Spiced Pork Chili Pot Pie
By Emma
Certified Culinary Professional
•
Recipe tested & approved
Savory pork chili loaded with veggies simmered with spices, topped with cheesy tortillas creating a crispy crust. Red peppers, onion, and ground pork blended with cumin and smoked paprika for a smoky twist. Baked with melted cheese sealed in wheat tortillas. Hearty and warming, with a bit of sweet corn and tomato base. Rinsed kidney beans add texture and protein. Quick-prep dish, midweek comfort. Lean pork and simple pantry spices. Totally removable crust from traditional pie. Slightly altered cooking to tweak flavor and texture balance.
Prep:
20 min
Cook:
43 min
Total:
63 min
Servings:
6 servings
#pork
#chili
#pot pie
#chipotle
#comfort food
#baked
#tortilla crust
Red peppers dice in big chunks. Onion chunks follow. Sizzle begins in hot oil. Ground pork lambastes the skillet, falling apart into browning bits. Cumin joins chili powder, smoky chipotle sauce adds a fire kick, not just heat. Beans and corn thrown in, simmer thick and rich. Then all spooned into ramekins. Tortillas, briefly drenched in oily milk bath, folded over sharp cheddar. Topping the chili pots, a cheesy jacket locks flavors inside. Oven courses heat onward, edges crisp, cheese melts into golden blanket. Six portions of simple spicy comfort. No fuss, no mess. Nice flavors that punch through bold and balanced. Twist of cumin swaps out coriander. Chipotle sauce replaces ketchup for smoky warmth. Oil reduced just a tad. Cooking time extended slightly for deep melding. All assembled in quick steps. Big taste without overthinking.
Ingredients
- 2 1/2 red bell peppers, seeded and diced
- 1 medium onion, finely chopped
- 25 ml oil (1 1/2 tablespoons) vegetable
- 480 g lean ground pork
- 20 ml chili seasoning mix
- 5 ml (1 teaspoon) ground cumin
- 1 can 796 ml tomatoes diced
- 1 can 540 ml kidney beans, drained and rinsed
- 100 g (2/3 cup) frozen corn kernels
- 50 ml (3 1/2 tablespoons) smoky chipotle sauce
Crust
- 150 ml (2/3 cup) milk
- 35 ml (2 1/3 tablespoons) olive oil
- 6 wheat tortillas 20 cm (8 inch) diameter
- 180 g (6 oz) sliced cheddar cheese
About the ingredients
Quantities scaled down or up by about 30 percent to modify portions and intensify flavors slightly. Cumin swapped in, replacing coriander for earthier depth. Chipotle sauce substituted for traditional ketchup introducing smokier notes, less sweetness. Oil amount trimmed marginally for lighter crust texture without losing moisture. Cheddar cheese used instead of Swiss for sharper, melting quality. Milk to oil ratio adjusted for dips to balance wetness with crisping ability. Ground pork lean to reduce grease but maintain juiciness. Beans rinsed well to cut canned saltiness. Frozen corn chosen for fresh pop of sweetness. Ingredients organized to emphasize layered chili base with simple, handheld crust topping. No nuts or eggs to avoid allergens and simplify prep.
Method
Pork Chili
- 1. Preheat oven to 195 C (385 F). Position oven rack in middle.
- 2. Heat oil in large pot over medium-high heat. Add bell peppers and onion. Sauté until softened, about 6 minutes.
- 3. Add ground pork to pot. Stir and crumble with wooden spoon until beginning to brown, roughly 8 minutes.
- 4. Stir in chili seasoning and cumin. Cook 2 minutes, stirring.
- 5. Pour in diced tomatoes, kidney beans, corn, and chipotle sauce. Reduce heat to low.
- 6. Simmer uncovered until sauce thickens, around 20 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
- 7. Spoon chili evenly into six ramekins (375 ml each). Arrange on baking sheet.
Tortilla Crust
- 8. In a shallow dish, whisk together milk and olive oil.
- 9. Quickly dip tortillas into milk mixture to moisten without soaking.
- 10. Place cheese evenly over one half of each tortilla. Fold tortillas over cheese to form half-moons sealing in cheese.
- 11. Place tortilla crusts atop chili-filled ramekins, pressing down gently.
- 12. Bake for 18 minutes or until tortillas crisp and turn golden brown.
- 13. Remove from oven. Let cool 5 minutes before serving.
Cooking tips
Steps reorganized for clearer flow and realistic kitchen workflow. Start medium heat, soften veggies first. Then meat browns fully before spices. Spices cook longer to lift flavors, simmer sauce till thickened properly. Chili portioned into serving ramekins early for easy topping and baking. Tortillas dipped quickly in seasoned milk oil mix, just enough to soften and bind with cheese but not soggy. Cheese spread on one half of tortilla; folded to seal, trapping melted cheese inside the crisp shell. Baking time moved to 18 minutes, slightly longer, for perfect golden crisp. Cooling period important for setting crust. Serve straight from ramekins. Mix of short and longer steps to balance quick prep and final bake. Meat cooking time pulled 3-4 minutes longer for full browning. Total time shifted ±5 percent to reflect adjustments without rushing or drying out.
Chef's notes
- 💡 Start by softening peppers and onions well. Use medium-high heat. Avoid crowding pan or too low temperature or veggies steam not caramelize. Browning develops deep flavor base before adding meat.
- 💡 Ground pork needs full browning. Stir, crumble continuously so bits separate, cook roughly 8 minutes. Avoid pink patches to ensure cooked through and texture even. Adds savory richness that holds chili together.
- 💡 Spices not just tossed in. Add chili seasoning and cumin once pork starts browning. Cook spices 2 minutes stirring often to release aroma and toast flavors slightly. That step deepens smoky, earthy notes before liquids.
- 💡 Simmer chili uncovered to thicken sauce. Low heat, around 20 minutes. Stir occasionally. Lets moisture reduce, flavors meld, texture densify. Avoid rushed cooking or covered pot or the chili stays watery and bland.
- 💡 Dipping tortillas in milk and oil mix quick and shallow. Just moisten surface, no soggy soak. This softens enough to fold around cheese but keeps outer crisp in oven. Milk-oil ratio matters for texture balance.
- 💡 Folding tortillas half-moons traps cheese fully sealed. Spread cheese on one half only. Fold carefully without tearing tortilla. Cheese melts inside forming molten center, tortilla crisps outside forming sturdy crust.
- 💡 Baking time extended to 18 minutes at 195 C/385 F. Enough for golden crust. Edges should brown evenly. Watch rack position, middle works best for heat spread. Let cool 5 minutes after baking so cheese sets and cuts cleaner.
Common questions
Can I use another meat?
Yes lean ground beef works. Adjust cooking time slightly longer. Pork has milder, sweeter flavor. Beef gives richer taste. Avoid fattier cuts to skip greasy chili.
What if I don’t have chipotle sauce?
Use smoked paprika plus a dash of hot sauce instead. Or mild BBQ sauce mixed with chili powder. Ketchup can replace but reduces smoky note.
How to prevent soggy crust?
Dip tortillas briefly only. Drain excess milk-oil mix before folding. Bake on a rimmed tray to catch drips. Avoid overlapping tortillas when baking. Cool before cutting to firm up crust.
How to store leftovers?
Cover ramekins tightly with foil or plastic wrap. Refrigerate up to 3 days. Can freeze but tortillas soften. Reheat in oven for crisp. Microwave for speed but loses crispness. Adjust reheating time as needed.
