Chicken Pot Pie

Ingredients

• 1 recipe homemade pie crust (2 chilled disks; a store-bought double pie crust may be used)
• 4 cup cooked chicken (shredded)
• 6 tbsp unsalted butter
• 1 medium yellow onion (diced; about 1 cup chopped)
• 2 medium carrots (thinly sliced)
• 8 oz white or brown mushrooms (stems discarded; sliced)
• 3 garlic cloves (minced)
• 0.333 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 cup chicken stock
• 0.5 cup heavy cream
• 2 tsp fine sea salt (or to taste; plus coarse or kosher salt to garnish)
• 0.25 tsp black pepper (plus more to garnish)
• 1 cup frozen peas (do not thaw)
• 0.25 cup parsley (finely chopped, plus more to garnish)
• 1 egg (beaten for egg wash)

Steps

1. 1

   In a Dutch oven or large pot, melt the unsalted butter over medium heat.

2. 2

   Add the diced onion and sliced carrots. Sauté for 8 minutes over medium heat, until the vegetables are soft.

3. 3

   Add the sliced mushrooms and minced garlic. Sauté for another 5 minutes, until the mushrooms have softened.

4. 4

   Add the flour and stir constantly for 2 minutes to incorporate it into the vegetables and butter.

5. 5

   Add the chicken stock and heavy cream. Bring the mixture to a simmer and cook for 1 minute, or until it reaches a thick gravy consistency.

6. 6

   Season with the fine sea salt and black pepper, adjusting to taste so the gravy is well-seasoned.

7. 7

   Stir in the shredded cooked chicken, frozen peas, and chopped parsley until combined. Remove the pot from the heat and cool the filling slightly while rolling out the crusts.

8. 8

   Roll one chilled pie-crust disk into a 12-inch-diameter circle. Carefully transfer it to a deep 9-inch pie dish.

9. 9

   Spoon the slightly cooled filling over the bottom crust.

10. 10

    Roll the second chilled pie-crust disk into a 10-inch-diameter circle and place it over the filling.

11. 11

    Fold the excess top dough behind the bottom crust, then crimp the two crusts together to seal the edge.

12. 12

    Using a sharp paring knife, cut 5 small slits in the top crust to allow steam to escape.

13. 13

    Brush the top crust with the beaten egg. Sprinkle lightly with coarse or kosher salt and additional black pepper.

14. 14

    Bake at 425°F for 30–35 minutes, until the top crust is golden brown. If the edges brown too quickly, cover them with a pie shield, or make one by cutting a 4-inch circle from the center of a sheet of foil and placing it loosely over the pie.

15. 15

    Remove the pie from the oven and let it rest for 15 minutes before slicing. For best doneness, the center should reach 165°F on a thermometer.

Notes

To freeze, assemble the pie with cooled filling but without the egg wash. Wrap tightly and freeze for up to 2 months; use a metal or disposable aluminum pan if baking directly from frozen. To bake from frozen, brush with egg wash, cover loosely with foil, and bake at 425°F for 30 minutes. Uncover and bake another 30–40 minutes, until golden brown and bubbling and the center reaches 165°F. To reheat, cover and bake at 350°F for 20–30 minutes, or microwave individual slices in 30–60-second intervals until hot. The source also suggests vegetables such as green beans, celery, corn, broccoli, or cooked chopped potatoes; herbs such as thyme, oregano, or chives; and leftover roast turkey or baked ham as variations.

Nutrition per serving

• main
• American
• comfort food
• baked
• savory pie
• make-ahead
• freezer-friendly