Weeknight Chicken Pot Pie

1.5 lbs of boneless, skinless chicken breast OR boneless, skinless chicken thighs

2 Cups chicken broth

1.5 to 2 Tbs vegetable oil

1 large yellow onion, chopped fine OR if you loath chopping onions, opt for 1 to 1.5 Cups frozen pearled onions that have been blanched just before preparing to cook full recipe

3 medium carrots, cut crosswise into ¼ inch thick pieces (You may choose to peel your carrots before cutting)

2 celery ribs, cut crosswise into ¼ inch thick pieces

Optional- 6 to 8 oz of mushrooms sliced ~¼ inch thick pieces (you may wish to use one type of mushroom or a mix. Oyster and crimini are excellent in this recipe.)

5 Tbs unsalted butter

½ to ⅔ Cup all-purpose flour

1.5 Cups milk (Whole milk adds an extra level of rich creaminess, but 2% works perfectly)

¾ to 1 Cup frozen peas, thawed just before preparing to cook

3 to 4 Tbs of fresh parsley, minced

½ tsp dried thyme

Optional: ground nutmeg (will use only a dash)

3 Tbs dry sherry

1 large egg

Salt and black pepper on hand to season to your personal taste

Frozen puff pastry sheets (Depending on the brand you choose and how you plan to bake your pot pie, you'll need to determine how many boxes of the frozen puff pastry sheets to buy.

Optional: Frozen deep dish pie crust if you wish to make your pot pie with a quick and easy base

For this recipe we are choosing to use frozen, store- bought puff pastry sheets and deep dish pie crust in order to make this dish quick and easy to prepare.

*The pot pie filling can be made ahead of time and stored in the refrigerator for a recommended maximum of 1 to 2 days, needing to be gently reheated on the stovetop before completing pot pie assembly to bake in the oven.

When you've set up your cooking stations for preparing ingredients for the first stovetop cooking stages be sure to move your oven rack to the middle position, set your oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit, and take ONLY the frozen puff pastry sheets out of the freezer to begin thawing. If you are choosing to include the deep dish frozen pie crust/base, it must remain frozen until you are ready to pour the prepared pot pie filling into it just prior to baking.

Heat vegetable oil in dutch oven over medium-high heat. Cook chicken breasts or thighs until they are browned on both sides and just cooked throughout. Chicken breasts will take longer to cook than chicken thighs so keep an eye on them to ensure you do not overcook the meat. Chicken breasts, depending on size, can take anywhere from 8 to 10 min. You may wish to cut into the thickest part of the chicken breast to check for doneness. Once chicken is fully cooked, transfer meat to a large bowl to cool.

In now empty dutch oven or pan you may need to add an additional tablespoon of oil if you see that you've cooked off most of the oil. Add chopped onions, carrots, and celery making sure to stir in gently to distribute the oil over the ingredients. Saute until the carrots are just tender enough to cut through with gently pressure from a wooden spoon, about 5 to 8 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer cooked vegetables to a large bowl and set aside and turn off stovetop heat.

When the cooked chicken is cooled enough to handle you can choose to shred or chop the chicken. I often shred the chicken by hand, which allows me to remove any tough pieces I feel as well as create rough, nicely sized pieces that the pot pie sauce will really cling to. When finished, set aside.

In the empty Dutch oven or pan, heat butter over medium heat until the butter foams and the foaming is settling. Add flour and incorporate fully using a silicon or soft rubber spatula- this should only take about 1 minute. Whisk in the chicken broth, milk, and thyme. Bring to a simmer, stir gently for 1 to 2 minutes as the sauce begins to thicken. Use a clean soup spoon and taste the sauce to determine if you would like more salt or black pepper added. Stir in the dry sherry, fully incorporating it into the sauce.

Carefully add your chicken and vegetables into the sauce and gently fold and stir the ingredients together. Add the thawed peas and parsley, gently stirring them into the mixture to ensure even distribution throughout.

Regardless of the base/vessel you choose to use for baking your pot pie in, be sure to avoid adding fill to the top rim of the ramekin, baking dish,or pie crust/base. When the pot pie(s) are baking they can easily simmer over the edges and spill down the sides of your dish- not the end of the world if this happens!

Pour the pot pie filling or use a large ladle to spoon the pot pie filling into the crust/base or shallow baking dish or ramekin you've chosen to use. Top with puff pastry.If using a frozen deep dish pie crust, remove from freezer just before you are ready to bake.

Baking dish option: If using a shallow baking dish, gently place fully thawed puff pastry sheets over the top of your pot pie. Trim overhanging dough if needed, allowing for ~½ inch over the baking dish lip. Do not worry if the puff pastry does not reach the edge of your baking dish- the pot pie will bake just fine and be delicious.

Ramekin option: If using large ramekins, use a ramekin as a template, pressing the open mouth of the ramekin into the thawed puff pastry to cut out the proper size for your individual pot pies. Frozen boxed puff pastry often contains 2 ready to bake sheets and with my largest sized ramekins I can cut out 2 round pot pie tops per sheet with plenty of excess left over to create another less attractive pot pie top crust.

Whisk egg with ½ tsp of water in a small dish. Use pastry brush or your fingers to gently coat the puff pastry top(s) of your pot pie(s). You may wish to crack a very small bit of black pepper or ground nutmeg over the top center of the egg-washed puff pastry top before placing the pot pie(s) on a rimmed baking sheet (lined with aluminum foil is optional if you are worried about bubbling over and clean up) and placing in oven. Be sure to cut four small vent holes in the center of each pot pie using a knife. Vent holes should measure about an inch in length.

Bake time varies depending on the size of the pot pie your are baking. Large pies can take approximately 30 to 35 minutes while smaller pies tend to take ~25 minutes. The puff pastry should be golden brown when ready to pull from the oven. When the pies are pulled from the oven, allow to rest for ~5 minutes before serving. The pot pie filling will be extremely hot and the puff pastry help to trap heat well after removing from the oven. Enjoy!

Page footer