Chicken/Turkey Pot Pie

Chicken/Turkey Pot Pie

Written by on in American, Entree, Poultry
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In the 1970’s, you could not find Chicken/Turkey Pot Pie on any kosher menu or in any kosher freezer section. These days, I see mini casserole versions being served during the cocktail hour at many kosher events. Creamy chicken and vegetables in pastry crust- what could be better?  It was really important to me to develop this recipe so it could be made in a kosher home kitchen. It took a long time and many nights of eating Chicken/Turkey Pot Pie before I was happy with the results.


I started off making a white sauce with water, then went to soy milk and finally arrived at what I think is the best option- coconut milk. Coconut milk gives the sauce the richest flavor, creamiest texture and whitest look. The crust is another story. My recipe for Pot Pie dough is too dense to be used for pies. It is perfect for covering pot pie casseroles and locking in the heat. Your Chicken Pot Pie will stay tongue burning hot for at least 20 minutes after being removed from the oven. If you choose to use packaged puff pastry, it will be delicious; but will not retain the heat the same way. It also tends to get a little soggy on top. In either case, the filling is delicious and your guests will be thrilled to partake of this old fashioned comfort food.

Note: For Vegetable Pot Pie: I use lightly salted water to steam the vegetables and use that cooking liquid and some vegetable broth, if needed, for the sauce. I remove enough vegetables to make the vegetarian pie and then mix the rest with the cubed chicken. If you want to add protein to the vegetables, pinch off small pieces of one or two veggie burgers (I used Beyond Burgers) and add them to the vegetables and sauce.

Prep time: 45 -60 minutes

Chicken/Turkey Pot Pie

By Gloria Kobrin Published: January 7, 2014

  • Yield:

  • 12-14 Servings

Ingredients

  • 5 1/2 pounds Chicken/Turkey Cutlets (about 10 cups cubed white meat chicken)
  • 4 1/2 quarts Water
  • 2 Large Onions peeled & halved
  • 2 Bay Leaves
  • 1 Bunch Dill
  • 1 Head Broccoli About 4 Cups Florets
  • 1 Pound Baby Carrots
  • 3/4 Pound Green Beans
  • 1 Pound White Pearl Onions Use Frozen & Defrost
  • 2 Cups frozen peas defrosted
  • 1 cup frozen Corn Kernels defrosted
  • 4 Large Potatoes About 1 1/2 pounds/ 5 Cups Cubed
  • 1 Large Red Pepper Cored & Diced
  • 1 1/2 Cups Vegetable Oil
  • 1 1/2 Cups Flour
  • 2 Cups Vegetable Broth/no chicken broth the no chicken broth will keep the sauce a white color than the vegetable broth
  • 4 13.5 ounce cans coconut milk
  • 4 Tablespoons Fresh Lemon Juice
  • 1 Teaspoon Hot Pepper Sauce
  • Freshly Ground Pepper to Taste
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons sea salt
  • 1 recipe pot pie dough or 3 boxes packaged non dairy puff pastry-defrosted
  • 2 Yolks Mixed with 1/2 Cup Water

Equipment

  • 1 Large Stock Pot with Cover
  • 2 Large Skillets
  • 1 Strainer
  • 2 Large Mixing Bowls
  • 1 Medium Mixing Bowl
  • 1 18 cup (4 1/2 quart) oven to table baking dish 12 two cup oven to table baking dishes
  • Rolling Pin
  • Pastry Brush
  • 2 Large Cookie Sheets

Directions

  1. CHICKEN AND VEGETABLES: Add chicken, water, onion halves, bay leaves and dill to stock pot. Bring to a boil then cover and reduce to a simmer. Poach chicken cutlets about 20 minutes or until done. Remove cooked chicken from liquid (reserve liquid) and cool. Cut chicken into small cubes. Set aside.
  2. Prepare vegetables while chicken is cooking. Trim both ends of string beans and cut them into one inch pieces. Rinse well with broccoli florets and baby carrots. Bring about two inches of the liquid in which the chicken was cooked to boil in one skillet. (Use plain water if you are dividing your vegetables between carnivores and vegetarians.)Add broccoli, beans and carrots. Return to a boil. Steam two minutes. Remove vegetables with a spider or slotted spoon and place in large mixing bowl.
  3. Return liquid in skillet to boil and pour in cubed potatoes. Steam eight minutes and then add peas, corn, and onions. Steam two minutes more. Drain and add these vegetables to the others in the mixing bowl. Add diced red pepper. Toss vegetables lightly. Set aside.
  4. SAUCE: Heat oil in skillet over medium flame. Spoon flour into oil and stir vigorously with a wooden spoon until a smooth paste forms. Slowly, pour vegetable broth into skillet and stir until blended. Add coconut milk and continue to stir thoroughly. Be sure to bring spoon down to the bottom of the pan when stirring to prevent anything from sticking. Stir sauce until sauce has thickened. Add lemon juice and hot pepper sauce. Season to taste with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper. Cool slightly.
  5. TO ASSEMBLE: Remove dough from refrigerator or puff pastry from freezer one hour in advance.
  6. Take out as many cups of vegetables as you need for vegetarians before mixing vegetables with cubed chicken. Divide mixture evenly amongst casseroles. Pour a full cup of sauce over each casserole. Set aside. (You can also spoon chicken & vegetables into one large casserole and pour sauce over it.)
  7. Divide potpie dough into quarters. Roll out one quarter at a time on a floured surface. Dough should be about 1/8 inch thick. Cut pieces large enough to cover casserole and overlap about ¼ inch all around. Press dough around the top to seal. Repeat process until all casseroles are covered. (The puff pastry can be done the same way.) The covered casseroles can be refrigerated until baking time. Before baking, let casseroles return to room temperature for 30 minutes.
  8. Preheat oven to: 400° F.
  9. Brush egg-water mixture over the top and overhang of all casseroles. Place them on cookie sheets and bake 30-40 minutes or until pastry has browned. These pies are so hot when you remove them from the oven that you can hardly eat them. The pot pie dough makes such a tight seal that the casseroles stay hot for at least 20 minutes after being removed from the oven. The puff pastry dough releases the heat much sooner. Enjoy!