Frozen chicken pot pie is a great convenience dish, but with these tips, it doesn't have to taste like a simple meal.
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00:00Frozen chicken pot pie is a great convenience dish, but with these tips,
00:04it doesn't have to taste like a simple meal.
00:07One bland frozen pot pie is all it takes to distance yourself from the dish altogether.
00:11Fortunately, you won't have to suffer the fate of a tasteless pot pie,
00:15as chef Nick van der Beeken, executive chef at the Bali Fine Dining restaurant
00:19Aperitif, shares his culinary expertise.
00:22Chef Nick suggests a simple addition of herbs to upgrade the pie's flavor, saying,
00:27Incorporating chopped parsley, thyme, or rosemary can brighten the flavor profile
00:31and add a burst of freshness. Chef Nick added that small changes like this can
00:35make a big difference to the overall flavor.
00:37Michael ate an entire family-sized chicken pot pie for lunch, and then he promptly fell asleep.
00:43If you don't have fresh herbs on hand, dried ones added to the filling have a similar effect,
00:48as they deepen the sauce's flavor, while fresh ones serve to brighten it.
00:52Another simple addition that's often lost on consumers
00:55is adjusting the salt level in the filling to their preference,
00:58or spicing it up with cayenne, black pepper, or garlic salt.
01:01Adding a non-traditional touch with South Asian spices like garam masala,
01:05cumin, or coriander can serve to transform your dish into a butter chicken or chicken tikka pot pie.
01:11Don't let the standard veggies-in-a-store-bought pie hold you back from making innovations,
01:15as fresh vegetables add a bite to the seemingly homogenous texture of the frozen varieties.
01:20Chef Nick suggests adding sauteed vegetables to enhance the filling,
01:24such as mushrooms, bell peppers, or diced butternut squash, explaining,
01:28These additions not only improve the texture,
01:30but also introduce new flavors that make the pie feel more homemade.
01:33If you're open to experimenting with vegetables, try ones from the root family like parsnips,
01:38potatoes, sweet potatoes, or even corn, which can soak flavor from the sauce well,
01:42and also complement the pie's texture.
01:44Seasonal vegetables can also be thrown in either by pan-frying or
01:47roasting in the oven beforehand to release their juices. Whichever ones you choose
01:52don't make the error of adding raw, uncooked vegetables to your pot pie filling,
01:56as it's a sure way to downgrade the dish.
01:59Not sure about you, but we've often fantasized about a pot pie with a creamier filling instead
02:03of the glob-like chicken soup that usually makes it up. Chef Nick tells us this idea
02:08isn't far-fetched and easily achievable by making small tweaks to your frozen pot pie filling.
02:13He recommends enriching the sauce by stirring in a bit of cream or a dollop of creme fraiche,
02:18which makes for a creamier and more indulgent filling.
02:20And we're gonna top that with a little creme fraiche."
02:23Of course, that's not the only form of dairy you can incorporate, so try mixing in cream cheese,
02:28butter, half-and-half, or shredded cheddar or mozzarella cheese in your next attempt,
02:31as they serve to make the filling even richer. However, if you're low on cream or don't want
02:36to splurge on different varieties of cheese, a good alternative which serves the same purpose
02:40is plain milk. Once added to your pie's pre-made filling and cooked over a low flame,
02:45it achieves a similarly creamy texture as cream would, and is just as delicious.
02:50The glossy sheen on bakery pies isn't just from the expertise of a pastry chef,
02:54but comes from a pretty simple ingredient — eggs.
02:58According to Chef Nick, the secret to getting that professional bakery look for your pot pies
03:02is to use an egg wash on the surface before popping them in the oven. As he explains,
03:07For the crust, I like brushing it with an egg wash and sprinkling it with a mix of
03:10sea salt and herbs before baking. This gives the crust a beautiful golden color and a satisfying
03:15crunch. Egg wash isn't only for the look, it's also a great tool to prevent your crust from
03:20sinking on the filling while baking. This happens when the butter in your crust melts faster than
03:24the pastry is a time to cook, usually a result of using a hot filling straight out of the pan.
