Chicken Pot Pie

Years ago.... when I was still a young thing and living in Ontario with my family we used to go on Saturdays for dinner. In the 80's chicken pot pie seemed to always be on the menu and I imagine I tried it at every restaurant within a 100 km radius. It was one of my favourites in those days. I still enjoy it to this day but not on such a grand scale. This recipe is a combination of a couple of recipes that I have. In days gone by, when life was not as hectic, I would purchase a whole chicken and stew it in a pot to make homemade chicken stock. Not only was the stock flavourful but it provided the meat for the dish as well. This pie can be made on a weekday because it utilizes boneless chicken breasts and uses prepared stock. It will not be as flavourful as the homemade but it works in a pinch. Baking the chicken in the cream serves two purposes as well. It creates a very tender chicken and flavours the cream for the sauce. Talk about genius!

I use a puff pastry lid for the pie which is also a quick fix as well. You could certainly make your own crust and carry on from there.


**Chicken Pot Pie**

1 ½ - 2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts

1 cup heavy cream

4 carrots, peeled and thinly sliced

3 small red potatoes, cut in 1-in chunks

5 T unsalted butter

1 large yellow onion, chopped

¾ cup frozen green peas

5 T flour

1 cup chicken broth
¼ cup cognac or dry white wine

1 T dried tarragon

2 tsp fresh thyme (or 1 tsp dried)

1 tsp salt

½ tsp ground black pepper

2 frozen puff pastry sheets, thawed

1 egg

3 T water

1/4 cup shredded Parmigiano-Reggiano

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Place the chicken in a baking dish in a single layer. Pour the cream over the chicken and bake for 25-40 minutes, depending on the size of the chicken breasts. Remove the chicken from the cream, reserving the cream for the sauce. Once the chicken has cooled, cut it into 1 inch pieces.

Place the potatoes in a pot of cold water. Bring this to a boil. After 10 minutes, add the carrots and cook 5-10 minutes more until both the potatoes and carrots are fork tender. Drain and set the vegetables aside.

Melt the butter in a wide sauté pan, add the onions and cook until translucent. Sprinkle in the flour; stir and cook 5 minutes, but do not brown. Slowly add the broth to the onion mixture, whisking until the sauce smoothes out and thickens. Add the cream, cognac, tarragon, thyme, salt and pepper and cook 5 more minutes.

Add the chicken, potatoes, carrots and frozen peas to this sauce and mix gently. Pour mixture into a 2 quart casserole, soufflé dish, or large ramekins for individual pot pies.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Lay the thawed puff pastry sheets on a lightly floured, cool surface. Invert individual crocks on the pastry sheet and, using a sharp knife, cut circles around the outside of the bowls, slightly larger than the bowl itself. Fill the crocks 3/4 of the way with the chicken mixture, making sure each serving has a nice amount of chicken, vegetables, and broth. Carefully cap each crock with a pastry circle, pressing the dough around the rim to form a seal. Lightly beat the egg with 3 tablespoons of water to make an egg wash and brush some on the pastry. Sprinkle the pastry with the Parmigiano. Set the crocks on a cookie sheet and transfer to the oven. Bake for 20 minutes, until puffed and golden.

Serves 6.