, they can be frozen and reheated later. Simply wrap them well and store them in the freezer. When you're ready to enjoy them again, pop them in the oven straight from frozen and heat them through until piping hot.
The Best Way to Reheat Lasagna: Expert Tips
You may want to see also
Frequently asked questions
You can make mini pot pies with just four ingredients: biscuits, condensed cream of chicken soup, diced cooked chicken, and frozen mixed vegetables.
Mini pot pies can be ready for the oven in 20 minutes and take around 30 minutes to bake.
Yes, you can freeze mini pot pies. It is recommended that you bake them first, let them cool, and then freeze them. To cook from frozen, preheat your oven to 375 degrees, place the pies on a baking sheet, and bake for one hour and thirty minutes, or until the tops are golden.
