Make mini chicken pies in jars to serve at a party, for tailgating, or just for fun! These pot pies, assembled in half-sized canning jars, travel well because you can place lids on top of each jar and secure them with rings.
Individual Serving Size
It is fun and easy to serve pie in a small jar because most people like to eat an individual pie. These canning jars are called wide-mouth half-pint jars and can be found by clicking here. They hold about one cup of chicken pie each, and this recipe makes eight pies. For those with hearty appetites, plan to serve at least two pies. For those with lighter appetites, one jar will be enough, provided you also have a side dish or dessert.
Saute the Vegetables
Sauteing softens the vegetables quickly. They will finish cooking when the pies are baked. You can omit any vegetables you do not like and add other vegetables in their place. You can even make vegetarian pies instead of chicken pies by omitting the chicken and bouillon and using vegetable stock instead of chicken. These pies are very versatile!
Make the Sauce
The sauce cooks very quickly, so have all the ingredients measured and ready to use. First, make a roux with butter and flour. A roux is equal parts butter and flour that is cooked. Let the roux brown a little to give it flavor and take away the raw flour taste. Add the seasonings and liquids and whisk immediately to break up any flour lumps that form. The sauce will quickly condense and is thick and hearty. You can thin it by adding equal amounts of chicken stock and milk.
Add the butter and flour and stir to mix.
Cook the flour mixture (known as a roux) until it browns slightly.
Add the seasoning and liquids. Whisk to break up all the lumps of flour.
Keep stirring until the sauce is thick.
Add the bouillon and stir to mix.
Add the sauteed vegetables to the sauce.
Stir the sauce to distribute the vegetables. If the sauce is too thick, add equal amounts of milk and broth to thin it.
Add the chopped rotisserie chicken to the sauce, stirring again to distribute it.
How to Assemble Chicken Pie Jars
Cut out the pastry pieces using cookie cutters. If using these wide-mouth half-pint jars, cut out (16) 2.5-inch pastry rounds and (8) 3-inch rounds. The 3-inch rounds go on top of the pies, and the 2.5-inch ones are layered in as you assemble the pies.
Spray the jars with cooking spray. Add a tablespoon of sauce to the bottom of each canning jar, and then add a pastry circle.
Fill the jars halfway with the sauce. Add another pastry round. Then fill the jars up to the bottom of the rims.
Top the pies with 3-inch rounds.
Add a small pastry cutout to the top of each jar if you want to decorate the pies.
Brush the pies with a whole egg or egg white.
Place the jars on a cooking sheet with sides to prevent them from sliding off when you move them in or out of the oven.
Bake the Chicken Pie Jars
Bake the pies for the listed time in the recipe. About halfway through baking, check the tops to see if they are brown enough. You can add a sheet of aluminum foil across the top of the jars to prevent further browning as the pies continue to bake. Let them cool a little before serving them because they will be hot.
Reheating the Chicken Pie Jars
Fill the jars to the bottom of the rim so the pies do not spill over. This helps keep the edges clean, so you can add a lid and ring to any leftover jars that need refrigerating. To reheat the pies, remove the lids, place them in the microwave, and heat for 30-second increments until hot. Or heat them in a 325-degree F oven on a baking sheet with the lids removed. Cover them with aluminum foil and bake for 10-15 minutes or until hot.
Other Chicken Recipes You Might Like
Click on the links below for other chicken recipes you might like!
- Heart-Shaped Chicken & Dumplings
- Chicken Piccata
- Chicken Quesadillas
- Baked Chicken with Herbs
- Cream of Chicken Soup
- Chicken Orzo Soup
- Chicken Scaloppini
Chicken Pie Jars
Ingredients
- 2 pie crusts (use boxed refrigerated pie crusts or homemade)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- ⅓ cup onion, chopped
- 1 large carrot, peeled and cut into round coins
- ⅓ cup corn, frozen
- ⅓ cup green peas, frozen
- 6 tablespoons butter
- 6 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 2 ¼ cups chicken stock
- 1 ¼ cups evaporated milk (or whole milk) (see note below on evaporated milk)
- 1 tablespoon Better Than Bouillon Baked Chicken
- 2 cups rotisserie chicken, chopped
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Spray (8) 1/2 pint wide-mouth jars with cooking spray. Place them on a baking sheet with sides to prevent them from sliding off when you move them.
- Add the olive oil to a skillet and heat on medium. Add the onions, carrots, corn, and peas to the pan and cook for about 5 minutes or until the onions wilt and the carrots are tender but still crunchy. Pour into a dish and set aside.
- Melt the butter in the skillet used for cooking the vegetables. Add the flour, salt, and black pepper. Stir. Cook until the mixture is bubbly and the flour lightly browns.
- Add the chicken stock and milk and cook until the sauce thickens and is smooth. Use a whisk to break up any lumps. Stir in the bouillon. Add the vegetables and chicken and stir to mix.
- Use a cookie cutter to cut (16) 2 1/2 rounds from the pie crust. Then cut (8) 3-inch rounds.
- Place approximately 1 tablespoon of sauce in the bottom of each canning jar. Then add a 2 1/2-inch round to each jar. Fill each jar halfway with sauce. Add another 2 1/2-inch pastry round to each jar. Fill the jars with the sauce again, up to the bottom of the rims. Add the 3-inch rounds to the top of each jar. Cut out mini dough shapes (if desired) to place on top of the crusts for decoration.
- Brush each top crust with egg. Bake for 30-35 minutes or until brown on top. Place a sheet of aluminum foil on top of the jars after 20-25 minutes of baking to prevent over-browning.