Chicken Crumble Pot Pie — Comfort Food with a Delicious Twist

 

If you love a classic chicken pot pie but want something a little easier — and a little more irresistible — this Chicken Crumble Pot Pie is about to become a new favourite. It has all the creamy, hearty comfort of the traditional dish, but instead of a pastry crust, it’s topped with a golden, savoury Parmesan crumble that bakes up crisp, buttery, and completely addictive.

Tender chicken, a rich homemade gravy, plenty of vegetables, and that gorgeous crunchy topping… it’s everything we crave in a cozy supper. Simple ingredients, big comfort, and a recipe that feels like a warm hug at the end of a long day.

  We eat a lot of chicken in this house and I am always on the search for new ways to prepare it, so that it never becomes boring.   Chicken is such a lovely protein in that it takes to other flavors very well and is very adaptable.   

I discovered what looked to be a very delicious recipe for a Chicken Pot Pie Crumble on Pinterest a while back.  Chicken . . .  Check!  Pot Pie . . .  Check!!  Crumble . . .  Check !!!  The three together  . . .  well that just spells Winner Winner Chicken Dinner to me!

I have adapted this particular recipe from the blog Cooking Classy, who adapted it from a recipe found on Cooks Illustrated,  both of which sounded and looked very delicious.  

I didn't change the topping part at all.  Partially baking it separately from the filling  first, ensures that it stays crisp and crunchy . . .  my bigger changes came in preparing the filling.

 Cooking Classy cooked her chicken breast in the slow cooker over a period of 5 or 6 hours.   I didn't want to do that.  I didn't think it was necessary really . . .  not when you can perfectly poach flavorful chicken breasts in a saucepan on top of the stove in a fraction of the time.  To be honest, I have always found chicken breast meat cooked in the slow cooker to be a bit dry and lacking in texture. 

I also varied slightly the way the gravy was put together and the vegetables used.  You could also use an equivalent amount of mixed frozen vegetables if you wanted to.  I like the ones I chose to use.  I also add some different herbs.  All in all it was very delicious.  We enjoyed this with a salad on the side and were very happy indeed! 

 

INGREDIENTS NEEDED

TO MAKE

CHICKEN CRUMBLE POT PIE

There is nothing too far out of the ordinary here.  It looks like a long list, but it really isn't.

For the Chicken Filling:

• 4 single chicken breast portions
• chicken broth
• 2 carrots, peeled and diced
• 2 stalks of celery, trimmed and diced
• 2 medium onion, peeled and diced
• 1/2 cup (40g) frozen peas (thawed)
• 1/2 cup (40g) frozen corn (thawed)
• 3 TBS butter
• 3 TBS flour
• salt and black pepper to taste
• 1/2 tsp summer savory
• 2/3 cup (180ml) whole milk
• 1 tsp dried parsley
• pinch dried thyme

For the Topping:

• 1 1/2 cups (210g) of plain flour
• 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp each garlic powder, black pepper
• pinch cayenne pepper
• 1/4 cup (65g) butter, cut into small bits
• 1/2 cup (90g) of finely grated Parmesan Cheese
• 2/3 cup (180ml) + 2 TBS heavy cream

 

NOTES ON INGREDIENTS

My chicken breasts were not large. Each was only about the size of one of my fists. My carrots were medium sized.  I cut them into batons, not diced. Each about the size of my baby finger.

Cut the onion into a small dice.

I used Better than Bouillon chicken stock concentrate.

Summer Savory is an herb that is found in the Maritime provinces. You can substitute dried marjoram or sage or a mix of the two.

I use whole milk because that is basically what I keep in my home. You can use 2% if you wish. Don't use skimmed milk.

Use plain flour not self rising.

I used salted butter because, again, that is all I keep in my home.  

Grate your own Parmesan cheese if you can.

Use heavy or whipping cream.

 

HOW TO MAKE

CHICKEN CRUMBLE POT PIE

It is not as difficult as it might look. Once you have all the components ready it goes together very quickly.

