Chicken Curry Pot Pie

Did you know that today is National Pie Day? I learned this yesterday from my fifth grader and wouldn't you know . . . I was already planning on making chicken pot pie for dinner? How serendipitous!

I love chicken pot pie and I love curry. I came across a recipe for Curried-Chicken Potpie years ago from CookingLight magazine, and over the years have adapted it to my own version. It's one of my favorite comfort foods in the winter months and a dish my family loves.


Chicken Curry Pot Pie

Basic pie crust
2 tablespoons cold butter, cut into small pieces
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
2-3 tablespoons ice water

Filling
1 tablespoon cooking oil
1 1/2 tablespoons curry powder
1 medium onion, diced
3 medium sized potatoes, cut into bite sized pieces
1 1/2 lbs. boneless chicken breast, cut into bite sized pieces
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
2 cups vegetables, such as diced red peppers, sliced carrots, peas, sliced mushrooms, corn and green beans
1/4 cup raisins
2 cups chicken broth
1/2 tablespoon cornstarch
1 1/2 tablespoons ice cold water

PREPARE THE CRUST
Using a food processor:
Add flour and salt to the bowl of a food processor. Pulse once or twice to combine.

Add cold butter to flour mixture and pulse until mixture resembles a coarse meal.

Add olive oil and vinegar and pulse a few more times.

Add cold water, 1/2 tablespoons at a time until the dough comes together to a ball.

Turn dough out onto a sheet of waxed paper, shaping into a disc. Using a floured rolling pin, roll dough to the shape to cover the dish you are using for the potpie.

Without a food processor:
Combine flour and salt in a bowl, mixing with a fork. Add butter to flour and use a fork or a pastry blender to blend until mixture resembles a coarse meal.

Add olive oil and vinegar, blending with a fork or pastry blender. Slowly add the ice water, blending with fork or pastry blender until the dough starts to come together to a ball.

Turn dough out onto a sheet of waxed paper, shaping into a disc. Using a floured rolling pin, roll dough to the shape to cover the dish you are using for the potpie.

PREPARE THE FILLING
Preheat oven to 375 F.

Heat the cooking oil in a large skillet or large shallow sauce pan over medium high heat.

Add the curry powder and cook for 1-2 minutes. Add the onion, potatoes, and chicken, and cook over medium high heat until onion starts to soften and chicken starts to brown, stirring occasionally. Season with salt and pepper.

Add vegetables, raisins and broth, stirring to combine. Lower heat to medium and simmer chicken mixture for 5-10 minutes.

Combine cornstarch and ice water in a small dish. Raise heat under chicken mixture if necessary to until mixture is at a boil. Add cornstarch mixture and stir until the sauce is thickened. Remove from heat.

Pour chicken mixture into a deep dish pie plate or other medium sized, shallow baking dish. Cover chicken mixture with rolled out crust, folding and pinching edges to the sides of the baking dish. Cut several small slits in top of pie crust to allow steam to escape.

Bake pot pie in oven for 20 minutes or until crust is browned and filling is bubbling. Remove from oven and serve hot. Yumm!

I imagine that most people think of sweet fruit, chocolate or custard pies and NOT chicken pot pie when they think of National Pie Day. My first pie thoughts would have been on apple, pumpkin, coconut custard, blueberry, mixed berry, peach, strawberry rhubarb, or lemon meringue pie. Yum. I love them all! :)

What is your favorite kind of pie?