After Thanksgiving: Chipotle Chicken Pot Pie

This Thanksgiving was just going to be my husband and me.  Both of our families are far away and we couldn't take the time to travel.  However, we had planned an entire Latin feast for Thanksgiving.  Our menu consisted of: 

Chipotle Turkey Potpie
Pablano Peppers stuffed with Cranberry Pine Nut Pilaf
Homemade tortillas
Calabasitas (corn, zucchini, and cheese saute...simple and delicious)
Fried Plantains
Cranberry Raisin Pie (my mother-in-law's delicious recipe!)

We had our day all planned out, but we got a call a few days before Thanksgiving from our friends inviting us to celebrate with them.  Of course we jumped at that chance!  Spending the holiday with friends is the best, even if it meant that I wouldn't be cooking for Thanksgiving.  I begin missing family terribly during the holiday season, and it meant a lot to me to spend the day with good people.  And I have to admit that, even though my husband doesn't love the traditional Thanksgiving fare...I really do!  I was more than happy to pile my plate with turkey, stuffing, green bean casserole, the best sweet potato pie I've ever had!  With good food, beer, football, and overly generous friends, it was a fantastic day.
The only downside is that we didn't have any leftovers!  But I was prepared for that fact, and am still going to make our "Thanksgiving Feast," but in a much slower, several-day run instead of all at once.  My plan is to prepare each of these over the next week.  Spread out that Thanksgiving feeling a little longer!  I prepared some chicken on Wednesday so that it would be ready for my chipotle chicken potpie which would be our "day after Thanksgiving" meal.  
I have made this recipe once before and it was so successful that I have made it a staple in our house.  I initially experimented with it because I'm not a fan of potpie, but my husband is.  I wanted to make something we would both enjoy.  Since Mexican and Latin food is some of my favorites (and usually the type of food I turn to), I decided to take the flavors I love and put it into the basic structure of a potpie.  As it turns out, these flavors really work.  The techniques are simple, and the flavors comforting.  A perfect pie to celebrate the holiday.

Chipotle Chicken Potpie:

For the Crust (recipe from Joy of Cooking):
-Makes one 9 or 10" double crust

This is the original Joy of Cooking recipe:
2 1/2 cup AP flour 
1tsp salt
3/4 cup shortening or lard
3 TB butter
6 TB ice water (more or less as needed)

This is my version in order to make it dairy free:
2 1/2 cup whole wheat pastry flour
1 tsp salt
3/4 cup refined coconut oil (chilled)
6 TB ice water

Add flour, salt, and coconut oil into a food processor.  Blend until mixture is like coarse cornmeal.  Add in the water a little bit at a time while pulsing the food processor until dough comes together.  It should not be too wet, or it will be hard to work with and could stick to your pie pan.  

Divide dough into two portions.  Flatten into disks and wrap with plastic wrap.  Refrigerate 30 minutes.

Take one portion of dough and roll it out to 1/4" thick.  A good trick for getting the dough in the pie pan is to gently roll the dough around the rolling pin and then gently unroll in over the pie pan.

Then, gently lift the sides of the dough, and press it down into the pan.  Cut off some of the excess, but leave enough on the sides to stick to the top crust.

Cover the crust with plastic wrap until you are ready to it.











For the Filling:
1 pound chicken or turkey, pre-cooked and cut into 1" cubes
1 cup onion, medium dice
1/2 cup carrot, med dice
1/2 cup celery, med dice
1/2 cup mushrooms, medium dice
1 TB minced garlic
1/2 to 1 cup tomato juice (I used the juice from a can of tomatoes)
1-2 TB chipotles in adobo sauce (I put in about 3-4 TB, but this was very spicy!)
3-4 TB cilantro, minced
2 TB olive oil
3-4 TB flour
salt and pepper to taste
extra water if needed
1/2 cup grated cheese (if desired)

  

Heat olive oil on medium high heat in a large saute pan.  Add (with a pinch of salt) onions, carrots, mushrooms, and celery and sweat (do not brown) until onions are translucent and tender.  Add in garlic and cook 1 min or until fragrant.
Stir in the cilantro.  Add in the flour and mix until all the veggies are coated.  Cook about 1-2 minutes to remove the raw flour flavor.

Then add the tomato juice, chipotles in adobo sauce.  Add in a little water at this point if it is too dry.  But the sauce should be thick.  This is also the point to add in any cheese.  Stir until it melts.  Season with salt and pepper.

Pour the sauce in the pie shell.  Roll out the other portion of dough like the first and place it on top.  Cut vent holes at the top in whatever design you like!  My pie could have been prettier...but I'm not too stressed out about it.  Taste is key!

Bake at 400F for 45 minutes or until crust has browned and filling is bubbly!
Note: you could put grated cheese on the top pie crust for a crispy, cheesy topping!

And the final result!

This pie is not only a great way to use your turkey leftovers, but it is the perfect winter pie.  It is warm, spicy, and filling.  It would be great topped with more grated cheese or sour cream.

Enjoy! :)