1. First poach your chicken. Put chicken in a large saucepan. Cover with chicken broth. (Make sure it is completely covered.)
2. Bring to the boil, then reduce to a simmer and simmer over low heat for about 45 minutes. Remove from the stove. (The chicken should be cooked through. The inside temperature should register 165*F/74*C.)
3. Lift out the chicken and set it aside. Strain the broth into a measuring jug. Set aside. (I strain through a mesh strainer to catch any solids.  Discard the solids.)
4. Preheat the oven to 425*F/ 225*C/gas mark 7. Whisk the flour, baking powder, salt, pepper, cayenne and garlic powder together in a bowl. (Make sure they are well combined.)
5. Drop in the butter and rub it in with your fingertips until crumbly. Stir in the Parmesan cheese. Then pour in the heavy cream and mix until just combined. (The mixture should be clumpy.)
6. Break the dough into 1 to 2 inch pieces and drop them onto a lined baking sheet.
7. Bake for 7-10 minutes or until golden. Remove from the oven and set aside. Reduce the oven temperature to 400*F/200*C/ gas mark 6. (The crumble should be dry and cooked through.)
8. Melt the butter in a large saucepan. Add the diced carrots, onion, and celery.
9. Cook, stirring frequently, until the vegetables are tender. This will take about 5-6 minutes. Sprinkle the flour over top. Cook and stir for about a minute. (This is to cook out any of the flour taste.)
10. Slowly whisk in the milk and then whisk in an equal amount of the reserved chicken broth. (I use a small wire whisk for this.)
11. Bring to the boil, stirring constantly, and cooking until it is nicely thickened. Add the parsley, thyme and summer savory. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper as needed. If you think it is too thick, you may whisk in a bit more broth. (See hints and tips if you think it is too thin to thicken it up.)
12. Add the thawed peas and carrots. Cut the poached chicken into cubes and then stir it in gently. Pour this mixture into a deep casserole dish. Sprinkle the baked crumble topping over top.
13. Bake until nicely golden brown and the mixture is bubbling slightly, for about another 15 minutes or so. Let stand a few minutes before serving. Serve hot.

 

HINTS & TIPS FOR RECIPE SUCCESS

• Read though the recipe several times before beginning to help familiarize yourself with anything you might need.
• Assemble all of your ingredients before you begin to help prevent you from leaving anythingout.
• You can poach the chicken and reserve the cooking liquid the day before if you wish to speed up preparation on the day.
• Cut the chicken into bite sized pieces.
• Don't be tempted to crumble the dough topping too small. Nice chunky pieces are best.
• If your gravy is too thin you can thicken it with a bit of flour shaken in a jar with some cold water. Whisk into the gravy and cook, stirring constantly until the mixture thickens to your liking.
• If you don't want to go to the trouble of poaching chicken to use in this you can use leftover cubed cooked roast or rotisserie chicken and pre-made stock.

 

KITCHEN SAFETY

WHEN HANDLING RAW CHICKEN

Handling raw chicken carefully is crucial to kitchen and health safety.  Too not do so carries the risk of food poisoning or worse. Here are some safety points to consider!

• Always thaw raw chicken overnight in the refrigerator, and store it carefully separated from anything else. It is not safe to thaw it at room temperature. Store raw chicken on the bottom shelf of the refrigerator to prevent its juices from leaking out and contaminating any other food.
• Use separate cutting boards and utensils for chicken to avoid cross contamination.
• Chicken needs really diligent handling as it often carries harmful bacteria which can easily be spread around the kitchen. There is no need to wash raw chicken prior to using it. This often spreads bacteria needlessly. Simply pat it dry with some paper kitchen toweling and dispose of the paper toweling promptly.
• Wash your hands carefully after handling raw chicken to avoid spreading any bacteria to other things. Do not use the same utensils, plates, cutlery, etc. with other ingredients if you have used them to handle the raw chicken. Also take care to clean any surfaces such as countertops, sinks, etc.
• Do not use the same kitchen tools and plates with the cooked chicken that you have used with the raw chicken. It is not safe.
• Ensure that cooked chicken reaches the internal temperature of 165*F/75*C.

