Individual Southwestern Chicken Pies

The holidays are over and my work schedule seems to be insane, even though I still work the same three shifts per week I always did.  Either way, cold weather is setting in and I feel the need to stock my freezer with precooked meals so the men in my life can eat well-balanced suppers when I'm not home in the evenings.  These chicken pies are adorable (I mean, who doesn't like food that looks like a cupcake), freeze well, transport well, and pack loads of veggies into one portion!  What more could you ask for?  Oh wait!  They're the perfect marriage between chicken pot pie and a loaded burrito...two family favorites at my house!  I just know you'll enjoy them as much as we do!

For the filling:

1/2 cup red onion, diced

1/2 cup red bell pepper, diced

1/2 cup frozen corn kernels

1/2 cup black beans, drained and rinsed

1 tablespoon fresh garlic, minced

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon minced cilantro

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

1 1/2 cups chicken stock

1/2 cup sour cream

2 tablespoons flour

8 ounces cooked chicken, shredded

1 1/2 cups shredded pepper jack cheese, divided

1 tablespoon lime juice

salt and pepper to taste

For the crust:

3/4 cup flour

2/3 cup cornmeal

1 tablespoon minced jalapeno

1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

zest of 1 lime

1 cup milk

1 egg

1/4 cup vegetable oil

salsa

Preheat oven to 425 with a 6-cup jumbo muffin pan inside.

For the filling, sweat onion, bell pepper, corn, beans, garlic, cumin, and cilantro in 1 tablespoon oil in a large saute pan over medium heat, about 5 minutes.  Combine the stock and sour cream.  Whisk 2 tablespoons flour into the vegetable mixture to coat, then whisk in the sour cream mixture and cook until slightly thickened, about 5 minutes.  Stir in chicken, 1 cup of the cheese, and lime juice.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.

For the crust, whisk 3/4 cup flour, cornmeal, jalapeno, baking powder, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and zest in a bowl.  Stir in milk, egg, and 1/4 cup oil and combine well.

Scoop 1/3 cup cornmeal batter into each well of the hot pan.  Bake 5 minutes.  Scoop 1/2 cup filling into center of cornbread in each well and bake 20 minutes more.  Sprinkle remaining cheese evenly over pies and bake until melted, about 5 minutes.  Let pies stand 5 minutes, then run a knife along the edges to release and serve with salsa on the side.

Serves 6.

Recipe adapted from Cuisine at Home, March/April 2014.