There is a saying that one should never shop when hungry. Man, do I wish stores had that in big letters above all the aisles or at least going into the store. “Beware: Entering this store while hungry will cause you to buy lots of things you could have done without.”
All I can say is that it’s a good thing I know how to cook and have a wicked strong will. OK, so maybe the part about the strong will was a little over the top.
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“I like to use boneless, skinless thighs because dark meat tends to stay moister when cooked for longer periods.”
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Anyway, I was shopping at Sam’s club the other day and they had Marie Callender’s chicken pot pies on sale. They looked so good, but they came in eight packs and there was no way they would fit in my freezer, thank goodness. Instead, I did the next best thing, or best thing depending on how you look at it. I picked up the ingredients I wanted to include to make it myself. Yes, it meant a little more work than turning on the stove and baking it, but on the plus side, I could add all the ingredients and flavors I wanted. You’ll notice the emphasis on the I. As always, you should do the same. Use this as a guide and add the ingredients you like, especially when it comes to the veggies.
Just a few quick things to consider: First, don’t get intimidated because it’s a pie. It’s basically stew baked in a piecrust. For this, I’m using puff pastry dough, so you don’t even have to make it from scratch. I do pre bake the inside shell dough so it does cook all the way, which means you will be crimping the top crust only for looks and not to the bottom to seal it.
I like to use boneless, skinless thighs because dark meat tends to stay moister when cooked for longer periods. Lastly, I like to make the roux separately and thicken the sauce in another pan, adding it back into the pie instead of dusting the ingredients with flour before adding the stock. I think it’s easier to get the smooth thickness I want, but that’s up to you. Try it out and enjoy.
Chicken Pot Pie
For a 9-inch pie
2 pieces of thawed puff pastry dough
1 egg, beaten
1 lb. chicken meat, cut in chunks
1 T oil
1 potato, small diced
1 carrot, sliced in ½-inch rounds unless carrot is thick, then cut in half lengthwise before slicing
2 celery sticks, sliced in ½-inch pieces
4-5 mushrooms, sliced thick
¼ bag frozen peas
¼ bag frozen pearl onions
Flowerets from 1 broccoli stock
¼ C sherry
1 C chicken stock
2 T poultry seasoning
1 T dry basil
Salt and pepper to taste
1 stick butter
2 T flour
Roll out one piece of dough large enough to line the pie pan to just overlapping. Cut excess dough and fork the dough in the pan with lots of holes so it won’t puff up too much. Bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 20 minutes or until golden and let cool.
Roll out the other piece of dough to a size that will just overlap the pie top, not forking any holes, and then let it sit in the refrigerator while you make the filling. Save all the leftover dough pieces.
Blanch the potatoes and broccoli, cooling them off under cold water immediately, then strain. Brown the chicken in the oil using a large, deep skillet and then set aside on a plate. In the same skillet, sauté the mushrooms in 2 T butter. Once cooked through, add the sherry and reduce liquid by half. Add the carrots and sauté for 1 minute before adding the celery. Sauté for 1 minute and add the chicken stock and herbs. Let simmer on low boil while you make a roux.
Melt 1 T butter in a pan and add 1 T flour. Cook lightly, not letting it brown. Pour some of the liquid into the roux and stir until smooth and thick before returning it to the stew. Repeat if it needs more thickness. It should heavily coat the back of a spoon.
Add all the ingredients into the stew and season with salt and pepper. If you are making this for the next day, let the filling cool before adding into the pie. Cover with the top crust and crimp the edges up and cut a few steam wholes. Brush with the beaten egg.
Bake at 400 degrees Fahrenheit with the pie on the middle shelf and a drip sheet pan on the lower shelf. Cook for about 40 to 50 minutes until the crust is golden and the filling is bubbling. If cooking cold, then you might have to cover the edges with foil if they start getting too dark.
Smitty is a personal chef specializing in dinner parties, cooking classes and special events. Trained under Master Chef Anton Flory at Top Notch Resort in Stowe, Vt., Smitty is known for his creative use of fresh ingredients. To read archived copies of this column, visit chefsmitty.com or TheTahoeWeekly.com. Contact him at tmmsmitty@gmail.com or (530) 412-3598.
