Best Whole Chicken Pie Recipes

MINI WHOLE-WHEAT CHICKEN POT PIES

Steps:

• For the dough: Whisk the egg with 3 tablespoons cold water in a small bowl. Pulse the flour, 1/3 of the butter, Parmesan, vinegar, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper in a food processor until the mixture looks like fine meal. Add the remaining butter and pulse until the mixture is in pea-size pieces. Add the egg and pulse until the dough begins to come together.
• Divide the dough in half; place each half on a sheet of plastic wrap and pat into a disk. Wrap the disks tightly and refrigerate until firm, at least 1 hour up to overnight, or freeze for up to 2 months.
• For the filling: Meanwhile, add the oil to a large Dutch oven or pot over medium-high heat. Add the onion, celery and thyme and cook, stirring, until soft, about 5 minutes. Add the mushrooms, 1 teaspoon salt and a few grinds of pepper and cook, stirring, until soft, about 4 minutes. Add the flour and cook, stirring, 2 minutes. Add the broth, peas and carrots and sour cream. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer until thick, about 3 minutes. Stir in the chicken and parsley and add salt and pepper to taste. Allow the mixture to cool completely. (The filling can be made a day ahead.)
• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Line two baking sheets with parchment.
• Roll 1 disk of dough between two sheets of parchment to about 1/8-inch thick. Using a 4-inch round cookie cutter, cut into nine rounds. Gather the scraps, reroll and cut out 3 more rounds. Cover the rounds with a clean, damp towel to prevent the dough from drying out. Repeat with the remaining disk of dough, for a total of 24 rounds. (If the dough gets too warm while you're working with it, chill it until it's easier to work with.)
• Place 1 round of dough on a clean, lightly-floured work surface and roll out to about 4 1/2 inches. Place 1/3 cup of filling in the center and brush the edges with beaten egg. Roll another round of dough out to 4 1/2 inches and drape over the filling; seal the edges and crimp with a fork. Brush the entire pot pie with more egg, cut a few slits in the top, sprinkle with some pepper and place on a prepared baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining dough and filling.
• Bake the pot pies until they're golden brown and the filling begins to bubble, 20 to 24 minutes. Let cool slightly before serving.
• Alternatively, freeze the unbaked pot pies for up to 1 month, then bake, from frozen, in the oven, preheated to 375 degrees F, until they're golden brown and the filling begins to bubble, 20 to 24 minutes. Let cool slightly and serve.

WHOLE CHICKEN PIE

Steps:

• Combine onion, carrot, and celery in a bowl. Add garlic, rosemary, salt, black pepper, and cayenne pepper. Drizzle in olive oil. Mix stuffing well.
• Trim away the wing tips of the chicken. Season the whole surface and cavity generously with salt. Spoon the stuffing into the cavity, reserving any extra for the sauce later. Tie the legs together with string. Refrigerate until ready to wrap.
• Place dough onto a well floured surface. Sprinkle more flour on top. Roll out into a large circle about 1/8 inch thick. Place chicken, breast-side down, in the center of the dough. Wrap dough over the chicken. Cut off sections of excess dough and patch them over areas with less coverage.
• Beat egg and water together and brush some egg wash over the redistributed dough. Press the rest of dough into the new seams. Continue folding dough over the chicken, brushing with egg wash and patching pieces together as needed, until chicken is fully covered. Do not stretch the dough too thin.
• Flip chicken over onto a baking sheet lined with a silicone mat. Press on the inside of both legs to enhance their shape. Refrigerate until crust is cold, about 30 minutes.
• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Brush the remaining egg wash all over the chicken. Sprinkle fleur de sel on top.
• Bake in the preheated oven until crust is beautifully browned, about 1 hour and 10 minutes. Transfer chicken to a pie dish and let rest while preparing the sauce, 30 minutes to 1 hour.
• Cut a small hole into the back of the chicken and spoon out 1/2 cup of the stuffing. Place in a saucepan with 1 tablespoon butter. Add a pinch of salt. Cook and stir over medium-high heat until vegetables are tender, about 3 minutes. Add wine and the pan drippings. Cook, stirring occasionally, until reduced by half, about 4 minutes. Add cold butter. Turn off heat and stir sauce vigorously until butter melts.
• Slice chicken and serve with the sauce.