Sunday, February 28, 2010

Another Recipe From Rie

Homemade Chicken Pot Pie
I made this pot pie the other night and it literally fed our souls. You have to try this one. To save time, prepare the ingredients beforehand and store in the fridge until you are ready to throw it together. You can also make the filling ahead of time but you will need to heat it on the stove before topping it with dough.

Ingredients For Pie Filling:
1 recipe dough (see below)
1 1/2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts cut into bite-sized chucks
2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1 1/2 tbsp vegetable oil
1 medium-large onion, chopped fine
3 medium carrots, peeled and cut crosswise 1/4 inch thick
2 small celery ribs, cut crosswise 1/4 inch thick
salt and ground black pepper
1/2 stick (4tbsp) unsalted butter
1/2 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups milk
1/2 tsp dried thyme
3 tbsp dry sherry
3/4 cup frozen peas, thawed
3 tbsp minced fresh parsley leaves

Ingredients for Pie Dough:
1. Make pie dough and refrigerate it until ready to use:
*this is the same dough I use for my pies*
1 1/2 cups unbleached all purpose flour
1/2 tsp salt
4 tbsp veg shortening, chilled and cut into 1/4 inch pieces
8 tbsp (1 stick) cold unsalted butter cut into 1/4 inch pieces
3-4 tbsp ice water

Directions for Pie Dough:
1. Mix flour and salt in food processor. Scatter shortening over flour, cut into the flour with five 1-second pulses. Add butter and continue pulsing until flour is pale yellow and resemble coarse cornmeal. Turn mixture into medium bowl.
2. Sprinkle 3tbsp water over mixture. With rubber spatula, use folding motion to mix water in. Add 1tbsp more water until dough comes together. Shape dough into ball then flatten into 4inch disc, wrap with plastic wrap and refrigerate 30minutes or up to 2 days before rolling.


**When pie filling is ready, roll dough on floured surface, adding flour as needed. Roll into large enough shape to cover pot pie. You can cut off extra dough, but I prefer to fold it under into the pie filling......so delicious!

Directions for Pie Filling:
1. Oven set to 400, lower middle position.
2. Put chicken and broth in dutch oven over med heat. Cover, bring to simmer until chicken is just done (8-10 mins). Transfer to large bowl, reserving the broth in measuring cup.
3. Heat to med-high, add oil in now empty pan. Saute onion, carrots, celery until tender, about 5mins. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Transfer vegetables to bowl with chicken, set aside.
4. Heat butter over med heat in now empty pan. When foaming subsides, add flour, cook 1 min. Whisk in reserved chicken broth, milk, thyme and bring to simmer. Simmer until sauce fully thickens (~1min). Season with salt and pepper to taste and stir in sherry.
5. Pour sauce over chicken mixture and stir to combine. Stir in the peas and parsley, adjust seasonings to taste. (This mixture can be covered and refrigerated overnight; reheat before topping with pastry). Pour mixture into 13x9 baking pan. Top with pastry.
6. This step was not in the book but I do this for my pies to brown the tops: Whisk 1 egg white and brush on dough with pastry brush carefully. Make four slits for venting using very sharp knife.

Bake until pastry is golden brown and the filling is bubbling, 30 mins. Serve hot.

You will not regret the work put into this one! And though it may seem like a lot of steps, if you do what you can ahead of time it really comes together pretty darn quick.
**Original recipe from "The New Best Recipe" By Cook's Illustrated, my all time favorite cook book. I have yet to try a recipe from this book that has been a disappointment.

1 comment:

  1. Looks delightful! Now, the prep part doesn't look so delightful. So here's what I propose, you make it, I'll come pick it up! :) Sound good? ~Bean

    ReplyDelete