Chicken Crescent Almondine (Pot Pies)
Delicious. I tried it as a pot pie instead of casserole. Freezes great and is a quick meal if made ahead.
Delicious. I tried it as a pot pie instead of casserole. Freezes great and is a quick meal if made ahead.
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 2/3 cup mayonnaise
- 1/2 cup celery chopped
- 1/2 cup slivered almonds
- 1 10.75-oz can condensed cream of chicken soup undiluted
- 2 tblspoons instant minced onions
- 3 cups chicken cubed cooked
- 1 8-oz can water chestnuts sliced
- 1 4-oz can mushroom drained, stems and pieces
- 1 8-oz tube refrigerated crescent rolls
- 2/3 cup swiss cheese or american cheese shredded
- 2 tblspoons butter or margarine
- Carbohydrate 17.40279625 g
- Cholesterol 169.2044 mg
- Fat 66.12155875 g
- Fiber 1.59979999877512 g
- Protein 17.83580875 g
- Saturated Fat 30.704581 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (235g)
- Sodium 864.6674 mg
- Sugar 15.8029962512249 g
- Trans Fat 4.780367375 g
- Calories 725 calories
Step-by-step
- In a large saucepan, combine soup, mayo, sour cream, and onion.
- Stir in chicken, water chestnuts, mushrooms, and celery; cook over medium heat until hot and bubbly.
- Por into ungreased 13 x 9 x 2 inch baking dish.
- Separate crescent dough into 2 rectangles, trimming to fit dish.
- Place dough over hot chicken mixture.
- For topping, combine cheese and almonds; sprinkle on dough.
- Drizzle with butter.
- Bake 375' for 20 - 25 minutes or until golden brown.
- Serve immediately.
- Yields 8 - 10
- I tried doing this as a pot pie in an aluminum tart pans ( 8 for $1.00 at store).
- It turned out great!
The Chemistry of the Creamy Base
Combining condensed cream of chicken soup with mayonnaise and sour cream creates a thermal emulsion stabilized by egg proteins and starches. As the mixture heats over medium, the dairy fats disperse evenly through the chicken and vegetables while the mayonnaise prevents the sour cream from curdling under direct heat. Water chestnuts introduce a crystalline structure of water and plant fiber that retains its crisp crunch even after absorbing surrounding moisture.
Pastry Placement and Lipid Browning
Refrigerated crescent dough contains laminated layers of fat that melt during baking, releasing steam to create distinct flakiness. Placing the dough directly over a hot 165-degree filling rather than a cold one prevents the bottom layer from becoming soggy by initiating immediate starch gelatinization. Brushing melted butter over the shredded Swiss cheese and slivered almonds encourages Maillard browning, yielding toasted nutty aromatics as the amino acids and sugars react under dry oven heat.
Individual Portions and Side Pairings
Baking the portions in small individual vessels reduces the total volume per container, meaning the filling reaches serving temperature in roughly 20 minutes rather than the standard casserole duration. Serve these rich, savory pastries alongside crisp, raw green vegetables tossed in an acidic vinaigrette to cut through the dense dairy fats and balance the palate.
