Chicken Pie

Chicken pie is one of my favorite pies and I make it quite often. This dough is a fluffy bread like dough with yoghurt and the filling is with béchamel sauce and chicken and I add whatever else I have available every time. It is also a great and delicious way to use your leftover chicken. So here comes the recipe:

Chicken Pie

Dough:

500g flour

200g Greek yoghurt

1 shot vodka

1 egg

1 teaspoon baking powder

½ teaspoon salt

A little pepper (optional)

2 shots olive oil (or melted butter)

Filling:

1-2 cooked chicken breast fillets

(or the meat from legs, whatever you have will do)

3-4 mushrooms

1 small onion

1-2 garlic cloves

1 bell pepper

Half a glass of white wine

Cheese (the kind and amount you prefer)

Béchamel Sauce:

2 cups (500ml) milk

2 tablespoons butter

4 tablespoons flour

1 egg

Salt, pepper,nutmeg

1 egg or a little milk for brushing

Start by preparing the dough. Put the flour, the baking powder, salt and pepper in a big bowl and combine. Make a well in the middle, put the rest of the ingredients of the dough and start kneading untl they come together. The dough will be slightly sticky. Let it rest in room temperature for half an hour covered with a towel.

Meanwhile prepare the filling. Put the butter in a small saucepan in  medium heat and let it melt. When it has melted add the flour and whisk to form a smooth paste. Pour the milk, a little in the beginning while whisking constantly. When it is incorporated add the rest of the milk and continue whisking until it thickens. When it has, remove from heat add salt, pepper and nutmeg and if you want some cheese. Add the egg, whisk and let it be. Preheat the oven to 180^o C/375 ^o F.

In a frying pan, put a little butter or oil in medium-high heat. Dice the onion, garlic, peppers, chicken and slice the mushrooms. When butter is melted, put the onion, the garlic and the peppers in the pan and let them cook for about 5 minutes. Add the mushrooms, stir and when they are cooked, add the chicken in small pieces, season and add the wine. Lower the heat, let the wine evaporate and remove from heat. You can add some ham now if you want. Stir the béchamel with the rest of the filling.

Grease and flour the pan that you are going to use. I used a 20x30 cm rectangular pan. If you use a smaller pan you can make more than one pies or you can freeze what is left.

 Divide the dough in half. Roll the first half a little bigger than the measurements of the pan and place it in the pan with the edges overhanging. Put the cheese cut in cubes( I used Gooda cheese this time) and then the rest of the filling and spread it equally. Afterwards, roll the second piece of dough and place it over the filling. Turn inside the overhanging edges or cut it if it is too much and make some pastry shapes. I like my pie to have a little more dough in the edges so I didn’t cut a lot but I still had some extra left and I made some hearts. Brush with an egg or a little milk. I also add some seasame seeds on the top. In the middle of the pie make a small hole with a knife and put it in the middle of the oven for 30-35 minutes. Let it cool for about 15 minutes, it is easier to cut and to eat. It goes well with a fresh salad.