Yellow Curry Chicken Pot Pie

Do you want to learn how to make a scrumptious yellow curry chicken pot pie? Well, you have come to just the right place! In this instructable, I will take you on an amazing journey, walking you step by step through the process of how to make a yellow curry chicken pot pie. It even comes with a beautiful and incredibly simple pie crust.

Come on, what are you waiting for? Let's get started!

Step 1: Ingredients and Supply List

Ingredients:

1 Pie Crust

1 Package Pie Dough

1 Chicken Breast

1/2 Medium Sweet Onion

1 Shallot

4 Carrots

1 Bag of Marble Potatoes

1 Inch of Ginger Root

4-6 Cloves Garlic

4-5 Thai Peppers

1-2 Stalks of Lemon Grass

2-3 Lime Leaves**

1/2 Lime

1 Can of Coconut Milk

1 Can of Chicken Broth

1 tsp Fish Sauce

1 tbsp Olive Oil

1/2 tsp Salt

1/4 tsp Cayenne Pepper

1/2 tsp Black Pepper

1 tsp Hot Curry Powder

1/2 tsp Cumin

1/4 tsp Ground Coriander Seeds

1/4 tsp Turmeric

1/2 tbsp Corn Starch

1-2 tbsp Flour

Red Pepper Flakes, Sprinkle**
Ground Clove, Sprinkle**

Optional**

Supplies:

Measuring Utensils

Cutting Board

Knife

Fine Grater

Small Bowl

Plate

Pan with Lid

Slotted Spoon

Large Spoon

Cookie Cutter

Foil

Cookie Sheet

Step 2: Spice Mix

In a small bowl, mix together your dry spices.

1/2 tsp Salt

1/4 tsp Cayenne Pepper

1/2 tsp Black Pepper

1 tsp Hot Curry Powder

1/2 tsp Cumin

1/4 tsp Ground Coriander Seeds

1/4 tsp Turmeric

Once all the spices are in the bowl, give it a quick stir to mix them all together.

Optional-

If you like your food spicy, you can add some additional red pepper flakes. You can also add a sprinkle of ground clove to add a little twist to the flavor profile.

Step 3: Preparing the Chicken

Start by removing any parts of the chicken breast you do not wish to eat. I will admit, I probably go a little over board with this, but I cant seem to help myself. If its fatty, tough, stringy,slimy or the wrong color it goes. Once you are done trimming the chicken, cut it into small and relatively equal sized pieces. Set the chicken aside.

Step 4: Onion Preperation

Remove both ends of the onion and peal off the outer layer. Set the onion on end and chop in half. Place the other half in a bag or container and store for a later meal. Make two cuts across the remaining onion half turning it in thirds.

Take the first third and lay it flat. Make about three cuts creating equal fourths. Lay the next third flat and make four slices creating equal fifths. Repeat with the last third. Run your fingers through the onion pieces so that they begin to separate. Set the onion pieces aside for later.

Step 5: Carrot Preperation

Give your carrots a good wash. If they have deep ridges that do not want to come clean, you can lightly peel the outside if necessary. Remove the green foliage from the top of the carrot leaving only the root. If you like, you can also remove the very tip of the root. Start by chopping the skinny end of the carrots. Take the thicker end and cut in half length wise, and then continue chopping the carrots. If you have any carrots that are much thicker than the rest, you can slice them into quarters length wise before chopping. Set the carrots aside.

Step 6: Potato Preperation

Remove about 2/3 of your potatoes or approximately 18 (give or take a few depending on size) from the packaging. You can save the remaining third for another meal. If you are using red, white or Yukon gold you will want 3-5 depending on size. You could also use 1-3 russet potatoes.

Wash your potatoes giving the out side skin a gentle scrub. You may also remove the skin, if you prefer. With the tip of the knife, remove any parts of the potatoes that look questionable, or where it could be trying to sprout, Toss the yucky pieces in the trash or compost them. Cut the potatoes in to pieces approximately the size of the end of your thumb. Set the cut potatoes aside.

Step 7: Shallot Preperation

Chop off both ends of your shallot and remove the outer peeling. Toss these pieces in the trash or compost. Thinly slice the shallot all the way across in one direction. Turn the shallot in the opposite direction and thinly slice the shallot all the way across. Set these aside to be used later.

Step 8: Garlic Preperation

Remove 4-6 cloves of garlic from your garlic bulb. Cut off both ends of each clove. Being careful not to cut yourself, place the flat blade of the knife on a clove and lightly press. Repeat for each clove. Remove the papery outer peeling from all the cloves. Chop your garlic into fine pieces. Set the garlic to the side.

Step 9: Ginger and Thai Pepper Preperation

Cut off a piece of ginger root approximately 1 inch in length. With your knife, carefully peel the outer light brown skin off. Run the outer edges of the peeled ginger root over a fine grater, working towards the center core. Sometimes the very center of the ginger can be a little bit woody (kind of like the core of a pineapple), stop whenever you feel it is getting to tough or stringy. Set the grated ginger aside with the other ingredients.

Wash approximately 5 Thai peppers. Chop off the stem and set aside.

Step 10: Lemon Grass and Lime Leaves

Remove a couple stems of lemon grass and a couple lime leaves from their packaging. If you can not find these items at the store, it is still yummy without them. I wouldn't stress too much about it if they are hard to get your hands on, or expensive. Wash them and set them aside.

