West African Creamy Chicken Pot Pie

The Fufu Cafe is a West African fusion food blog. Therefore, every recipe will be fusion, right? Wrong. Well, technically. I try my best to make as many fusion recipes as possible, but sometimes you just crave a classic, super creamy chicken pot pie. Still, I added suya spice to the chicken before I baked it. So that way, I can get away with calling this recipe West African Fusion. Sue me.

All jokes aside, I hope you enjoy my slightly West African creamy chicken pot pie.

INGREDIENTS

1-2 cups roast chicken pieces

2 cups flour

1 tbsp salt

1-2 - 3-4 cup cold butter

1-2 cups cold water 

celery, onion, and carrots, 1-2 cups each (chopped)

ginger and garlic, 1tbsp each (chopped)

1 tbsp butter (for filling)

1 tsp curry powder

1 tsp dried basil 

1 tsp salt (for filling)

1 tbsp flour (for filling)

1/2 cup heavy cream

1/2 cup whole milk

Any leftover aromatics from the roast chicken

A couple of handfuls of flour for dusting the rolling surface 

Optional: nutmeg, add to the flour along with the salt. 

*I used a 10-inch cast iron pan to bake my pie. My pie crusts were about 11 inches.*

METHOD

1. Mix flour and salt in a bowl.

2. Cut butter into pieces and add to flour mixture. Mix with a fork. 

3. Mix with a fork as you slowly add in water. 

4. Knead and form into a ball. 

5. Flour your rolling surface, cut the dough in half and roll each piece into 9-13 inch pieces, based on pan size and preference of crust.  Store in the fridge while you make the filling. 

6. Chop roast chicken into pieces, along with the aromatics (onion, ginger, garlic, celery, carrots) from the roast chicken, save about 2 tbsp of the juices and add it to the filling after sauteeing the aromatics (at step 12).

7. Chop fresh aromatics and leftover aromatics from the roast chicken.

8. Sautee aromatics together in butter for 1 minute. 

9. Add curry powder, salt, and dried basil. Stir. 

 10. Push aromatics to one side of the pan and add 1 tbsp flour.

11. Mix flour around to absorb the butter, add more butter if needed. 

12. Add heavy cream, milk, and chicken juices. Stir.

13. Add chicken pieces. Cook on low to medium heat for 1-2 minutes. Stir, taste and add extra seasoning if needed. Turn off heat and cool for 5-10 minutes.

14. Lay one pie crust in the pan and light press until the crust is shaped like the pan.

15. Pour in the filling. Use a spoon to evenly smooth over the filling.

16. Lay the other crust on top of the filling. Press lightly.

17.  Form the crust however you want. I pinched mine gently and let the extra fold fall. I wanted it to look homestyle. 

18. Make symmetrical slits on the top crust for ventilation. 

19. Bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 50-55 minutes, until golden brown. 

20. Cool for at least 10 minutes and serve.