Chicken Puff Pie by Colleen

Puff Pastry-Topped 9 x 13" Chicken Pot Pie

Chicken pot pie is one of my ultimate comfort foods and we have been having an unseasonably long winter here in California.

You can buy ready-made pie at the local grocery but it is expensive.  

I happen to like puff pastry and don't want all of the calories or trouble of making a double crust. And it is easier to go with the natural shape of the puff pastry dough than to cut out a circle.  

So a certain bit of laziness is part of my decision to go with a 9 x 13".  I guess if I'm doing all of the other parts from scratch, I don't feel bad cheating on the crust.

---Colleen

Chicken Pot Pie

1 large shallot finely chopped

3 large chicken breasts, roasted, meat removed from bone and chopped

(about four cups)

2 cups baby carrots, cooked tender in lightly salted water

2 cups baby peas

olive oil

2 cups chicken broth

½ cup half and half or milk

dried or fresh thyme – about 1 ½ teaspoons

salt and pepper to taste

2 Tablespoons olive oil

½ cup flour

4-6 Tablespoons butter 

puff pastry sheet, thawed
egg wash (1 well beaten egg, mixed with a little milk or water)

Saute chopped shallot in olive oil until tender.  Stir in butter until melted and add flour and sauté for 1-2 minutes.  With a whisk, stir in chicken stock until smooth.  Stir in half and half, drained carrots, peas, thyme, and chicken.  Let simmer until sauce is desired thickness.  If too thick, add a little more chicken broth to thin. 

Note parchment lined baking sheet to catch drips

Pour filling into 9x13 pan.  

Line up dish to gauge roll out of puff pastry.  

Wait for dough to thaw, no matter how impatient you are.

Roll out puff pastry dough to cover dish.  

Place on top and bake at 400 degrees for about 30-40 minutes or until puff pastry is cooked through. Brush the pastry with an egg wash so it will brown well and shine.  

Best to let it sit for a while, at least 10 minutes, before cutting into it.  

You can make the filling in advance and then assemble with the puff pastry later.  If you are doing this, put the filling in the dish and start to heat as you are warming the oven so the filling isn’t cold.  When filling is about 120 degrees, put puff pastry on top and finish baking.

Also, for reheating purposes, I cut a big piece of crust and lift it off with a spatula and put it on a parchment covered baking sheet and reheat for 12-15 minutes at 400 degrees.  Then, I microwave the filling in a bowl and replace the top.  Otherwise, the crust is soggy.

---Colleen