Ingredients
Crust
- 1 ½ cups sifted All-Purpose Flour
- ¼ teaspoon Salt
- ½ cup cold Butter, cubed
- ¼ cup cold Water, or more
Filling
- ¼ cup Butter, or more
- 1 to 1.3 Kilograms Whole Chicken or Chicken Leg Quarters (bone-in or boneless), cut into serving pieces
- 1 large Onion, chopped
- 1 to 2 Stalks Celery, chopped
- 1 to 2 pieces Vienna Sausage or Hotdog, sliced
- 1 to 2 pieces Chorizo De Bilbao, sliced (optional)
- 1 large Potato, peeled and cubed
- 1 large Carrot, peeled and cubed
- 1 cup Button Mushrooms, halved
- ½ cup Water Chestnuts, diced (optional)
- 2 cups Chicken Stock, or more
- ¾ cup Cooked U.S. Green Peas
- ¾ cup Cooked U.S. Chickpeas
- ¼ cup Sweet Pickles, diced
- 1 ½ cups evaporated or Fresh Milk
- ¼ to 1/3 cup Grated Cheddar Cheese (optional)
- ½ cup All-Purpose Flour
- Chicken Stock or Water, as needed
Egg Wash
- 1 Large Egg
- Pinch of Salt
- 1 teaspoon Water or Milk
Directions
- To prepare the crust, sift together flour and salt into a bowl. Cut in butter until pea size. Toss in water. Form into a ball then wrap with plastic film. Chill dough for at least one hour then roll out to fit an ovenproof dish. Chill until needed.
- To cook the filling, melt butter in a sauté pan. Add chicken, onion, and celery. Cook for 8 to 10 minutes. Add the Vienna sausage (or hotdog) and chorizo de Bilbao, if using. Allow to brown slightly. Add potatoes, carrots, mushrooms, water chestnuts and chicken stock. Bring to a boil then lower heat to a simmer. Cook until the chicken and vegetables are done. Add the U.S green peas, U.S. chickpeas, pickles and milk. Cook for another 5 minutes. Add grated cheddar cheese, if desired.
- In a small bowl, dissolve flour in a little liquid. Pour into hot filling and mix well. Bring to a full boil and then simmer for another 1 to 2 minutes. Remove from heat and cool completely.
- For the egg wash, whisk together all ingredients in a small bowl. Set aside briefly.
- To assemble, pour cooled chicken mixture into an ovenproof dish. Cover with prepared crust. Dock with tines of a fork and brush with egg wash. Bake in a preheated 375°C (190°C) oven for 40 to 50 minutes, or until bubbly and golden.
- Serve immediately.
Chef’s Notes:
- You may also use some prepared puff pastry instead of the “made–from–scratch” crust.
- You may also serve the Chicken Pastel without the crust.
Yield: 8 to 10 servings
