Chicken Pastel is a casserole with chicken, sausages, and vegetables in a creamy sauce topped with a flaky pastry crust. You can use a store-bought puff pastry or even serve it without—a classic comfort dish that is easy to prepare!
Its American counterpart, Chicken Pot Pie, is just as delicious. You may also like to try other chicken recipes like Lemon Chicken Piccata, Chicken Marsala, and Chicken Empanada.
Jump to:
Ingredients you'll need
Notes and substitutions
- Chicken thighs: I used boneless chicken thighs with some skin on them. You can also use bone-in cuts of chicken for more flavor. Chicken breast is lean but won't be as moist and flavorful.
- Cream: I used heavy cream, but light cream, half-and-half, or even milk will also work. Note that the higher the fat content, the less likely to curdle.
- Puff pastry: I used store-bought frozen puff pastry, a laminated dough that puffs up into crispy, flaky layers when baked. Pie crust, phyllo dough, or canned biscuits can also be used.
How to make this recipe
Note: Thaw frozen puff pastry in the fridge for a few hours or at room temperature for 30 minutes to an hour until pliable but still cold. Use 1 or 2 pastry sheets if you like a thicker crust.
Step 1: Season 2 pounds of chicken with salt and pepper on both sides.
Step 2: Set a sauté pan (or a shallow pot) over medium-high heat. Sear chicken in a small amount of oil, skin side down first, until lightly browned for about 5 minutes on each side. Transfer to a plate and cut them into 1 ½-inch pieces when slightly cooled.
Step 3: Add 1 chorizo. When it starts to brown, add 3 hotdogs and sear them for a minute until lightly browned. Transfer to a plate.
Step 4: Sear 8 ounces of mushrooms (skip if using canned) for a minute, adding more oil as needed. Add 8 ounces potatoes, 6 ounces carrots, and ½ each of red and green bell peppers. Cook them until they start to brown, about 3 minutes.
Step 5: Lower to medium heat, then add 3 tablespoons butter, 1 onion, and 6 garlic cloves. Sauté for about a minute. Season with salt and pepper.
Step 6: Sprinkle and mix ⅓ cup of flour.
Step 7: Add the stock/broth (1 teaspoon base or bouillon dissolved in 1 cup of water), 1 teaspoon fish sauce, and a bay leaf. Stir to dissolve the flour.
Step 8: Add the chicken, chorizo, hotdogs, 1 cup heavy cream, and ½ cup peas. When it comes to a simmer, slightly lower the heat. Cover and continue simmering for 5 minutes.
Step 9: Mix and give it a taste. Pick out the bay leaf.
If you want to serve Chicken Pastel without the pastry crust, cover and simmer longer until the chicken and vegetables are cooked. Add more water as needed.
Step 10: Transfer to a 2 or 2.5-quart oven-safe dish.
Preheat the oven to 400° F (204° C).
Step 11: On a lightly floured surface, roll out the pastry sheet about an inch larger than the size of your dish. If it tears, rub it with a bit of water and gently squeeze it back together.
Step 12: Cover the filling completely with pastry crust, cutting off any excess. Seal the edges by pressing with your fingers. Cut slits on top to release the steam as it cooks and brush with egg wash (egg + water).
Step 13: Place on a baking sheet to catch any drippings. Bake at 400° F (204° C) for 30 minutes until golden brown.
Let the Chicken Pastel cool for about 10 minutes before serving.
Recipe FAQs
Yes! You can freeze it, baked or unbaked. Add more liquid to the filling to prevent it from drying out in the freezer. It can last up to 3 months in the freezer when wrapped well.
To bake it frozen, brush with egg wash and partially thaw it while preheating the oven. Cover with foil during the first 20 minutes of baking to ensure it puffs up beautifully and does not brown too quickly. Bake until golden brown on top, adding a few more minutes as needed.
At room temperature, the butter melts and makes the dough sticky and difficult to handle. You can put it back in the fridge until it becomes firm and more manageable.
