Chicken Pot Pie

HELLO steamy, savory, comfort goodness! And who doesn't love something that comes in your own personally little bowl?!

Chicken Pot Pie

Ingredients

• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts
• 1 onion, diced
• 1 celery stalk, diced
• 3 tbsp flour
• 1/4 dry white wine
• 2 cups chicken stock
• 3 cups frozen peas and carrots
• 2 tbsp chopped parsley 
• 2 tbsp fat free half and half
• 1 egg

For the crust

• 2 1/2 cups flour
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 10 tbsp unsalted butter, chilled and diced
• 1/2 cup shortening, chilled and diced
• 4 to 5 tbsp ice water

In a food processor combine the flour, salt, butter and shortening. Pulse until ingredients resemble course sand. Add the ice water one tablespoon at a time pulsing the mixture after each addition until ingredients form a rough ball. Remove from the bowl of the processor and divide into four equal pieces. Wrap each piece in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.

 In a dutch oven, heat the olive oil over high heat. Season the chicken breasts with salt and pepper. Place the chicken in the pot, brown on both sides, and remove from the pot. 

Reduce to medium heat and add the onions and celery. Season with salt and pepper. Sprinkle the flour over the onions and celery, and cook for two minutes. Stir in the wine. Once the wine has evaporated, add the chicken stock. Season with salt and pepper. Return the chicken to the pot and simmer for 20 to 25 minutes until the chicken is fully cooked. Remove the chicken from the pot and dice into small, bit-sized pieces. Return the chicken to the sauce and add the peas and carrots. Reduce the heat to low and simmer while preparing the crust.

Preheat the oven to 400F.

Remove the dough from the fridge. Roll each piece into a ball and flatten into a rough disk. Using a rolling pin, roll out the dough. The dough should be about 1/4in thick. Select 4 large ramekins for the pot pies. Using a pairing knife, cut circles out of the dough about 2 inches in diameter larger than the ramekins. Discard the dough scraps.

Stir the parsley and cream into the chicken, and then ladle into the 4 ramekins. Place a piece of dough over each ramekin. Crimp edges if desired and cut a small slit in the center of each pie. In a small bowl, scramble the egg with 1 tsp water. Brush the pie crusts with the egg wash. Place the pies on a baking sheet and bake in the oven for 25 minutes or until the crust is golden brown.

Serves 4

Notes from the Chef:

-Sure, you could use store-bought pie crust, but I promise you, homemade crust will change your pie-eating life. Just do it.