What I love about this recipe is that it’s an all-in-one meal that is super warming and perfect for a winter day. Not only that, but you can exchange the meat into any other meat of your choice. Do you prefer lamb? Easy, just replace the chicken stock with vegetable stock and use diced lamb or even better, lamb shanks shredded off the bone. Do you prefer seafood, how about  a prawn and scallop pot pie? Or a salmon pot pie? Wow, that would be delicious. Again, just replace the chicken stock with fish stock, and add some dill for extra yumminess which pairs with seafood so beautifully.

CLASSIC CHICKEN HOT POT PIE

-Dairy free -Gluten free -vinegar free -sugar free -alcohol free
This recipe contains nuts.

INGREDIENTS

• 2 carrots diced
• 2 sticks celery diced
• 2 zucchini diced
• 1 onion diced
• 4 Tb olive oil or oil of choice
• 5 garlic cloves minced (about 3 Tb)
• 500gm diced chicken thigh
• 2 cups unsalted chicken stock
• Salt and pepper to taste

Cream:

• 1 cup raw cashews (soaked for 4 hours or overnight, and drained)
• 2 cups unsalted chicken broth

Crust:

• 2 1/2 cups almond flour/meal
• 2 Tb coconut oil
• 1 egg

METHOD

1. In a blender, combine the cashews and chicken broth. This works even better if you blend in an electric coffee grinder.
2. Blend the mixture till it is smooth and creamy. Put aside.
3. In a large frying pan or wok, over medium heat fry the celery, carrots, zucchini & onion until tender.
4. Add the garlic and  chicken. Stir fry until chicken is browned and cooked through.
5. Add the stock and the cream. Stir through for another minute.
6. Fill 6 large ramekins or one pie dish with the mixture.

For the crust:

1. In a food processor combine all ingredients and mix until it comes together.
2. Split the dough into 6 for individual pies or keep whole for whole pie.
3. Roll the dough out on baking paper into circles slightly larger than the top of your ramekins. Try to keep the outside of the circles as smooth as possible and not broken or jagged. You might like to push the edges in by hand to smooth it out.
4. Top the pies with a circle of crust dough. Cut a slit into the dough to allow steam from the chicken to escape.
5. Bake in a 350 degree oven for around 20 min or until golden brown. Watch this as almond dough does not brown in the same way as regular dough, it just kind of darkens and can suddenly burn so keep a watchful eye in the last few minutes of baking.
6. Let cool for 5 minutes before serving.

Do you like pie? Do you have favourite flavours of pie that you like to make or eat?