Skip Traditional Chicken Pot Pie For This Flavorful Japanese-Inspired Casserole

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Nothing comforts like a chicken pot pie, and ladling the creamy filling into a casserole dish instead of a pie crust whips up an easy dinner for a weeknight when you need that comfort the most. Amp up the flavor without sacrificing ease by adding some boxed Japanese curry cubes. Japanese-style curry features a toasty blend of spices without too much chili heat. It's made velvety smooth with a savory and slightly sweet roux, and is right at home tucked under a crust made from a store-bought tube of biscuits or crescent rolls.

To make your curry, combine carrots, potatoes, and chicken stock with onions that have had a chance to sweat in a pot. Once the potatoes are soft, add in some shredded rotisserie chicken, or leftover meat from a roast. You could even make the stock for the curry from the stripped chicken's carcass with homemade chicken stock. Finish the casserole filling with some Japanese curry cubes, or S&B Golden Curry Sauce Mix. Once it's thick and fragrant, transfer it to a casserole dish, top with the pre-made, refrigerated dough, and cook in the oven until the casserole top is baked.

If you don't mind a few more minutes of prep or a couple extra ingredients, this Japanese curry chicken pot pie casserole can be taken even further. Kick up the aromatic stage with the addition of some garlic and ginger. Shredded apple or pear can be incorporated for sweetness. A little red wine adds some brightness and acidity. Drop in a few glugs of soy sauce for seasoning and deepening the umami flavor. And don't be afraid to raid your vegetable drawer. Cabbage, mushrooms, sweet potatoes; there aren't many veggies that are off limits here.

To customize further, play around with different protein sources like ground beef or turkey, or even cubed tofu for a vegetarian Japanese curry casserole. Leftover beef from smoked brisket lends an incredible smoky rich depth to the Japanese curry. And for the Sunday meal-preppers, spoon the curry into a batch of savory hand pies, and then throw them in the freezer for whenever you need a quick bite. See how easy it can be with the help of store-bought puff pastry sheets in this recipe for puffy, savory, sweet potato hand pies.