Chicken Pastel

Chicken Pastel is a Filipino-style chicken pot pie with creamy chicken stew filling and a flaky pie crust. It's hearty, tasty, and sure to be a family favorite. Perfect for meal prep, parties, or a simple family Sunday dinner.

I had a list of party-friendly dishes for last year's holidays, but I guess even the best-laid plans of mice and men go awry, but never got around to posting the recipes on time.

Fortunately, Christmas does come every year, so yes, I'll get all the delicious holiday recipes up on the blog, and you'll find them here when you need them. In the meantime, check out nilagang pasko soup for all-year-round comfort food and special bibingka pancakes for anytime Pasko feels.

What is Chicken Pastel

Chicken Pastel is a hearty stew made with diced chicken, sausages, mushrooms, peas, and carrots in a rich, creamy sauce.  Adapted from Spain's pastel de pollo, the chicken filling is encased in a flaky pie crust and baked to a golden, buttery goodness.

It's common practice, however, to serve this Filipino-style chicken pot pie without the crust and with rice instead. Either way, it's a satisfying meal that's sure to be a family favorite.

Most of the work in this recipe involves assembling the pie dough. You can, of course, skip it and serve the pastel with rice, but I really urge you to go the extra mile. That buttery, crisp layer makes the dish extra special, adding flavor and texture.

Creamy chicken filling

• You can choose boneless, skinless chicken breast, which is leaner, or thigh meat, which tends to be juicier. You can save time by using rotisserie chicken; just debone and slice the meat into cubes. Turkey is also a great alternative, especially during the holidays.
• Chorizo de Bilbao and Vienna sausages add a smoky layer of flavor and extend servings. You can also use ham or hot dogs.
• I add diced carrots, sliced mushrooms, and frozen sweet peas for extra bulk and nutrition. Celery, bell peppers, and potatoes are also good options.
• Evaporated milk brings creaminess. You can substitute half-and-half, all-purpose cream, or whole milk.
• Simmer the cream sauce gently and don't bring it to a boil, lest it curdle or separate. Make sure the filling is very thick to prevent a runny pie.

How to Make Flaky Pie Crust

• For the flakiest crust, have ingredients very cold. This inhibits gluten formation, resulting in the flakiest crust. Using very cold fat inhibits gluten formation and helps prevent overworking the dough.
• Limit the amount of liquid and add just enough to make the dough hold together. Make sure to use ice-cold water.
• Large specks of fat/butter in the dough are ok. Do not overwork the dough, as this develops gluten and makes the crust tough.

• Before rolling the crust, chill for at least 30 minutes to 2 hours. If the dough feels soft between rolling, freeze it for about 10 minutes.
• Create vents in the pie crust to allow steam from the filling to escape during baking, preventing the crust from getting soggy or bursting.
• Brush the pie crust with egg wash for a shiny, beautiful brown finish. If needed, cover the edge of the crust with strips of foil for the last 5 to 10 minutes to prevent excessive browning.

How to serve and store

• Chicken pastel is best freshly baked from the oven. It can be a complete meal on its own or served with steamed rice or mashed potatoes, and green salad for a hearty, filling lunch or dinner.
• Wrap any leftover pie with aluminum foil and refrigerate for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 2 months.
• Reheat in the oven at 350 F for about 15 to 20 minutes or in an air fryer for about 10 minutes until heated through. I don't recommend the microwave as it makes the crust soggy.

More chicken recipes

Chicken Menudo

Chicken Tocino

Pininyahang Manok

Asian Jalapeno Chicken

Did you make this? Be sure to leave a review below and tag me @kawalingpinoy on Facebook and Instagram!

4.08 from 14 votes

Chicken Pastel

Chicken Pastel or Pastel de Pollo with creamy chicken stew and flaky pie crust is the ultimate comfort food! Hearty and tasty, this Filipino-style chicken pot pie is sure to be a family favorite.

