chicken pot pie

I’ve been meaning to post this recipe for awhile…and yes, judging from the clothes that we are wearing in the photos, I made these pot pies a few months ago when it was still warm, but made them recently again, perfect for a Fall meal.

Chicken Pot Pie (makes 4 individual pies)

Ingredients for Dough:

8 ounces butter, cut into small pieces

8 ounces cream cheese, cut into small pieces

4 cups flour

Ingredients for filling:

2 Tablespoons butter

1/2 cup diced onion

1/3 cup diced celery

1/3 cup diced carrots

2 teaspoons finely chopped rosemary

1/2 teaspoon sage

2 Tablespoons flour

2 cups chicken stock

1 pound chicken, diced and cut into bite sized pieces

1/2 cup potato, cut into 1/4-inch cubes

Salt and black pepper to taste

First, make the dough.  Combine all the ingredients for the dough in a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment.  Mix on low speed until just combined, there should still be visible streaks of butter and cream cheese.  Form the dough into a ball and refrigerate for 15 minutes.  When ready to roll the dough, divide it into 8 equal pieces.  Roll each piece to about 1/8-inch thickness, large enough to fit the inside of your individual pot pie dishes (a standard crème brûlée dish is the perfect size).  There may be extra dough, in which case freeze the scraps for another use.  Press four of the dough circles into your dishes, taking care to push it completely into the corners, and leaving about 1-inch of dough overhanging.  Keep those, and the other four dough circles, in the refrigerator while you prepare the filling.

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.  For the filling, melt the butter in a medium saucepan.  Add the onion, celery and carrots, and stir for several minuter over medium-high heat.  Add the herbs and flour, and continue to cook and stir for one more minute.  Add the chicken stock, stir well, then add the chicken and potato cubes.  Season with salt and pepper.  Bring to a boil, and let it simmer for a few minutes.  Turn off the heat and allow to cool for a few minutes before filling the dishes.

Fill each dish to the top with the filling mixture, making sure to have enough of both the chunks and the liquid.  Place a reserved dough circle over the top, and seal it together with the overhanging dough from the bottom.  Moisten the dough on either side with a little water if it has trouble sticking together.  Crimp the dough with your fingers or a fork, and trim any extra overhanging dough.  Cut a small slit in the top of the top crust to allow steam to escape while cooking.  Put the pot pies on a baking sheet, place in the preheated oven and bake for about 25-30 minutes, or until the crust is golden and the filling is bubbling underneath.  Remove from the oven and allow to cool for just a few minutes before serving.