Chicken pot pies are not exclusive to cold weather or winter mealtimes. They are homey pockets of comfort fit for any weeknight dinner, and even elegant entertaining. When I’m having dinner guests, I look to a main course that serves more than one purpose so that I not in the kitchen all night while my friends drink all of the wine. This recipe comes together in one pot, and as long as you have the mise en place all good to go- it’s a pleasantly quick preparation. Each serving offers the meat, vegetables, sauce and starch that would otherwise mean cooking 3 to 4 separate dishes.
You’ll likely be surprised at the abundance of flavor in the filling, which comes from taking care to caramelize the veggies in the first step, and using freshly ground black pepper. If you prefer a lighter crust then feel free to use standard pastry for the top, but rest assured that the flaky richness and volume of the puff is what gives the dish its awesome presentation.
If you’re cooking for two, you can freeze the extra filling and use it on another occasion. It also makes a delicious base for chicken and dumplings, or a simple chicken soup when some white wine and additional stock are poured on in.
Here's the recipe:
Chicken Pot Pie
1 medium red onion, chopped
4 carrots, peeled and chopped
5 celery stalks, chopped
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 tablespoons butter
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon garlic powder
3 tablespoons all purpose flour
2 bay leaves
32 ounces chicken stock
½ cup heavy cream
1 can peas, drained
Meat of 1 rotisserie chicken, or 3 large chicken breasts cooked and shredded
2 tablespoons fresh flat leaf parsley, chopped
3 sheets puff pastry, thawed
1 egg with 1 tablespoon water, whisked together
2 tablespoons grated parmesan cheese
Makes 6 pot pies.
In a large pot, sauté onion, carrot and celery in butter and olive oil for 8-10 minutes over medium-high heat, until soft and beginning to caramelize. Season with salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Sprinkle the flour over and stir to combine, cook for about 2 minutes. Add the chicken stock, one cup at a time and bring to a boil.
Stir in the shredded chicken, peas, parsley and the bay leaves. Cover and reduce heat to low; simmering for about 10 minutes to allow the flavors to come together.
In the meantime, preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Roll out the puff pastry and place your ramekin, top side down on one of the sheets. Cut around the ramekin with a knife, leaving ½ inch around the outside so pastry can be pressed over the edge. Repeat to create 6 rounds of pastry, lay them out on a cookie sheet, cover with a damp towel and place in the fridge to chill.
Remove the bay leaves and divide the filling equally among 6 large (16 ounce) ramekins. Lay a piece of pastry over the top of each, pressing the sides down around the rim and brush with egg wash, sprinkle lightly with the parmesan.
Bake for approximately 25-30 minutes, or until pastry is puffed and golden brown. Allow to cool for 5 minutes upon removing from the oven. Garnish with a sprinkle of parsley and serve.
This article appears in May 27 – Jun 2, 2009.