Prep Time: 20 minutes mins

Cook Time: 1 hour hr 10 minutes mins

Total Time: 1 hour hr 30 minutes mins

Author: Lalaine Manalo

Course: Main Entree

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6 Servings

Ingredients

For the Filling

• 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breast or thigh meat cut into ½-inch cubes
• juice of 1 lemon
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon oil
• 5 ounces (2 pieces) Chorizo de bilbao cut into ½-inch cubes
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 onion peeled and chopped
• 2 clove garlic peeled and minced
• 2 tablespoons flour
• 2 cups water
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1 large carrot peeled and cut into ½-inch cubes
• 1 cup frozen green peas thawed
• 1 can (7 ounces) button mushrooms drained and sliced thinly
• 1 can (5 ounces) Vienna sausages drained and sliced thinly
• ½ cup evaporated milk

For the Crust

• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 8 ounces butter very cold
• 1 tablespoon vinegar
• 1 egg
• 4 tablespoons ice water

For the Egg Wash

• 1 egg
• 1 tablespoon water

US CustomaryMetric

Equipment

• 9 x 13 baking pan

Instructions

• In a bowl, combine chicken, lemon juice, and soy sauce. Marinate for about 10 to 15 minutes. Drain meat, reserving liquid.
• In a wide pan over medium heat, heat oil. Add chorizo de bilbao and cook for about 1 to 2 minutes or until lightly browned. 
• Add chicken and cook for about 3 to 5 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove from pan and set aside.
• Wide down pan as needed. Add butter. When it begins to melt, add onions and garlic and cook until limp. 
• Add flour and cook, stirring regularly, until lightly browned, bubbly and begins to smell "nutty'.
• Add water and reserved marinade, and whisk vigorously to prevent lumps. Bring to a boil until smooth and slightly thickened. 
• Return chicken and chorizo to pan. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Lower heat, cover and cook for about 15 to 20 minutes or until chicken is cooked through.
• Add carrots and cook for about 3 to 5 minutes or until tender. 
• Add green peas, mushrooms, Vienna sausage, and evaporated milk. Stir to disperse. Continue to cook for about 3 to 5 minutes or until vegetables are heated through and sauce is thickened.
• Preheat oven to 400 F.
• Transfer filling onto an oven-safe baking dish. Gently top filling with the crust and seal edges with a fork, trimming edges if necessary. Cut about a 1-inch vent on the crust.
• In a bowl, combine egg wash: egg and water. Whisk together until well blended. Lightly brush top of crust.
• Bake the pie for about 20 to 30 minutes, or until filling is bubbly and crust is golden. Remove from heat.
• Allow to stand for about 10 to 15 minutes and cut into serving portions.

For the Crust

• In a bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, and salt.
• Add butter to the flour mixture. Cut the butter into the flour using a pastry blender or by pinching the fat into the flour mixture with your hands. Work together until it resembles coarse cornmeal, with pea-like, butter-speckled pieces.
• Add the egg and vinegar.
• Slowly drizzle in water and, with your hands, mix the dough until just combined.
• Gather the dough into a ball, wrap it with plastic film, and refrigerate for about 2 hours.
• Place the pie crust between two sheets of parchment paper and with a rolling pin, gently flatten into ¼-inch thickness.

Notes

• Simmer the cream sauce gently and don't bring it to a boil, lest it curdle or separate.
• If the dough is too crumbly and does not hold together, add more water a tablespoon at a time. DO NOT ADD TOO MUCH LIQUID and DO NOT OVERWORK DOUGH. 
• If needed, cover the edge of the crust with strips of foil for the last 5 to 10 minutes to prevent excessive browning.

Video

Nutrition Information

Calories: 968kcal, Carbohydrates: 64g, Protein: 50g, Fat: 56g, Saturated Fat: 28g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g, Monounsaturated Fat: 18g, Trans Fat: 1g, Cholesterol: 287mg, Sodium: 1636mg, Potassium: 965mg, Fiber: 4g, Sugar: 9g, Vitamin A: 3121IU, Vitamin C: 14mg, Calcium: 118mg, Iron: 5mg

“This website provides approximate nutrition information for convenience and as a courtesy only. Nutrition data is gathered primarily from the USDA Food Composition Database, whenever available, or otherwise other online calculators.”