Generally, chicken and casseroles should be cooked to 165° F (73.9° C). Since the filling is usually pre-cooked, Chicken Pastel is ready as soon as the crust turns golden brown.
Other chicken recipes you may like
Did you make this recipe? I would love to know! Your feedback helps me make better recipes. Please rate, review, or comment below. Questions about this recipe are welcome, too!
Let's connect on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, TikTok, Twitter, and Youtube. Be sure to tag me when you try any of my recipes @recipesbynora!
📖 Recipe
Chicken Pastel
Equipment
- Sauté pan (or a shallow pot)
- 2 or 2.5-quart oven-safe dish
- Rolling pin or a glass with smooth sides
Ingredients
- 2 pounds chicken thighs, with or without the skin (see note)
- 1 Spanish/Mexican chorizo or chorizo de Bilbao ½-inch pieces
- 3 hotdogs or Vienna sausages ¾-inch pieces
- 8 ounces mushrooms (fresh or canned) cut in half, if big
- 8 ounces potatoes bite-sized pieces
- 6 ounces carrots bite-sized pieces
- ½ red bell pepper bite-sized pieces
- ½ green bell pepper bite-sized pieces
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 1 onion minced
- 6 garlic cloves minced
- ⅓ all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon chicken base or bouillon dissolved in 1 cup of water
- 1 teaspoon fish sauce
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 cup heavy cream (see note)
- ½ cup peas fresh or frozen
- 1 sheet puff pastry thawed, if frozen (see note)
- 1 egg lightly beaten
- Neutral oil for searing
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Season chicken with salt and pepper on both sides. Sear over medium-high heat in a small amount of oil, skin side down first, until lightly browned for 5 minutes on each side. Transfer to a plate and cut them into 1 ½-inch pieces when slightly cooled.
- Sear chorizo and hotdogs until lightly browned. Transfer to a plate.
- Sear mushrooms (skip if using canned) for a minute, adding more oil as needed.
- Add potatoes, carrots, and bell peppers. Cook them until they start to brown, about 3 minutes.
- Lower to medium heat, then add butter, onion, and garlic cloves. Sauté for about a minute. Season with salt and pepper.
- Sprinkle flour and mix.
- Add stock/broth (1 teaspoon base or bouillon dissolved in 1 cup of water), fish sauce, and bay leaf. Stir to dissolve the flour.
- Add the chicken, chorizo, hotdogs, heavy cream, and peas. Stir.
- When it comes to a simmer, slightly lower the heat. Cover and continue simmering for 5 minutes.
- Give it a taste and pick out the bay leaf. Transfer to an oven-safe dish.If you want to serve it without the pastry crust, cover and simmer longer until the chicken and vegetables are cooked. Add more water as needed.
- Preheat the oven to 400° F (204° C).On a lightly floured surface, roll out the pastry sheet about an inch larger than the size of your dish.
- Cover the filling completely with pastry crust, cutting off any excess. Seal the edges by pressing with your fingers. Cut slits on top to release the steam as it cooks and brush with egg wash (egg + water).
- Place on a baking sheet to catch any drippings, then bake at 400° F (204° C) for 30 minutes until golden brown.
Video
Notes
- Chicken thighs: I used boneless chicken thighs with some skin on them. You can also use bone-in cuts of chicken for more flavor. Chicken breast is lean but won't be as moist and flavorful.
- Cream: I used heavy cream, but light cream, half-and-half, or even milk will also work. Note that the higher the fat content, the less likely to curdle.
- Puff pastry: I used store-bought frozen puff pastry, a laminated dough that puffs up into crispy, flaky layers when baked. Pie crust, phyllo dough, or canned biscuits can also be used.
Anne B.
I love Chicken Pastel. My mom used to make it growing up. This one looks so delicious (love you, mom!). I’ll definitely make this.
Nora Rey
Hello Anne,
Great to hear that you love Chicken Pastel! It's always nice to have childhood memories associated with food. I'm sure your mom's recipe is amazing too. Let me know how it turns out when you make it!