Chicken Pie

Recipe No 39                                                  

Even though the name of the dish is slightly western, after reading the recipe you will feel that it has a clean Indian taste. And it does for sure. This is an excellent recipe to use your leftover Rotisserie Chicken. Give this a try and you will be amazed to see how much vegetables you and your family is consuming, even though they had a ‘Chicken’ dish!!!! It is of course a different dish and will be perfect for those who wish for a change from their usual eating habits. Add a piece of bread and it is a whole meal by itself….

Ingredients                                                             Serves 6 adults

For the Filling

• Cooked Chicken pieces………………..2 cups
• Cubed Vegetables……………………....2 ½ cups (I used Carrot, Beans, Potato and Peas)
• Oil……………………………………………....2 Tablespoons
• Onion chopped………………………..….1 ½ cups
• Ginger Garlic paste…………………..….2 Teaspoons
• Slit Green Chilly………………………..….2
• Turmeric Powder…………………..…….1/2 Teaspoon
• Chilly Powder……………………………….1 Teaspoon
• Coriander Powder.…………………..…..2 Teaspoons
• Garam Masala Powder…………………1 Teaspoon
• Tomato sliced………………………..…….1 small
• Lemon Juice/Vinegar…………..……….1/2 – 1 Tablespoon
• Soy Sauce……………………………………..1 Tablespoon
• Chopped Coriander leaves……..…….3 Tablespoons
• Salt and Pepper to taste

For The White Sauce

• Butter…………………………………..………1 ½ Tablespoons
• All Purpose Flour/ Maida………………1 ½ Tablespoons
• Milk…………………………………………….…1 ½ cups
• Grated Cheese……………………………....2 Tablespoons (I used Parmesan But any Cheese  (including Amul Cheese) will do)
• Salt, Pepper to taste

For Assembling the Pie

• Butter……………………………………………1 Tablespoon
• Grated Cheese…………………………….3-4 Tablespoons
• Bread Crumbs………………………….…1/2 Cup
• Oil………………………………………………1 Tablespoon

Method of Preparation
To make the Filling

1. Heat Oil in a pan and saute onions till translucent. Adding salt at this stage will speed up the process.
2. Add Green chilly. Ginger Garlic paste and saute till the raw smell is gone.
3. Lower the heat to medium low and add Turmeric powder, Chilly powder, Coriander powder and Garam Masala powder and saute for a minute or two.
4. Add Tomato followed by the vegetables. If you are using dried Peas, precook it. Add a cup of water, close the pan and let the vegetables cook. Add more water if needed.
5. Once the vegetables are 3/4th cooked, add the chicken and Soy sauce and let it cook through and the water is almost absorbed. It shouldn’t be dry but there should not be much water left.
6. Add Coriander leaves, Pepper powder and Lemon juice, mix well and keep this aside till assembling. Don't forget to check for seasonings.

To make the White Sauce

1. Heat butter in a pan and saute flour till the raw smell is gone for about 2 minutes on a medium flame.
2. Add cold milk and  completely till there are no lumps. Wait till it thickens and boils through the sides. Using a whisk for mixing will reduce the lumps considerably.
3. Off the flame and mix 2 Tablespoons of Cheese and salt and pepper to taste.

To assemble the pie

1. Preheat oven to 375˚F/190˚C
2. Apply a thin layer of butter on an oven proof dish.
3. Add 1/3rd of the white sauce on the bottom and sprinkle a Tablespoon of grated Cheese.
4. Add the entire Chicken filling on top of this and roughly smooth the surface.
5. Spread the rest of the white sauce evenly on top and sprinkle 3 Tablespoons of grated Cheese.
6. Sprinkle the bread crumbs on top. Add more bread crumbs than given in the recipe if you like.
7. Drizzle some oil on top and bake for 30-45 minutes or until the bread crumbs looks golden brown. Oil will give a nice brown color to the bread crumbs.
8. Let it rest at room temperature for 15 minutes before serving it warm with bread.

Notes: If you cut into the pie as soon as it comes out of the oven, it will be a bit runny. It will set with time.

You can use fresh bread crumbs if you want. You can make it with the help of a food processor or a blender. That way you can make crumbs with any type of bread you have in hand including whole grain breads.
This recipe got some steps, but each step is very easy to do. You can make the filling way ahead of time and make the sauce, assemble and bake the Pie when you need. 
If there are leftovers, reheat in the oven to make the crust crispy. The crust may become soggy if you reheat this  in a microwave.

 




Make it, enjoy the deliciousness and 
serve it to your family with love...