The Filipino version of the American Chicken Pot Pie, Chicken Pastel is chicken that is cooked in thick cream or milk sauce with vegetables. Some restaurants offer it with a crust on top, but because we Filipinos are suckers for rice, most people simply do away with the crust and serve pastel as a separate dish with steaming rice.
Ingredients:
1/3 kilo chicken breast, cut into bite-sized cubes
About 3 tbsp soy sauce
Small can of Carnation evaporated milk
Grated cheese (optional)
Bacon, fried and cut into tidbits (optional)
A clove of garlic, crushed and chopped
1 small onion, chopped
A tbsp of butter
1 small carrot, diced
1 small potato, diced
1/8 cup mushrooms, sliced
About 1/4 cup water
Salt and pepper to taste
Directions:
1. Marinade the chicken in soy sauce for about 20 minutes.
2. Saute the onion and garlic in butter.
3. Add the chicken and saute until slightly brown.
4. Add water and simmer for about 15 minutes in low heat.
5. Add carrots, potato and mushroom and simmer until the carrot and potato become soft.
6. Pour in the milk and simmer for about 5 minutes in low heat, or until sauce thickens. Remember to stir occasionally to keep the milk from sticking to the pan.
7. Add salt and pepper to taste.
8. The succeeding steps are optional:
– Once cooked, place chicken pastel in an small baking dish and top with grated cheese. Bake in the oven until cheese melts.
– Top with fried bacon tidbits (pampa-high blood!)
*Serves 2-3 persons.
