Chicken Pot Pie
Definitely not the Chicken Pot Pie from my childhood
Growing up, from time to time we would have those chicken pot pies that came in little individual aluminum pie tins. You’d think we’d died and gone to heaven, we loved them so much. This is an updated and very indulgent recipe that will just make you smile as you devour it. Once you use buttery puff pastry, you’ll never go back. This recipe will make two, big chicken pot pies. It is easily adaptable to make as many as you need. You can bake it in whatever vessel you choose, be it big mugs like the ones I have pictured, ramekins, small shallow baking dishes or one big pan. You can certainly make your own puff pastry or pie crust from scratch, but I love the ease of store bought. If you’re running short on time, you can also use store bought cream of chicken soup in place of the homemade sauce.
1 Large Skinless/Boneless Chicken Breast
2 Large Carrots- Peeled & Sliced
2 Medium Size Russet Potatoes- Peeled & Cubed
1 Cup Frozen Peas
3 Cups Milk (whatever you prefer)
Chicken Bouillon Cubes or Base to season milk
3 TBsp Cornstarch
1/2 Sheet of Pre-Made Puff Pastry (you can also use pre-made pie crust)
Salt & Pepper
Take your puff pastry out of the freezer and remove it from the package. If you’re just making two pot pies, remove one of the sheets and put the other one back in the freezer. If you’re making one big pie, use an entire sheet, but cut it into four pieces to drape over the top. After about ten minutes it should be soft enough to unfold and you can cut it in half. Put the other half back in the freezer for use on a later day.
Preheat your oven to 400 degrees. Peel your potatoes and carrots. Cut the potatoes into small cubes and slice the carrots. Put the potatoes in a small saucepan and cover with cold water. Cook over medium heat. When the potatoes have about five minutes left until they’re soft add in the carrots to cook. While your potatoes are cooking, start your sauce.
In a large skillet add the milk (minus 1/4 cup) and bouillon. Follow the instructions on the package as to how much you should use. Mix the reserved 1/4 cup milk with the cornstarch in a small bowl. This will be your sauce thickener. Stir until smooth then add into your sauce, whisking until it is incorporated. Cook over medium heat, whisking often. It will slowly start to thicken, make sure you scrape the bottom and sides of your pan as the cornstarch will stick to those places.
Check your puff pastry, it should be soft by now. Flour your counter lightly and roll the sheet out with a rolling pin. you want to make it just a bit thinner than it was originally. Cut it in half so you have two equal sized pieces. Lay them on plastic wrap or parchment and pop them into the fridge until you’re ready to use them.
Trim any excess fat or cartilage from your chicken breast then slice into thin, bite size pieces. Add them to your sauce and stir occasionally. Drain the water from your potatoes and carrots once they’re both soft. Once the chicken is cooked, add the potatoes, carrots and frozen peas. Cook for a minute or two then portion the mixture into individual mugs, ramekins or cooking dishes.
Remove your puff pastry from the fridge and place over the top of your filled dishes. I like to barely wet the edges of the dish, so the puff pastry will cling to it when I press it down. Cut a couple holes in the center of the puff pastry with a knife to let hot air escape during the cooking process. Place your dishes on a baking sheet and cook for twenty minutes. Remove from the oven and let sit for a few minutes before digging in, they will be super hot. Enjoy!