03:30Store-bought items like a pot pie can seem lacking on their own, but paired with sides
03:34that complement the pie's flavor, they can round out the meal and serve to enhance presentation.
03:39Great sides include roasted vegetables like asparagus, carrots, potatoes,
03:43or whichever ones are seasonally available. Ideally, you want something that won't clash
03:47with your pot pie too much, like mashed potatoes, which are too similar in texture.
03:51Avoid biscuits as well, as they'll be much like the crust. A Reddit thread on this same
03:55topic suggested serving store-bought pot pies with a zesty side salad. Some interesting sides
04:00users shared included cranberry sauce, freshly cut fruits, corn on the cob, spiced apples,
04:05and even applesauce. Admittedly, the top crust is what puts the pot in pot pie,
04:10but that doesn't mean you need to limit yourself to the upper crust. Frozen pot pies can sometimes
04:15offer an imbalanced crust-to-filling ratio, resulting in more pastry per bite than creamy
04:20filling. A simple way to elevate the flavor in the frozen variety and give it better texture
04:24is to alter the top crust with shredded cheese or breadcrumbs. Cheeses, like your usual cheddar,
04:29can give a pretty evenly dispersed top that's reminiscent of a lasagna, but try other varieties
04:34like Monterey Jack, Pepper Jack, Fresh Mozzarella, Havarti, or Provolone for an even richer flavor.
04:40The choice is yours on how much to add.
04:42"...say when."
04:46For breadcrumbs, there's few better than panko, made from crustless white bread,
04:50which gives it a lightness and results in a crispier crumb. Top your pie filling with a
04:54layer of panko to replace the top crust, which will give a crunchy bite to your pie.
04:59Another way is to brush the top crust with egg wash and sprinkle the panko on top.
05:03This helps avoid the brittle texture that top crust can acquire during baking
05:07while waiting to develop color, and also cuts down on any burnt bits.
05:11The Frozen Chicken Pot Pie's aluminum foil packaging makes it convenient to bake and
05:16eat all in one, but disrupts the proper bite with an even amount of pastry and filling.
05:20The solution is to do what the folks at Eater suggest for a foolproof bite.
05:24After the pie is done baking, simply flip it upside down on a plate and eat it this way for
05:29an evenly cut slice with the perfect balance of crunchy crust and creamy filling in every bite.
05:35For larger frozen pot pies, another trick is to actually cook the entire pie upside down,
05:39which can prevent the dreaded dry upper crust and soggy bottom crust problem.
05:44Although there's nothing easier than throwing a store-bought pot pie in the oven for a quick
05:48dinner, some slightly more complicated changes can turn this frozen dinner into a homemade meal.
05:53For example, leave the dry and bland bits of chicken breast used in most pot pie fillings
05:57behind for a more flavorful alternative, like rotisserie chicken. Not only is rotisserie
06:02chicken juicy, but also much more well-seasoned than the one used in pie fillings. Simply break
06:06up pieces of it and mix them into the pre-made filling. You can always use leftover rotisserie
06:11chicken from an at-home attempt, but some store-bought varieties trump all.
06:15Other delicious alternatives that can upgrade your pot pie include whatever
06:18leftover protein you have on hand, whether it's a roast chicken,
06:21turkey from Thanksgiving dinner, a beef mince, and even vegetarian or vegan options like tofu.
06:27If you're willing to get really elaborate with your frozen pot pie,
06:30you can essentially rebuild your pie from the ground up. For the filling of your pot pies,
06:35start by picking out the solid pieces of chicken and vegetables and place them in a separate bowl.
06:39For the new sauce, make a simple roux by melting butter in a pan and adding flour,
06:44whisking to combine, followed by your choice of chicken or vegetable broth.
