Chicken Pot Pie is easily one of the best comfort foods out there. This recipe creates individual servings that look elegant and difficult, but are easy and sure to please everyone. Most of us grew up eating the little frozen ones but this one is for the kid in all of us, just with a little more discerning taste. It’s creamy yet hearty with a flaky, buttery crust that finishes it off perfectly. This recipe can be adapted to use leftovers as well, just reduce the cooking times of the vegetables.
Why is a pot pie called a pot pie?
That’s a great question without a definitive answer. One would assume it’s because they were made in a pot, but in actuality they have been made many ways since Neolithic times. Sometimes in a pot, but sometimes a skillet or baking dish, sometimes over a campfire or even, during the Roman Empire, with a live bird cooked in that would fly out when the crust was broken. I’m so happy that we’ve moved beyond this culinary monstrosity and into something delicious.
What’s in pot pie?
A pot pie can have any type of meat or fish and any combination of vegetables – or no meat at all for our vegetarians out there. The common theme is a flaky buttery crust. Some pies have a top and bottom crust, some have just the top like this one. While beef and chicken are the most popular in the United States, this recipe can be made to suit your own particular tastes and available ingredients.
How do I make a chicken pot pie?
First, gather your ingredients: a large chicken breast, carrots, parsnips, onions, and celery and your spices – garlic, thyme and parsley. You’ll also need cream (or milk), a little flour, some soy sauce and most of all a pastry crust.
Start by preheating your oven to 450. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and then roll out your pastry crust. Lay your ramekin gently on the crust, and cut a circle in the pastry about 1/2″ bigger than the actual ramekin. Fold that 1/2 ” excess over on itself and crimp the edges together. Beat the egg and water together then give it a little brush with the egg wash.
Carefully lift the cut crust and lay it on the baking sheet. I use a kitchen scraper to help with this, but a large spatula would work just as well.
Cut in a few vent holes and then bake until the crust is a light golden brown and doesn’t look “raw”. Remove from the oven and set aside while you make the filling.
In a medium sauce pan, melt your butter, add all your vegetables (except the peas), and sauté until they’re soft and slightly browned. Don’t worry if there are little brown bits in the bottom of the pan – that will just add to the flavor. Stir in your spices and then the flour. Cook for about a minute or so.
Slowly add the cream, stock, and soy sauce and stir well, scraping up all those brown bits off the bottom of the pan. Add the chicken and bring to a simmer. Cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until the chicken reaches 160 degrees. Remove the chicken and shred with two forks.
While the chicken is resting, bring the temperature up to medium and cook the sauce for about 5 minutes or reduced to about 2 cups. Return the chicken to to sauce (including any juices that came out while shredding), add the peas and remove from the heat.
Divide the filling between 2 12-ounce ramekins and top with the parbaked crusts. Place the pies on a baking sheet and return to the oven. Bake until the crust is a deep golden brown and the filling is nice and bubbly. Let the pies rest for about 10 minutes, then enjoy!
Chicken Pot Pie for Two
Equipment
- 2- 12oz Ramekins
- Baking Sheet
- Medium sauce pan
Ingredients
- 1 pie crust refrigerated is fine, just bring to almost room temperature
- 1 egg + 1 Tbs water beaten
- 2 Tbs butter
- 1 carrot peeled and sliced ¼” thick
- 1 parsnip large, peeled and sliced ¼” thick
- 1 onion small, chopped fine
- 1 celery rib chopped ¼” thick
- ⅓ cup mushrooms sliced
- ¼ cup frozen peas
- ½ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp thyme dried - or use 1 tsp chopped fresh thyme
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 2 tsp parsley dried
- 3 Tbs AP flour
- 1 ¾ cup chicken stock
- ⅓ cup cream
- 1 tsp soy sauce
- 1 chicken breast boneless, skinless, and trimmed
- Salt & pepper to taste
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 450℉ with rack in the middle
- In a small bowl, beat the egg and water together to create an egg wash
- On a parchment-lined baking sheet, unroll pie pastry and cut crust to about ½ “ larger than a personal-size ramekin (12-ounce size)
- Fold over and crimp the ½” extra crust, cut a few vent holes, lightly brush with egg wash, and parbake until light golden brown and no longer raw looking, about 7-10 minutes and then set-aside
- In a medium saucepan over medium heat melt the butter. Add vegetables (except peas) and salt and sauté until vegetables are soft and slightly browned, about 9 minutes
- Stir in garlic, thyme, and parsley and cook until fragrant then stir in flour and cook for about 1 minute
- Slowly mix in cream, broth, and soy sauce,scraping the bottom of the pan to loosen any browned bits
- Add chicken to the mixture and bring to a simmer. Cover and cook on low heat for about 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally The internal temperature of the chicken should be 160℉
- Transfer the chicken to a plate and shred with two forks
- While the chicken is resting increase heat to medium and simmer for about 5 minutes until sauce is thickened and reduced to about 2 cups
- Remove from heat and add cooked and shredded chicken (with any juices) and peas to the pan. Add salt and pepper to taste
- Divide between ramekins and place crusts on top. Place on a baking sheet and bake until a bubbling and a deep golden brown, about 12 minutes.
- Let pies rest 10 minutes before serving
Notes
Nutrition
