Chicken Potpie

chicken potpie

Maybe you’re experiencing a long streak of below-freezing temperatures. Maybe you’ve had a rotten week. Or, maybe you just crave a dish you ate as a kid that brings back warm memories. We all have those days where we just need some comfort food, and Chicken Potpie is definitely comfort food.

Growing up, I only remember the frozen supermarket version. In my mom’s defense, there wasn’t much we ate as kids that wasn’t homemade. {I didn’t even know macaroni and cheese CAME in a box until later in life.} But I don’t believe she ever tackled these little spaceships of molten hot goodness.

Homemade beats the frozen store-bought versions, hands down. This recipe is perfect for when you can hang out near the kitchen for an afternoon.

And making these pies in individual ramekins is a great way to serve them.

If you want a shortcut, see the note below the recipe.

Chicken Potpie
Author: 
 
Ingredients
Chicken
  • 2 cups peeled, coarsely chopped carrots
  • 1 large onion, coarsely chopped
  • 1 leek, coarsely chopped
  • 1 3-pound whole chicken
  • 4 celery stalks, coarsely chopped
  • 6 sprigs thyme
  • 1 cup dry white wine
  • 1 tablespoon kosher salt
  • 1 teaspoon whole black peppercorns
  • 1 tablespoon concentrated tomato paste {from tube}
Filling
  • 2 tablespoons dried chanterelle or shiitake mushrooms
  • 1 cup ½" slices peeled carrots
  • 1 cup fresh (or frozen, thawed) peas
  • 1 cup red (purple) pearl onions
  • ½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
  • ¾ cup all-purpose flour
  • 6 fresh sage leaves
  • 4 thyme sprigs
  • 2 sprigs rosemary
  • 1 cup button mushrooms, halved if large
  • 1 cup ¼" rounds sliced fingerling potatoes
  • 1 egg, beaten to blend
  • Coarse sea salt and coarsely ground black pepper, optional
Topping
  • 1 package refrigerated pie dough
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 400°. Place carrots, onion, and leek on a rimmed baking sheet and roast until golden brown, about 30 minutes. Transfer to a large pot fitted with a lid. Add chicken, breast side down, celery, thyme sprigs, wine, salt, and peppercorns to pot. Add 8 cups water to cover and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer gently for 10 minutes. Remove pot from heat, cover, and poach chicken until cooked through, about 35 minutes.
  2. Remove chicken from pot and set aside until cool. Reserve broth. Shred meat; discard skin and bones. Set a large strainer over another pot. Strain broth into clean pot. Stir in tomato paste. Return to medium heat and simmer, uncovered, until reduced to 5 cups, about 40 minutes. DO AHEAD: Can be made 1 day ahead. Chill uncovered until cool. Cover chicken and broth separately; keep chilled. Rewarm broth before continuing.
  3. Place dried chanterelles in a small bowl and cover with 1 cup hot water. Let steep for 10 minutes; set aside. Reserve soaking liquid. Cook carrots in a large saucepan of boiling salted water until crisp-tender, about 2 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer to a medium bowl. Add onions to saucepan and cook until crisp-tender, about 2 minutes. Remove from pot and set aside; let cool. Peel onions.
  4. In a large heavy saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Whisk in flour. Cook over medium-low heat, whisking constantly, until golden brown, about 10 minutes. Whisk in herbs and warm broth from chicken. Using a slotted spoon, transfer chanterelles to saucepan. Pour in soaking liquid, leaving sediment behind. Simmer for 20 minutes.
  5. Set a strainer over another large pot. Strain broth into pot; discard solids. Add chicken, carrots, onions, peas, mushrooms, and potatoes. Bring to a simmer. DO AHEAD: Can be made 1 day ahead. Chill uncovered until cool; cover and keep chilled. Rewarm before continuing.
  6. Preheat oven to 400°. Spoon filling into 6 (10 ounce) ramekins. Cut pie dough into ¾ inch wide strips. Weave strips over filling. Coat with cooking spray.
  7. Place pot pies on a rimmed baking sheet. Bake until crust is golden brown and filling is bubbly, about 35 minutes.

Could you substitute a shredded rotisserie chicken and packaged chicken broth to save time? Sure. Just skip steps 1 & 2, and use 5 cups of broth in step 4 {instead of the reserved broth from making the chicken}.

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