Individual Smoked Turkey Mini-Pot Pies

I’m not lying when I say this is the first time I can describe food as adorable.  I was shocked at how these turned out.  I think I saw a picture of some mini pot pies, and I thought, well, those would be great for kids – I’ll try those out.  Little did I know that they were going to be as wonderful as they turned out to be.

Let me back up. These wonderful mini Smoked Turkey Pot Pies are, of course, leftovers from a 20 pound smoked turkey.  I made a regular pot pie with the leftovers and doubled the filling (I know that sounds somewhat planned and organized, but it was actually very accidental.  I did NOT realize how little filling you actually need for a potpie).

Well, instead of throwing the filling away, or running out to get MORE pie crusts and having an overabundance of turkey pot pies, I decided to throw the filling in a container, label it and freeze it for a rainy day.  The regular pot pie was good – tasty, flaky – just yummy in general.  But I had a few problems with it.

Miniature Turkey Pot Pies

A.  I like pie crusts.  And with the a regular turkey pot pie, you don’t get very much of it.

B. The filling (a.k.a. VEGETABLES) leaked out immediately on my boys’ plates and they freaked.  Casseroles are a bit of a nightmare for my eldest child, and seeing all those foods mixed together was not his idea of a yummy dinner.

C. The pictures we took of the potpie did not turn out as good as we hoped.

So, we go to plan B.

Pot Pies made with Leftover Smoked Turkey

I defrosted the filling, bought 1 package of pie crust and went to work on trying to recreate these mini pies I had once seen in a picture.  I sprayed a muffin pan with Pam before starting, and then got out my defrosted pie crusts.

I used the rim of a large class to cut out the circular shape for the bottom portion of the pot pie.  I must admit, as I did this, I began getting nervous. The crust was not fitting perfectly into the muffin, and I started to wonder if this was really going to work.  But after a little finagling, and smashing, the crust smoothed out – enough.

I made mine so they were just under the top of the muffin pan.  In retrospect, I should have made them so they were right ABOVE the muffin pan.  Lesson learned.  So, use a bigger rimmed cup than you originally think you should.  Maybe a large mouthed wine glass?  And while you have the glass out…just saying….

Four Pot Pies with Garnish

After the bottom of the pies had been laid, I scooped some filling inside each.  Then for the top pie crust I used the same cup and cut out the top.

I made a yolk wash (1 scrambled egg and a little milk) and brushed the top of each potpie with it.  Then I CAREFULLY cut a few slits in each pie with a very  sharp knife, to let the steam escape when they started cooking.

That’s about it.  These would be ADORABLE for a baby/wedding shower, a heavier appetizer, or just a fun dinner.  AND…the vegetables don’t pour out, which is a big win for us.  Not to mention the fact that the each one is a single serving – every child knows how much they have left to finish.

These will definitely be a new favorite in our house!  By the way, you can check out this recipe for making turkey tetrazzini with leftover smoked turkey for more ways of getting rid of the last of your Thanksgiving bird!

Individual Smoked Turkey Pot Pies

Mini Smoked Turkey Pot Pies are not as hard as they look! Yummy, easy and affordable - this is a must do!
Prep Time 45 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 1 hour
Course Main Course
Cuisine American
Calories 396 kcal

Ingredients
  

  • 3 tbn butter divided
  • 2 tbn flour
  • 1 cup of smoked chicken broth or regular chicken broth.
  • 1 package of frozen pie crusts
  • 1 cup of onions
  • 1 cup of celery
  • 1 cup of carrots
  • 1 cup of potatoes could use leftover grilled potatoes...hmm...that would be fun.
  • 1 cup frozen peas
  • 1 cup leftover smoked turkey
  • 1 cup of milk
  • 1 tsp of salt
  • 1/2 tsp of pepper
  • 2 tsp of parsley

Instructions
 

  • (this makes a DOUBLE batch of filling fyi).
  • Melt the butter in a large skillet. Add onions, carrots, celery, potatoes and let cook until they soften.
  • In another sauce pan, melt another tablespoon of butter and add turkey. Then add the flour and stir well. Once it's incorporated, add the milk and the smoked chicken broth. Let the sauce thicken up.
  • Combine the two mixtures into one and there's the filling.
  • Spray the muffin pans before putting the crust into the pan.Take your thawed pie crust and cut into large circles that will fit into a muffin pan. Gently press the mini pie crust into each muffin mold. You may have to stretch slightly and move things slightly...just try not to rip it at all. And if you do rip it, you can take it out use a rolling pin and start over. Not a big deal.
  • Fill the muffin molds with the turkey mixture. Lay the top layer of pie crust on top of the mixture. You can either pinch the sides together, or use a fork bind the edges.
  • Make sure to cut a few slits on the top of each pie to let steam escape. You can do anywhere between 2 to 4.
  • Brush the top of each muffin with an egg wash - which is just one egg scrambled with some milk. I use a silicon brush to apply this wash.
  • Bake at 350 degrees for about 25 minutes - or until the top of each muffin is slightly golden brown. You will see some bubbling as well. Let them cool for at least 5-10 minutes, then use a skinny spatula to get each pot pie out. I cut some green onion to top each one with!
  • I would tell you the next step would be to enjoy it, but it is impossible not to.
Keyword Leftover Smoked Turkey Recipe

2 thoughts on “Individual Smoked Turkey Mini-Pot Pies

  1. I often use this to feed dozens of disadvantaged a great Sunday breakfast (brunch) and it works well.
    I change it by eliminating the crust, cook it in a two in hotel pan and add drop biscuits on top, totally covering the pan. They rise and brown and absorb a bit of the juice. Honey butter on the side and this is a damned fine meal. Use plenty of fresh thyme. People line up for seconds while the firsts are still being served. Thanks

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