Sundays in the Kitchen: Chicken Pot Pie

Sunday, March 8, 2015

Chicken Pot Pie

I love roasting a chicken because of all the things you get to do with it afterwards... stock, soup, pot pie, sandwiches, etc. Today, let's talk pot pie.

Crust:

2 1/2 c. flour
1 tsp. salt
2 sticks cold butter
~ 1/2 c. ice water

Filling:

1 white potato - peeled and diced
3 cipolline onions - chopped
1 c. mixed vegetables
1/3 c. butter
1/2 c. flour
1/2 c. milk
2 c. chicken - cooked and shredded
2 c. stock
Salt and pepper to taste

You can begin this a couple days in advance since you can leave the pastry dough in the refrigerator for up to two days. But you need to at least give yourself an hour for the dough to rest in the refrigerator.

Combine flour and salt, then add butter cut into chunks. Using a pastry cutter, but the butter into the dry ingredients.

Once the butter is about the size of large peas, begin to add the ice water. Only do a tablespoon or two at a time. Continue cutting the ingredients together and adding the water until, once you press it between your fingers, it stays together.

Dump the dough onto a clean surface. Divide into two equal portions.

Knead dough just enough to create a firm disc, then wrap in cling wrap and place in fridge for at least 1 hour, up to two days.

When you are ready to create the crusts, take one disc at a time out of the fridge and roll out to a 10 inch round. Place the first round into a greased and floured 9 inch pie dish.

Now, on to the filling!

Boil diced potato until you can pierce them with a fork. Melt butter in a sauté pan and then add chopped onions. I use cipolline onions because of their smell after they have been cooked in butter. It increases the anticipation of the finished product.

Cook onion until tender then add flour. Mix thoroughly then add stock and milk. Simmer until thickened. Thickening took me about 7 minutes. Add vegetables, potatoes, and chicken. Taste test then add salt and pepper until satisfied.