Prefer a pot pie to a pie pie? (We’ll get into that later.) This turkey marsala pot pie recipe is a welcome break from holiday turkey leftovers.
Chicken pie
It’s comfort in pie form. The baking pie wraps you in a heady aroma of mushroom and cream that bubbles away gently beneath a buttery and crisp crust. It’s a warm oven, a lovingly homemade and hand-crafted meal in the bosom of family. It’s a fantasy of simpler living beside open fires in cottages in villages where people wear flat caps, keep whippets and say “Mornan!” But that’s not where it all began. Most likely those ancient, pastry-loving Greeks can be credited with the invention of the chicken pie; an open filo shell filled with meat and cheese. Then the Romans were partial too and furnished theirs with a roof. Skip forward a few civilisations and the pie lands on UK shores in medieval times, where, I tentatively suggest, it began its long journey towards being a national dish.
Chicken Pie vs Chicken Pot Pie
Before we get into the finer points of pie, let me just say, it’s how it tastes that counts! There is a great pie debate out there, but I’m too busy eating mine to join in. Pie or pot pie? Puff, flaky or shortcrust? Just the roof, or walls and floor too? Chicken pie – what the Brits call it. It will definitely be topped with pastry, most likely the puff variety. It might be supported with shortcrust walls and flooring. Savoury pie recipes include: chicken with bacon or ham, chicken and vegetables, or chicken and leeks. Chicken pot pie – what the Americans call it. There is some argument as to whether there is just crust on top or all around the structure. What’s your take? It’s agreed that it should be deep dish and contain vegetables. Personally, I’m a huge fan of a chicken pie, and I’m sure after tasting this recipe you will be too. Try my chicken and leek pie recipe for another variation!
Serving suggestions
Mashed potato is the ideal partner for a chicken and mushroom pie, in fact, any savoury pie. If you’re looking for more than a classic mash to soak up that gravy, try Instant Pot mashed potatoes with cream cheese for a super quick, thick and mildly cheesy recipe. Or a more wintery and luxurious recipe: creamy celeriac and potato mash with brown butter. I cannot eat a meal without something green on the side. Lemon and garlic green beans are my go-to year-round. But for a winter’s table, you can’t beat a carrot! Roasted rainbow carrots are a welcome crunch.
Storage and leftovers
Is there anyone who doesn’t have chicken pie in their freezer? I always do, so I like to make one and freeze one. After assembling both pies they say their goodbyes. One is oven-bound and the other freezer-bound. You can bake and then freeze your pie, just under bake it ever so slightly and allow it to cool completely before storing. I tend not to and cover it with foil straightaway. The frozen pies will keep in the freezer for 2-3 months. To reheat a baked frozen pie, give it 15-20 minutes at 180C/ 350F. To cook an unbaked frozen pie, it needs 30-35 minutes at 200C/400F. Check the chicken is cooked through before serving. Keep any dinner leftovers in the fridge, covered well, for 2-3 days.
More chicken breast recipes
Butter Chicken Curry Chicken Provencal Marry Me Chicken Classic Chicken Parmesan