Step 11: Cooking the Filling Phase I

Place a small amount of olive oil in a pan and turn the stove to medium heat. Tilt your pan from side to side to spread the oil across the bottom of the pan. When the pan and oil are warm, add the raw chicken. Cook the chicken, occasionally string and flipping the pieces, until the meat is mostly white.

Step 12: Cooking the Filling Phase II

Add the shallot, onion and carrots, which were set aside in earlier steps. Turn the heat up to a medium high. Continue to saute the vegetables with the chicken for the next few minutes and then continue onto the next step.

Step 13: Cooking the Filling Phase III

Return the stove to medium heat, Add the garlic, ginger and Thai peppers. Cook for 1-2 minutes, occasionally stirring. Add the potatoes and incorporate into the mix. Move onto the next step.

Step 14: Cooking the Filling Phase IV

Shake your can of coconut milk and your can of chicken broth. With a can opener, totally remove the lid from the coconut milk. Give the can a quick stir with a spoon. Open about half the lid of the broth and then make a puncher mark on the opposite side so that it will pour out easily.

Add the entire can of coconut milk to the pan and stir. The thick white part will melt to a nice liquid with the heat.

Sprinkle the spice mix over the top and stir mixing it into the coconut milk and vegetables.

Add about one third of the can of chicken broth. Set the rest of the can aside for later and move onto the next step.

Step 15: Cooking the Filling Phase V

Add the lemon grass and lime leaves to the pan. Drizzle approximately 1 tsp of fish sauce across the top of the filling. Place a lid on top the pan and turn the heat to low. Set a timer for 15 minutes, continue on to the next step for the pie crust while it cooks.

Step 16: Pie Crust Top Preperation

While the filling it cooking on the stove, start working on your pie crust top. For mine, I used a leaf cookie cutter that I bought at Micheal's Craft Store. The ones I have came in a four pack with different leaves. They have an imprinting function, as well as the basic shape cutting function. You can use whatever cookie cutter you like or you could also free hand with a knife. If you are not feeling artsy or are in a time crunch, you can always do a classic simple pie top.

Add a dusting of flour onto a clean counter top. Carefully unroll the pie dough. If it gets any holes in the process of unrolling it, carefully patch it by gently pressing in back together. Use your cutter or knife to start making the design for the top. You will want to try and keep the cut outs close together so that you can get as many as possible without re-rolling the dough scraps.

Note: You can find these cutters under a few names. I would suggest searching under these options- cookie cutter with imprint, fondant cutter with imprint or pie crust cutters with imprint. You should be able to find them on eBay. Williams-Sonoma has has also been carrying seasonal sets for fall and winter this year.

Step 17: Thicken the Filling

When the 15 minutes are up, remove the lid from the pan. Take out the lemon grass, lime leaves and Thai peppers.

Return the stove to medium heat.

In a small bowl or cup, place a 1/2 tbsp of corn starch. Stir the corn starch as you add some chicken broth, Add just enough broth to dissolve the corn starch. If it is like a paste, keep adding a little more broth.

Add the broth/starch mixture into the pan while stirring. Continue to lightly stir for about 30 seconds and then periodically. After 3-5 minutes if it doesn't seem thick enough repeat the process till it is the consistency of a slightly runny gravy. It shouldn't take more than 1 or 2 batches of thickener.

Turn the stove off.

Step 18: Finish the Pie Crust Preperation

Finish your design for the pie top. If you need more dough for your design, put down some more flour and use the second pie dough sheet.

Remove a whole pie crust from the freezer and remove the packaging.

Note: If the imprinting part of the cookie cutter starts sticking to the dough you can dip it in flour to help keep it from sticking.

Step 19: Fill the Pie Shell

With a slotted spoon, fill the pie shell up with the pie filling. You will want to mound it up in the middle with a gentle tapering down to the sides. When the pie shell is full, use a regular spoon to add the curry sauce until it reaches the inner edge of the pie shell. You will want to add it slowly since it is thick. It will settle slowly and if you add it to fast you run the risk of over filling it.

You can keep the extra sauce to drizzle on later or use it in another meal the next day.

Step 20: Decorating the Top

Start placing your design on the top of the pie. For mine, I started on the outer edge of the pie. After completing a full circle, I started placing the next ring. I continued this process until the entire top was covered.

Step 21: Baking the Pie Phase I

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

Place your pie on a cookie sheet. Why on a cookie sheet? If you have ever had a pie bubble over, you know exactly why. It is not very much fun cleaning a gooey mess at the bottom of your oven, or even worse, a crusty one because you procrastinated. As an added bonus, you can also cook any remain design piece you have.one the extra room on the cookie sheet during a later step.

Place the pie in the oven for 25 minutes. Sit back relax and enjoy the aroma of awesomeness that has filled your kitchen from your hard work...or, if your more task oriented, you can work on cleaning the dishes and setting the table.

When the time is up, remove the pie from the oven. Turn the oven up to 400 degrees. Place foil around the crust to prevent it from over browning. Place the pie back in the oven for 10 more minutes.

Step 22: Baking Phase II - Completion

Remove the pie from the oven and carefully remove the foil. Add any extra pie crust design you had left over to the cookie sheet. Place the pie back in the oven until the pie and extra crust pieces are a nice golden brown. It should only be around 5-10 minutes for it to reach a good color. Once satisfied, turn the oven off and remove the pie to cool.

Lastly, and most importantly, eat and enjoy!