Are you looking for a way to use left over chicken? Or, are you trying to get your kids to eat more veggies? If so, smoked chicken pot pie is a great way to accomplish both.
When I smoke whole chicken, I usually smoke multiple chickens, as it doesn’t take any more work than smoking a single chicken, and it doesn’t use any more charcoal. I tend to smoke two to three chickens at the same time.
I will usually use one of the smoked chickens to make this Smoked Chicken Pot Pie. If you don’t have a smoked chicken to use, any chicken, or turkey will work, and be almost as good.
You can also prepare the chicken pot pie ahead of time, and then bake it for dinner up to a couple of days later, or freeze it for later use.
One great thing about pot pies are, they are a great “leftover vacuum”, and you can pretty much throw in whatever leftovers you have in the fridge, similar to a frittata. Once you get the hang of it, you can throw almost anything into a pot pie, and make it work.
Note:
The combination of celery, onion, and carrots is referred to as a mirepoix in French cooking. You cook the mix in a fat (oil, or butter) over low heat. You don’t cook them until they brown, or caramelise, but slightly sweeten. This is used as the base of the smoked chicken pot pie.
| Prep Time | 20 minutes |
| Cook Time | 1 hour |
| Servings |
6 individual pot pies |
- 1 whole smoked chicken or cooked in any other method
- 3 tablespoons all purpose flour
- 3 carrots
- 3 stalks celery
- 1 packet gelatin
- 2.5 cups chicken stock
- .75 cups milk
- 1 cup peas frozen peas
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt according to taste
- 1 teaspoon ground black pepper according to taste
- 6 sheets puff pastry You might need more if your pie cups are smaller. The puff pasty should be thawed and ready to use.
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
Ingredients
| |
- Remove the skin from the (cooked) chicken, and remove the meat from the bones.
- Cut the chicken into bite sized pieces, and set aside.
- Add the gelatin to the stock and set aside.
- Peel the carrots, and chop the celery and carrots into bite sized pieces roughly the same size.
- Peel, and finely dice the onions.
- Heat a pan over low heat. Once heated, add the oil.
- Add the celery, onions, and carrots, and stir frequently until they begin to soften. Ten to fifteen minutes.
- Once softened, add the flour, and continue to cook for a couple of minutes until the flour begins to brown.
- Add the gelatin and stock, and stir to combine. Add the milk, and bring the to a light boil.
- Once it begins to boil, add the frozen peas, and bring back to a boil.
- Once it comes to a boil, add the chicken. Stir to mix thoroughly,
- Add the salt and pepper (to taste).
- Pour the contents into a large casserole dish, and place it in the fridge to cool.
- Lay the thawed puff pastry in the pot pie pan, making sure to fill the pan. Make sure not to punch the puff pasty.
- Fill the pastry with the cooled chicken mixture.
- Fold the pastry corners towards the centre creating a square of pastry.
- Fold the corners again towards the centre.
- Place the formed pot pie in the fridge until ready to cook. Or, you can freeze it at this point.
- Pre-heat oven to 375°F
- Place the pot pies in the oven on a cookie sheet and cook for 30 to 45 minutes, or until the pastry begins to brown. Depending on how many you are cooking, the size of the pot pies you are making, and your oven, the time will vary.
- Once the pot pies have browned, remove from the oven and allow to cool for a few minutes, and serve.
