Recipe: Chef Ernest Reynoso Gala's Chicken Pie

MANILA, Philippines — Do you love Chicken Pie and want to try making it with your own hands?

Here is a recipe from Chef Ernest Reynoso Gala of GalaStars Culinary School. It was featured at the fifth cooking workshop titled "Cozy Cooking for the Rainy Days" put together by Samsung Digital Appliance held at the state-of-the-art kitchen laboratory of Chef Ernest, who personally handled the class.

This Chicken Pie is the type that you bake in a ramekin without crust, adding only a layer of mashed potato with cheese on top to seal in the chicken filling and then torching it for a golden finish.

Ingredients:

500 grams cooked instant mashed potato

1/4 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper

2 cups cooked chicken breast, chopped*

1/2 cup chopped button mushrooms

2 tbsps. chopped fresh basil leaves

1 can cream of mushroom soup

1 cup grated quickmelt cheese

For the chopped chicken breast:

500 grams chicken breasts, pounded to flatten evenly

1/2 cup oil or melted salted butter

Procedure: 

1. Cook instant mashed potato according to package direction. Let cool.

2. Make the topping. In a bowl, combine mashed potato, salt and cayenne pepper. Mix until well combined. Set aside.

3. Prepare the chicken. Place pounded chicken breasts in oven-proof dish. Drizzle oil or melted butter over them. Set Samsung Smart Oven on Microwave+Grill function and cook for 4 minutes. Invert chicken and cook the other side on Microwave+Grill function for another 4 minutes. Remove from oven, let cool, then chop.

4. For the filling, combine chopped chicken breast, button mushrooms, basil and cream of mushroom soup in a bowl.

5. Mix until well blended.

6. Scoop equal amounts of chicken filling into four ramekins.

7. Divide the mashed potato among the four ramekins. Press down lightly to even out the surface and seal the edges.

8. Sprinkle top with grated quickmelt cheese.

9. Set Samsung Smart Oven to Microwave+Convection mode (180°C) and cook for 4 minutes. Press Grill mode and cook for another minute to further melt the cheese and lightly brown it. Remove from oven.

10. For even browning of top, use cooking torch until burnt spots appear.

11. Garnish with sprigs of fresh basil leaves. Serve while