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Chicken Pot Pie

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Makes 4 to 6 servings 1x

Time about 2 hours

Units Scale

Ingredients

  • 1 whole chicken (3 to 4 pounds), trimmed of excess fat
  • 2 onions, quartered
  • 3 bay leaves
  • 10 whole black peppercorns
  • Salt and pepper
  • 1 recipe Savory Tart Crust, chilled
  • 2 tablespoons butter or olive oil, plus more for greasing the baking dish
  • 1 cup pearl onions, peeled (frozen are fine; run under cold water to thaw a bit, then drain)
  • 2 large or 4 small to medium carrots, chopped
  • 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
  • 1 tablespoon chopped fresh sage or 1 teaspoon dried sage
  • 1/2 cup cream
  • 1 cup peas (frozen are fine; don’t bother to thaw)
  • 1 egg, beaten

Instructions

  1. Put the chicken and onions in a large pot with just enough water to cover. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then immediately reduce the heat to medium-low. Skim any foam that rises to the surface. Add the bay leaves, peppercorns, and a generous pinch salt and pepper. Simmer until the chicken is cooked through, about 45 minutes; it is done when an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of a thigh reads between 155° and 165°F.
  2. Transfer the chicken to a shallow bowl to cool. Leave the cooking liquid in the pot. (This is a good time to make the dough if you haven’t already done so.)
  3. Remove the chicken meat from the bones; discard the skin. Chop or pull the meat into pieces and reserve. Return the carcass to the pot, breaking up the pieces if necessary so they’re submerged; don’t add any water. Bring the liquid back to a boil. Adjust the heat so it bubbles steadily and cook, stirring occasionally, until the color deepens and the liquid reduces an inch or 2, about 30 minutes. Strain into a large pot and discard the solids. Bring the liquid to a boil and reduce until you have about 1 1/2 cups, 15 to 30 minutes, depending on how much you started with. (At this point, the chicken and cooking liquid may be stored separately in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.) If you’re baking the pie now, heat the oven to 375°F and generously grease a 2-quart baking dish.
  4. Put the butter or oil in a deep skillet over medium heat. When the butter is melted or the oil is hot, add the pearl onions and carrots and cook, stirring frequently, until they just begin to soften, about 5 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium-low and stir in the flour; continue cooking and stirring until it just turns tan. Add the sage and cook, stirring, for another minute. (At this point, you can refrigerate the vegetable-flour mixture for up to a day, and reheat just before proceeding.)
  5. Add the reduced chicken-cooking liquid and the cream to the vegetable-flour mixture and turn the heat up to medium. Cook, stirring constantly and scraping the bottom of the pan, until the liquid begins to bubble and thicken, but don’t let it come to a rolling boil. Taste and adjust the seasoning, turn off the heat, and stir in the chicken and peas. Transfer the mixture into the prepared baking dish. (At this point, you can cover and refrigerate the filling for up to a day; bring to room temperature before proceeding.)
  6. Roll out the tart crust large enough to cover the dish. Lay it on top of the dish and flute it as for a piecrust (illustration below), or just drape it over the sides a little. Use a sharp knife to cut 3 or 4 vents in the top. Brush the top with the beaten egg. Bake until the crust is deeply golden and the filling is bubbling, 50 to 60 minutes. Serve hot.

— Recipe from How to Cook Everything: Completely Revised Twentieth Anniversary Edition

 

Recipe variations

Faster Chicken Pot Pie
For when you have leftovers or pick up a cooked chicken: Skip Steps 1, 2, and 3 and start by bringing 4 cups chicken stock to a boil. Reduce by about half. Meanwhile, skin, bone, and chop the cooked chicken. You should have about 3 cups meat, but if not, simply substitute more vegetables (chopped green beans are nice) to make up the difference. Proceed with the recipe from Step 4.

Chicken Shepherd’s Pie
Omit the tart crust. In Step 6, spread 1 recipe Mashed Potatoes on the top so there are no gaps. Omit the egg but dot with butter, if you like. Bake as directed.

Chicken-n-Biscuit Pie
In place of the tart crust, roll out 1 recipe Buttermilk or Yogurt Biscuits. Either leave it large enough to fit over the entire baking dish, or cut into individual biscuits; in Step 6, use it to top the filling. Brush with the egg and bake as directed, only the topping will be ready in 20 to 30 minutes.

Phyllo-Topped Chicken Pot Pie
In place of the tart crust, thaw phyllo dough and cut into 6 squares large enough to top the baking dish (omit the egg). Melt 4 tablespoons butter. In Step 6, put 1 sheet over the dish and brush with butter; repeat with the remaining sheets. Tuck the corners into the baking dish, cut vents, and bake as directed, only the topping will be ready in 20 to 30 minutes.