Wednesday, September 18, 2013

Chicken Pot Pie

Crust:
1 ½ C flour
1/4 t salt
7 T unsalted butter, chilled
5 T ice water

Combine flour and salt in a large bowl; cut in butter with a pastry blender or 2 knives until mixture resembles coarse meal. Add ice water; stir just until moist. Press mixture gently into a 5-inch circle; cover with plastic wrap. Chill 15 minutes. Roll dough into a 12 x 8-inch rectangle on a lightly floured surface. Chill dough until ready to use.

Filling:
2 T unsalted butter
1 C chopped carrot
1/2 C chopped onion
1 t chopped fresh thyme
3 C chicken broth
2 1/3 C cubed red potato
1/3 C flour
1/3 C water
2 C diced cooked chicken
1 C frozen petite peas
1/2 t salt
1/4 t freshly ground black pepper
Cooking spray
2 t milk

Preheat oven to 400°. Melt teaspoons butter in a Dutch oven over meduim-high heat. Add carrot, onion, and thyme; cook 8 minutes or until vegetables are soft. Add broth and potato; bring to a boil. Cover and simmer 10 minutes. Combine flour and water in a small bowl; stir with a whisk until smooth. Return potato mixture to a boil. Slowly drizzle flour mixture into potato mixture, stirring constantly. Cook until mixture thickens. Stir in chicken, peas, salt, and pepper. Spoon chicken mixture into an 11 x 7-inch glass or ceramic baking dish coated with cooking spray.

Place dough on top of chicken mixture, pressing to edge of dish. Cut 4 slits in top of crust to allow steam to escape. Gently brush crust with milk. Bake at 400° for 50 minutes or until golden and bubbly. Let stand 10 minutes.

Serves 8 (serving size: about 1 1/2 cups)