Chicken Pot Pie Deconstructed

Now that you have made Poached Chicken and Chicken Stock (see previous post)  you are ready to make James Beard’s Chicken Pot Pie.  Since the 1960’s I have tried many different recipes for this wonderful comfort dinner, but none have compared.  The only change I have made is to cook the pastry separately since I find the pastry is more crispy.

Also, this is a wonderful recipe to get children to eat their veggies!

Chicken Pot Pie

Ingredients:

4 to 5 cups cubed leftover cooked chicken
12 small white onions
2 carrots, cut in thin slices
1 cup peas
1 cup cubed potato
1 cup corn
1 clove garlic, crushed
¼ cup chopped parsley
2 cups chicken broth
3 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons flour
1 cup heavy cream, or milk
Salt and freshly ground pepper
½ teaspoon Tabasco
One sheet of Pepperidge Farm Puff Pastry
1 egg yolk blended with 1 tablespoon cream

Cook vegetables until just tender, about 8 minutes in the chicken
broth, seasoned with garlic and parsley.  Strain, reserving 1 cup of
the broth and remove the garlic.
Melt the butter in a saucepan or skillet, blend with the flour, and
cook several minutes.
Gradually stir in 1 cup of the broth and continue stirring till the
mixture thickens.  Cool slightly, stir in the cream or milk and season
with salt, pepper, and Tabasco.   Add the chicken and vegetables to
the sauce and cook over low heat, stirring occasionally for 30
minutes.
Open the sheet of pastry and cut along fold lines.  Cut in half
horizontally to make six portions.  Brush the pastry with the egg yolk
mixture and, if you wish, you may cut out pastry chickens with a small
cutter and place on top of the pastry “lids” and brush the chickens
with the yolk mixture.
Bake for 20 minutes in a 400° oven or until well puffed and golden.  ”
Serve in bowls topped with the pastry “lids”.

This is a great make-ahead recipe.  Simply reheat the chicken mixture
gently and reheat the pastry in a 300° oven.  The filling may also be
frozen. WATCH THE VIDEO