Thai Coconut Chicken Galette (Gai Ob Kati Pan Pie)

About This Recipe

This dish takes the flavors of Thai coconut-braised chicken -- galangal, ginger, garlic, coconut milk, and a touch of palm sugar -- and folds them into a rustic pan pie format more familiar to home bakers, with a buttery crust baked over a savory coconut filling in a single skillet. It's not a traditional Thai dish, but an honest fusion built on real Thai braising technique: chicken thighs are browned first, then simmered slowly in coconut milk with aromatics until the sauce reduces to a thick, fragrant gravy. The technique that matters most is reducing the coconut braise until it's thick enough to hold its shape under a pie crust -- if it's too loose, the crust goes soggy. Ginger and galangal (or extra ginger if galangal isn't available) go in early so they mellow, while a squeeze of lime at the end keeps the richness in check. Baked until the crust is deep golden and the filling bubbles at the edges, this is comfort food that borrows Southeast Asian aromatics for a Western pastry format -- good for using up leftover braised chicken too.

Ingredients

Serves 6

• 600 gboneless chicken thighs(cut into chunks)
• 2 tbspoil
• 1onion(diced)
• 4 clovesgarlic(minced)
• 1 tbspfresh ginger(grated)
• 1 tspgalangal(grated, or extra ginger)
• 1 cancoconut milk(400ml)
• 2 tbspfish sauce
• 1 tbsppalm sugar
• 1lime(juiced)
• 1 sheetpuff pastry(thawed)
• 1egg(beaten, for egg wash)
• 0.25 cupcilantro(chopped)

Instructions

1. 1

   Brown the chicken

   Heat oil in an oven-safe skillet over medium-high. Brown chicken chunks 4-5 minutes, then remove and set aside.

2. 2

   Build the braise

   In the same skillet, cook onion 5 minutes until soft, then add garlic, ginger, and galangal, stirring 1 minute until fragrant.

3. 3

   Simmer the filling

   Return chicken to the pan with coconut milk, fish sauce, and palm sugar. Simmer uncovered 20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until thick enough to coat the back of a spoon.

4. 4

   Finish and cool slightly

   Stir in lime juice and let the filling cool for 10 minutes so it doesn't melt the pastry.

5. 5

   Top with pastry

   Preheat oven to 200C/400F. Drape puff pastry over the filling in the skillet, tucking edges down against the sides. Brush with egg wash and cut 2 vents.

6. 6

   Bake

   Bake 20-25 minutes until the pastry is deep golden and puffed. Rest 5 minutes, scatter with cilantro, and serve straight from the skillet.

Variations

• •

  Use shrimp instead of chicken and reduce the braise time to 8 minutes.

• •

  Make individual hand pies with the same filling in puff pastry squares.

• •

  Add a diced red bell pepper to the braise for color and sweetness.

Storage

Refrigerate covered up to 3 days. Reheat in a 180C/350F oven for 10-12 minutes to recrisp the pastry; microwaving will make it soggy.

Frequently Asked Questions