 

A FEW MORE CHICKEN  RECIPES

FOR YOU TO ENJOY

We do eat a lot of chicken in this house. That's because it is one of the cheaper proteins and is adaptable to many flavors and cuisines. Here are a few other ways we enjoy it!

CRISPY CHICKEN SALAD - What you have here is a delicious mix of salad greens, topped with a mix of fruit and vegetables.  Spring and red onion.  Cucumber, carrot.  Radishes and sliced apple.

Add to that, cubes of sharp cheddar cheese and sweet and tangy dried cranberries. Top it all off with scrumptious little bits of shredded chicken breast that have been coated in a spice mixture and fried until crispy golden brown. A final scattering of salted cashew nuts and a lush honey mustard dressing complete the picture.

CHICKEN & DUMPLING CASSEROLE - A fabulously tasty casserole that is quick and easy to make. Shredded chicken gets drizzled with a dumpling batter, with a liquid gravy poured over top. Like magic it makes a saucy chicken in gravy topped with dumplings. Serve with your favourite sides for midweek meal. Sized for two people, but you can easily double this recipe.

 

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Yield: 4 servings

Author: Marie Rayner

Chicken Crumble Pot Pie

Deliciously moist chunks of chicken in a rich sauce, with vegetables. This gets topped with a biscuit type of crumble topping and then baked to perfection. This is an old favorite.

Ingredients

For the Chicken Filling:

• 4 single chicken breast portions
• chicken broth
• 2 carrots, peeled and diced
• 2 stalks of celery, trimmed and diced
• 2 medium onion, peeled and diced
• 1/2 cup (40g) frozen peas (thawed)
• 1/2 cup (40g) frozen corn (thawed)
• 3 TBS butter
• 3 TBS flour
• salt and black pepper to taste
• 1/2 tsp summer savory
• 2/3 cup (180ml) whole milk
• 1 tsp dried parsley
• pinch dried thyme

For the Topping:

• 1 1/2 cups (210g) of plain flour
• 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp each garlic powder, black pepper
• pinch cayenne pepper
• 1/4 cup (65g) butter, cut into small bits
• 1/2 cup (90g) of finely grated Parmesan Cheese
• 2/3 cup (180ml) + 2 TBS heavy cream

Instructions

1. First poach your chicken. Put chicken in a large saucepan. Cover with chicken broth.
2. Bring to the boil, then reduce to a simmer and simmer over low heat for about 45 minutes. Remove from the stove.
3. Lift out the chicken and set it aside. Strain the broth into a measuring jug. Set aside.
4. Preheat the oven to 425*F/ 225*C/gas mark 7. Whisk the flour, baking powder, salt, pepper, cayenne and garlic powder together in a bowl.
5. Drop in the butter and rub it in with your fingertips until crumbly. Stir in the Parmesan cheese. Then pour in the heavy cream and mix until just combined.
6. Break the dough into 1 to 2 inch pieces and drop them onto a lined baking sheet.
7. Bake for 7-10 minutes or until golden. Remove from the oven and set aside. Reduce the oven temperature to 400*F/200*C/ gas mark 6.
8. Melt the butter in a large saucepan. Add the diced carrots, onion, and celery.
9. Cook, stirring frequently, until the vegetables are tender. This will take about 5-6 minutes. Sprinkle the flour over top. Cook and stir for about a minute.
10. Slowly whisk in the milk and then whisk in an equal amount of the reserved chicken broth.
11. Bring to the boil, stirring constantly, and cooking until it is nicely thickened. Add the parsley, thyme and summer savory. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper as needed. If you think it is too thick, you may whisk in a bit more broth.
12. Add the thawed peas and carrots. Cut the poached chicken into cubes and then stir it in gently. Pour this mixture into a deep casserole dish. Sprinkle the baked crumble topping over top.
13. Bake until nicely golden brown and the mixture is bubbling slightly, for about another 15 minutes or so. Let stand a few minutes before serving. Serve hot.

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