Remember the popular book series from the nineties, Chicken Soup for the Soul? Well, I am here to tell you that Chicken Pot Pie is good, and maybe even better for the soul… this past week the weather in Nashville was so unusually cold in Nashville to the point where all I really wanted to do was curl up under a blanket at night, a fire going in the background, and the smell of comfort food wafting through the house.
I feel like chicken pot pie has to be on a top ten comfort food list somewhere, because it really is so soothing to not only eat, but also make. I used to make this version of gluten free chicken pot pie all the time, which is fabulous version if you are someone with celiac disease or just choose not to include gluten in your diet, but I was really set on making a traditional one complete with a nice flakey crust. You would think finding a traditional chicken pot pie would be super easy, but it surprisingly was not… I actually ended up making up my own recipe, using the gluten free pot pie recipe as a blueprint and a little research, and it actually turned out super well and was so tasty, so I thought
Ingredients:
3 Chicken breasts
2 Tablespoons of Extra Virgin Olive Oil
2 Tablespoons butter
3 Celery stalks {finely diced}
1 Medium/Large Onion {finely diced}
5 Red Potatoes {diced}
2 teaspoons fresh garlic {minced}
¼ Cup all purpose flour
2 Cups Chicken Broth
1 Chicken bouillon cube
1 8oz block of cream cheese
6oz frozen peas
6oz frozen corn
6oz frozen crinkle cut carrots
2 Tablespoons fresh parsley {finely minced}
¼ Teaspoon dried thyme
Salt
Pepper
1 Sheet frozen puff pastry sheet {thawed}
1 egg
1 Tablespoon water
Instructions:
1. Preheat over to 350 degrees F
2. Set out frozen puff pastry sheet to thaw {takes about 40mins when sat out at room temp}
3. Cut/chop chicken breasts into bite size pieces. Heat 2 tbs. extra virgin olive oil in a pan, add chicken and cook till chicken is white on the outside and cooked through. As chicken cooks, be sure to season with salt and pepper. Once chicken is finished cooking, transfer to a paper towel lined plate to drain and set aside.
4. Melt 2 tbs. butter in a large sauce pan over medium heat
5. Add diced onion, celery, and potatoes to large sauce pan. Saute 8 – 12 minutes {or until vegetable are softened}, with lid on, stirring occasionally. Add garlic when vegetables are almost finished cooking
6. Mix in ¼ cup flour, 2 cups chicken broth, 1 chicken bouillon cube, and 8oz block of cream cheese {cut block of cream cheese into smaller pieces before adding to large sauce pan}. Cook until cream cheese is melted and sauce is thickened and smooth
7. Fold in 6oz frozen peas, 6oz frozen corn, 6oz frozen carrots, and cooked chicken
8. Add in 2 Tbs. of finely minced fresh parsley and ¼ tsp. dried thyme. Season with salt and pepper
9. Pour mixture into a 12-inch over safe skillet
10. Roll out sheet of puff pastry on a floured surface and place on top of skillet. Use scissors or a sharp knife to cut off any excess dough hanging over the sides. Once puff pastry is placed over the top of the skillet and trimmed, use a sharp knife to cut a few slits in the center of the dough
11. In a small bowl, whisk 1 egg and 1 Tbs. of water together and brush over the top of the pot pie
12. Cook 20-25 minutes, or until top of puff pastry is golden brown.