Hand Held Chicken “Pop” Pies are a delight to the taste buds. I have changed the word “pot” to “pop” because you can pick them up with your hands and “pop” a bite into your mouth. …And a plus to making a batch of these, you can double the recipe and freeze them for lunches or lunch boxes. Or, you can make them smaller and serve them as a heavy hors d’oeuvre.

Historical “Pot” Pie Wikipedia Fact:

“The chicken pot pie is a type of meat pie with a flakey crust for the topping.”

Sparkle! Sparkle! XX-gwyn

Hand Held Chicken “Pop” Pies

Chicken Pop Pie Filling

6 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
1 cup celery, diced
1 cup carrots, diced
1 cup small potatoes, diced
1 1/2 cups red onion(s), diced
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary
1/2 teaspoon pink salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
2 1/2 cups cooked chicken, pulled or cubed
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
3 cups chicken stock

In a large pot, melt 3 tablespoons of the butter. Add the prepared (diced) celery, carrots, potatoes, and onion. Then add the basil, thyme, rosemary, salt, and pepper. Sauté until soft. Add the remaining 3 tablespoons of butter, and the prepared (pulled or chopped) cooked chicken. Gently stir to melt the butter. Stir in the flour distributing it evenly. Pour the chicken stock into the mixture. Bring the mixture to a boil then lower the heat back to a simmer. Stir until the mixture thickens. It thickens quickly!

Put the mixture in the fridge and let it cool completely. This can take up to an hour and a half.

* When the mixture comes out of the refrigerator it is perfect for scooping. When it comes out of the oven, it will become more liquid and perfect.

Sparkling Charm Basic Pie Crust

3 cups all-purpose flour
1/3 cup Crisco, cubed and cold
6 to 8 tablespoons vodka, iced cold
8 to 12 tablespoons, iced water

In a bread bowl (shallow bowl), add the all-purpose flour and the Crisco. With clean hands, snap the Crisco into the flour until the mixture looks like cornmeal. Alternating the iced water and the iced vodka, drizzle across the mixture gently tossing with your hands. Continue alternating, drizzling, and gently tossing until the dough comes together. Separate the dough into two pieces. Form into discs and wrap in plastic. Place your crust in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes.

*The alcohol in the vodka will evaporate in your pie crust as it bakes. The vodka will help avoid a tough crust.

Egg Wash

1 egg
1 tablespoon water

Stir the egg and the water together until combined.

Hand Held Chicken “Pop” Pie Assembly

Remove the chilled pie crust discs from the refrigerator. On a floured surface, roll out one of the chilled dough discs to 1/8 inch thick. Cut the rolled out dough with a 6 inch circle cutter. I use the rim of a small mixing bowl to cut the dough. Move the scraps to the side and roll out the second pie crust disc to 1/8 inch. Cut the dough with a 6 inch circle. Combine the dough scraps and roll back out and cut until you are out of dough. I made 8 discs.

Place a few spoonfuls of filling into each circle of dough. Fold the dough over the filling leaving a 1 inch edge. (see photo) Fold the 1 inch edge up and crimp. Place the pies 2 inches apart on a sheet pan lined with parchment paper. Cut a small slit in each pie to release steam. Brush each pie with the egg wash.

Bake at 350 degrees F for 35 to 40 minutes or until golden brown.

Cool for 5 minutes before eating.