I leave the kitchen lights off. The brightness pouring in through the window reflects off every surface in the room. I close my eyes and turn to face the window, feeling the tingling of the sunrays on my skin. It’s like a wave of energy and optimism washing over me to start this New Year.
The chicken, sweet peas, and puff pastry sheets are thawing on the counter, alongside the onion, garlic and carrots on the chopping board. I ignore them for a moment as a take a sip of Thai coconut water from an over-sized can with pictures of palm trees on it. Everything feels right.
And when I open a jar of our Malaysian Satay Seasoning and the aroma of warm, tropical spices fills the air, I feel like I’m home in Penang.
Exposed flesh can freeze in as little as five minutes with wind chills colder than 50 below! The weatherman yells out from the TV to get my attention.
Oh yeah, it’s January, and I’m in Minnesota.
I can feel down from the dark and the cold, and I can miss the warmth of family and friends back in Malaysia, but I always lift myself up with just one taste from home.
Sticks of satay chicken cooked on a smoky grill is not an option during a Minnesota winter, but I’m thankful for the limitations of the season.
Winter forces creativity out of complacency.
So I can thank old man winter for these delicious Satay Chicken Pot Pies…
If you’re trying to warm up this week too, try our Malaysian Satay Seasoning – a blend of bright yellow turmeric with lemongrass, galangal, ginger, shallots, cumin, garlic, coriander, and cayenne – in a chicken pot pie recipe.
Simply coat tender chicken pieces with our Malaysian Satay Seasoning, mix with creamy coconut milk, and add in sweet peas, onions, and carrots. A warming, tropical-inspired filling perfect for a flaky, crispy puff pastry.
Like chicken satay on a stick, I wanted to keep these Satay Chicken Pot Pies small and fun to eat. So I used a mini muffin pan to make pot pies you can eat with your hand. They make an addicting party snack, like for your upcoming Super Bowl party. Or something new for you to cook up for the family for a weekend lunch.
You can make the pot pies a day ahead. When ready to serve, just pop them into the oven to warm up.
For a vegetarian version, try making them with potatoes or tofu. Then serve with a bright tangerine salad on the side, and an over-sized can of pulpy coconut water to wash it all down.
Satay Chicken Pot Pies by Season with Spice
Makes 20 - 24 mini pot pies
Ingredients:
2 pieces chicken breasts or chicken thighs – diced into small cubes
2 tsp brown sugar or coconut sugar
2 tbsp Season with Spice’s Malaysian Satay Seasoning
1/2 cup unsweetened coconut milk
2 tbsp coconut oil or peanut oil
1/2 yellow onion – finely chopped (or 2-3 large shallots)
2-3 garlic cloves - minced
1 carrot – diced into small cubes
1/2 cup frozen sweet peas Salt – to season
2 packages of ready-made puff pastry (4 sheets in total)
1 egg – beaten
Water to seal the pastry
Method:
To prepare the satay chicken filling:
1. Marinade chicken pieces with sugar & Malaysian Satay Seasoning. Allow to marinade for two hours to overnight. If you are pressed for time, you can skip this step, and cook the chicken right away with the satay seasoning and sugar.
2. Heat oil in a frying pan. When oil is hot, add in the onion (or shallots) and cook over medium heat until translucent, about a minute. Add in carrot and chicken pieces, and cook over medium-low heat for about 5 minutes, stirring regularly.
3. Stir in the sweet peas, coconut milk and mix well with all the ingredients. Continue to cook for another minute. Season with salt, taste, and add more salt or seasoning if needed. Let cook for 2-3 minutes longer until the coconut milk thickens up and the chicken is cooked. Turn off the heat and set aside to cool.
To prepare the puff pastry:
1. Make sure your puff pastry sheets have been thawed according to the package instructions.
2. Preheat oven to 375F.
3. Prepare egg wash by lightly beating an egg in a small bowl. In another small bowl, add a few tablespoons of water to use for sealing the pastries. Set both aside.
4. Lightly flour a kitchen counter or a large piece of parchment paper, and place a puff pastry sheet on top. You will need to cut two different size circles. One larger circle for the base of the pot pie (large enough to form inside the mini muffin pan and to slightly overhang on the edges), and a smaller circle for the pie cover (just big enough to be able to press down on the edges to seal the cover onto the base). Round cookie cutters or even a wide mouth drinking glass will work.
