Chicken Pot Pie
Chicken pot pie was a tavern classic at The Perfect Wife. There we served it in a bread boule topped with creamy mashed potatoes. Later during the pandemic, I crusted the pie with the mashed potatoes on top and sold them by the dozen. This is one of my most-requested dishes every winter! You also can make this pot pie with turkey, swapping sage for the dried basil.
Ingredients
- 2½ cups pulled cooked chicken
- 8 tablespoons butter (1 stick), plus another 6 tablespoons
- 1 onion, diced
- 2 carrots, diced
- 3 ribs celery, diced
- ½ teaspoon dried thyme
- ½ teaspoon dried basil
- ½ cup flour
- 3 cups chicken broth, stock, or bouillon
- ½ cup frozen peas
- ½ cup frozen corn
- 4 baking potatoes
- 1/3 cup heavy cream
- Salt and freshly ground black (or white) pepper
- 2 prepared piecrusts (for the bottom only)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- Prepare the velouté: Melt the stick of butter in a saucepot and add the onion, carrots, and celery. Cook over medium heat until soft.
- Add the dried herbs and sauté for a minute or so. Add the flour and cook over low heat, stirring, for about 4 minutes. While whisking, add the chicken stock. Bring the mixture to a boil gradually and then add peas and corn. Bring back to a boil, check seasoning, and remove from the heat.
- Meanwhile, make the mashed potatoes. Peel and quarter the potatoes and cook until tender. Drain and allow the potatoes to steam a bit. Put the pot back on the stove and warm up the 6 tablespoons of butter and the cream. When warm, add the potatoes back in and mash well. Season with salt and pepper.
- Put 1¼ cups of pulled chicken meat in each piecrust. Add the velouté to almost the top edge. Gently spread half of the mashed potatoes over each pie. Cover with parchment paper and foil and bake on the bottom shelf of the oven for 45 minutes. Remove the foil and parchment paper and bake for 15 more minutes. Let it sit for about 10 minutes before cutting and eating.
Notes
When baking from frozen, bake covered for 45 minutes, then uncovered for another 45 minutes.
