- Prep
- 20 min
- Cook
- 30 min
- Total time
- 50 min
- Yield
- 4 servings
- Difficulty
- EASY
- Calories
- 490 kcal
Quick summary
“This classic chicken pie uses a buttery shortcrust pastry filled with sautéed shredded chicken breast and creamy requeijão. Brushed with egg yolk and baked at 180°C, it delivers a golden crust and moist interior.”
What you need to know
- The quick mixing of the flour with the cold butter forms an impermeable crumb ensuring a flaky and crispy texture.
- Resting the dough in the refrigerator for 30 minutes relaxes the gluten allowing to open the base without deforming in the oven.
- Creamy requeijão mixed with chicken off the heat creates a velvety filling that does not dry out during cooking.
Ingredients
Main
- 1 and 1/2 cups of all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup of butter
- 1/2 cup of ice water
- 2 cups of shredded chicken breast
- 1 cup creamy requeijão
- 1 chopped onion
- 2 small cloves of garlic, minced
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1 egg yolk for brushing
Instructions
Principal
- Start by preparing the dough: in a bowl, mix the flour and butter until you get a crumble.
- Add the cold water and mix until a homogeneous dough is formed. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
- In a pan, sauté the onion and garlic until golden.
- Add the shredded chicken and season with salt and pepper. Cozinhe por 5 minutos.
- Turn off the heat and mix the creamy requeijão into the chicken. Set aside.
- Roll out the dough on a floured surface and line the bottom and sides of the pan.
- Pour the chicken filling into the pan and cover with the remaining dough.
- Brush with the beaten egg yolk and make some cuts in the dough to release the steam.
- Bake for 35 minutes or until the surface is golden.
Chef's tips
- Use very cold water to bring the dough together without melting the butter fat before going to the oven.
- Wait for the chicken filling to cool completely before placing it in the pan so it doesn't soften the raw dough of the base.
- Make shallow cuts on the dough lid with the tip of a knife to allow internal steam to escape while baking.
Variations
- Pie with heart of palm and peas: add a cup of chopped hearts of palm and half a cup of peas to the chicken filling.
- Pasta with parmesan cheese: incorporate two tablespoons of finely grated parmesan into the dry ingredients of the dough.
- Version with sweet corn: add a cup of drained canned sweet corn to the chicken sauté.
Substitutions
- Unsalted butter can be replaced by chilled lard or culinary margarine with 80% lipids.
- The shredded chicken breast can be replaced by cooked shredded chicken thigh or clean leftover roast chicken.
- The traditional creamy requeijão can be replaced by authentic catupiry cheese, cream cheese, or ricotta cream.
How to store
Store the already cold pie covered with aluminum foil or in a plastic container with a lid in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. To reheat while preserving the crispy dough, place in a medium oven at 180°C for 12 minutes; avoid using the microwave.
Can it be frozen?
You can freeze the assembled pie raw or already baked and cold for up to 3 months, well sealed in plastic wrap and aluminum foil. To bake the frozen raw pie, take it directly to the preheated oven at 180°C adding 15 minutes to the time.
What to serve with
Excellent option for light meals accompanied by a mixed green leaf salad with heart of palm and mild mustard dressing. To accompany, natural iced passion fruit juice, sparkling water flavored with lemon, or iced tea.
Frequently asked questions
Why does the pie crust get hard instead of crumbly?
The dough was kneaded excessively, developing the gluten; mix the ingredients only until combined, without kneading with your hands.
How to prevent the bottom of the tart from looking raw and soggy?
Never put hot filling on raw dough and bake on the bottom rack of the oven at 180°C to brown the base by conduction.
Is it necessary to grease the pan before lining with the shortcrust pastry?
Since the dough already contains a lot of butter, there's no need to grease or flour the springform pan.
Can I replace the ice water with milk or heavy cream in the dough?
Cold water provides a crispy and dry texture; milk or heavy cream make the dough fluffier and more bread-like.