5. Once you have formed each base in the muffin pan, add a small amount of the satay filling into each one (careful not to fill higher than the level of the pan).
6. Next, take one of cover pieces and lightly wet the bottom edge of the pastry with your finger. Place on top of one of the pies, and press down firmly on the edges to seal. Then tuck and form the edges into desired pattern. When finished, you can take any leftover pastry scraps, roll them up into a ball and re-roll it out flat to make more.
7. Pierce the top of each pie with a toothpick a few times, and brush with egg wash.
8. Bake for 15-18 minutes or until the pastries are golden brown. Remove from the oven and allow to cool slightly. While first batch is baking, begin working on your second batch with another puff pastry sheet.
Notes:
1. For a vegetarian version, replace the chicken with 1-2 large russet potatoes or a block of extra firm tofu.
2. For a super easy version, you can use ramekins, so you would just need to fill the dish with the satay filling, and add a pastry circle on top.
3. Any leftover satay filling can be kept in the refrigerator for 2-3 days. Try it with jasmine rice, or in a tortilla wrap.
Makes 20 - 24 mini pot pies
Ingredients:
2 pieces chicken breasts or chicken thighs – diced into small cubes
2 tsp brown sugar or coconut sugar
2 tbsp Season with Spice’s Malaysian Satay Seasoning
1/2 cup unsweetened coconut milk
2 tbsp coconut oil or peanut oil
1/2 yellow onion – finely chopped (or 2-3 large shallots)
2-3 garlic cloves - minced
1 carrot – diced into small cubes
1/2 cup frozen sweet peas Salt – to season
2 packages of ready-made puff pastry (4 sheets in total)
1 egg – beaten
Water to seal the pastry
Method:
To prepare the satay chicken filling:
1. Marinade chicken pieces with sugar & Malaysian Satay Seasoning. Allow to marinade for two hours to overnight. If you are pressed for time, you can skip this step, and cook the chicken right away with the satay seasoning and sugar.
2. Heat oil in a frying pan. When oil is hot, add in the onion (or shallots) and cook over medium heat until translucent, about a minute. Add in carrot and chicken pieces, and cook over medium-low heat for about 5 minutes, stirring regularly.
3. Stir in the sweet peas, coconut milk and mix well with all the ingredients. Continue to cook for another minute. Season with salt, taste, and add more salt or seasoning if needed. Let cook for 2-3 minutes longer until the coconut milk thickens up and the chicken is cooked. Turn off the heat and set aside to cool.
To prepare the puff pastry:
1. Make sure your puff pastry sheets have been thawed according to the package instructions.
2. Preheat oven to 375F.
3. Prepare egg wash by lightly beating an egg in a small bowl. In another small bowl, add a few tablespoons of water to use for sealing the pastries. Set both aside.
4. Lightly flour a kitchen counter or a large piece of parchment paper, and place a puff pastry sheet on top. You will need to cut two different size circles. One larger circle for the base of the pot pie (large enough to form inside the mini muffin pan and to slightly overhang on the edges), and a smaller circle for the pie cover (just big enough to be able to press down on the edges to seal the cover onto the base). Round cookie cutters or even a wide mouth drinking glass will work.
5. Once you have formed each base in the muffin pan, add a small amount of the satay filling into each one (careful not to fill higher than the level of the pan).
6. Next, take one of cover pieces and lightly wet the bottom edge of the pastry with your finger. Place on top of one of the pies, and press down firmly on the edges to seal. Then tuck and form the edges into desired pattern. When finished, you can take any leftover pastry scraps, roll them up into a ball and re-roll it out flat to make more.
7. Pierce the top of each pie with a toothpick a few times, and brush with egg wash.
8. Bake for 15-18 minutes or until the pastries are golden brown. Remove from the oven and allow to cool slightly. While first batch is baking, begin working on your second batch with another puff pastry sheet.
Notes:
1. For a vegetarian version, replace the chicken with 1-2 large russet potatoes or a block of extra firm tofu.
2. For a super easy version, you can use ramekins, so you would just need to fill the dish with the satay filling, and add a pastry circle on top.
3. Any leftover satay filling can be kept in the refrigerator for 2-3 days. Try it with jasmine rice, or in a tortilla wrap.