06:48You don't want a sauce that's too thin, to risk making your pie soggy.
06:51To adjust your sauce's consistency, Reed Drummond, aka The Pioneer Woman,
06:55suggests adding a slurry of cornstarch and water to the thinned sauce,
06:59and adjusting the consistency to your liking with more broth or milk.
07:02If you really want the chicken flavor to shine through in the sauce,
07:05just chicken chunks and broth won't do. For this, Ina Garten's pot pie recipe suggests
07:10adding chicken bouillon cubes to your filling as it's cooking. This trick will add a savory
07:15tang to your sauce and limit the need to add any additional salt as well. Now just mix in
07:20the bowl of chicken and vegetables to your newly prepared rich sauce and bake with the packaged
07:24crusts. Tired of a soggy crust in your pies? You're not alone. This singular error can ruin
07:30a perfectly good crust, and the frozen ones found in chicken pot pies seem especially prone to
07:35suffering this ordeal. End all your crust-related woes once and for all with two simple tips that
07:40ensure the pastry bakes all the way through, and at the same time as the top crust.
07:44The first way is to blind bake your crust before a final bake with the filling and top crust.
07:49According to The Kitchen, simply lay out your rolled dough in your dish,
07:52place a sheet of baking paper on top weighed down by raw beans or pie weights so the crust
07:57doesn't rise while baking. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes with the weights, and for five minutes
08:01with the weights removed until the bottom looks dry. Another relatively easy way to avoid an
08:06uncooked bottom crust is to monitor the pie as it bakes. The soggy bottom issue often arises when we
08:11remove a pie from the oven after a set baking time, not checking to make sure it's done all the way.
08:16By baking your frozen pot pies in a glass dish, you can monitor its progress with quick and
08:21careful peeks and watch as the bottom gains color before removing it from the oven.
08:26If an indulgent filling is what makes you inclined to bake and eat more pot pies,
08:30we bring the ultimate indulgence, alcohol.
08:33Then I remembered that alcohol existed.
08:40Thank you, alcohol.
08:41Although wine is often used in cooking, you might not have seen it used in a pot pie before.
08:45Martha Stewart's spirit of choice is cognac, which she uses to deglaze the pan after sautéing the
08:50vegetables. Stewart says cognac adds a depth of flavor to the sauce, owing to its sweet,
08:54spicy, bitter, or fruity flavors with notes of vanilla, orange, and caramel.
08:58If you don't have cognac or it's not your preferred alcohol,
09:01Chef Nick suggests adding a splash of white wine to the filling,
09:04which gives the filling a similar depth of flavor. Quantity is key here,
09:08as you don't want to add too much to overpower the filling or too little to go unnoticed.
09:13Stewart uses a half cup in her recipe for six large ramekin-sized servings of pot pies.
09:18Of course, you don't have to make the filling from scratch for a frozen pot pie.
09:21Simply heat up the prepared filling and, once bubbling, add your choice of alcohol
09:25in small quantities, tasting as you go until it's to your liking.
09:29If the crust on a store-bought pie seems too plain,
09:32try making one of your own to achieve that buttery pastry and shiny golden top.
09:37Homemade pie crust is usually more flavorful and holds well while baking,
09:40and is less prone to suffering the soggy-bottom fate of the frozen variety.
09:44The pioneer woman's trick is to chill the dough in the freezer for a minimum
09:4715 to 20 minutes wrapped in plastic before rolling it out and baking.
09:51This helps the dough remain firm while cooking and retain structure from the chilled fat.
09:55In a rush, you can also top the pot pie with other frozen doughs like a puff pastry,
09:59phyllo pastry, biscuits, or a crescent roll dough and forgo the bottom crust altogether.
10:04However, the best way to amp up this dish is by redoing the filling. Additions like noodles or
10:09a thin pasta such as fettuccine alongside vegetables, a rich sauce, or even canned soup
10:14can quickly transform the pre-made meal into a homemade one of your own.