Chicken Pot Pie

Chicken pot pie is a type of savoury baked pie which has either a bottom and top crispy, flaky crust or only top crust. It is one of the most popular American comfort foods. It has a crispy texture on the outside and it contains a chicken vegetable filling inside.

History

Chicken pot pie was first made in Europe. It was brought to U.S. for the first time the Europeans. Earlier when chicken pot pie was made, the crust of the pie was not eaten. It was made to prevent the pie from acquiring the metallic taste of the skillet. Chicken pot pie was first made in 1945.

Ingredients and Preparation

Skinless, boneless chicken is the main ingredient for making chicken pot pie. Mixed vegetables like carrots, green peas, onion, celery are also used for the filling. Butter, refined flour are used to make the crust. Seasonings like pepper, paprika and celery seeds are used to enhance the flavor of the pie. Chicken broth is used to cook the filling.

Chicken is cooked in chicken broth along with all the vegetables. It is allowed to be cooked for about 30 minutes till the chicken broth condenses.

Butter and refined flour are mixed together along with minimum quantity of water to make a stiff dough. This dough is used to line the pie pot. Cooled chicken filling is spooned into the pot. The filling is covered with another sheet of dough and baked a preheated oven at 220 degree C. It is important to cool at least 10 minutes prior to serving the pot pie.  

Serving

• Chicken pot pie is served as a part of main meal. It can be served with corn bread and other side dishes.

Popular Variations

• Turkey pot pie is made using turkey instead of chicken.
• Shepherd’s pie is a pie made with meat but the crust is made of mashed potatoes.
• A vegetarian version can be made using chicken substitutes like soy nuggests, tofu or quorn.

Similar Dishes

• In Philippines, chicken pastel is a casserole dish made using marinated chicken. It is also called as Filipino chicken pie.  

Health and Nutrition Facts

Boston Market’s chicken pot pie

Serving size – 15 oz (425 g)

Calories – 800 cal, Fat – 48 g, Saturated fat – 24 g, Sodium – 1120 mg, Total carbohydrates – 60 g, Protein – 32 g

• Commercially available chicken pot pie is very high in calories, fat, saturated fat and sodium. It should be strictly avoided by people suffering from obesity, cardiovascular diseases, hypertensive patients and also people who are overweight.
• High intake of saturated fat increases the risk of heart blockages. 54% of total calories are contributed by fat.
• This dish contains high quantity of protein which makes it acceptable for body builders.
• The fat content of the dish can be reduced by using less fat in the short crust dough.
• The sodium content can be reduced by reducing salt and also by using pre processed foods as they contain preservatives which are high in sodium.
• Healthier flours like whole wheat flour, buckwheat flour along with wheat bran should be used instead of refined flour as they are a good source of dietary fiber.
• The calorific value of the dish can be reduced by using crust only on the top and not the bottom.

Miscellaneous Facts

• Boston market is a fast food restaurant chain which serves chicken pot pie commercially.