Chicken Pot Pie

Sometimes you just have to give the people what they want.  Especially when "the people" is your family, and they have gone grocery shopping, and they show up at your house for a dinner party, bringing the groceries they'd need for chicken pot pie.  How can I say no?

Plus I have never tried a chicken pot pie before.  That is actually pretty surprising because one of my mom's favorite meals - and one that she often used to cook - was chicken pot pie.  To be exact, it was "chicken pot pie filling on rice."  No pie crust - and isn't that the best part?!  Not according to Mom, who says it's her least favorite part "and the most fattening."  Luckily this pie has not your average pie crust; it has no bottom, and uses puff pastry on top.  Even Mom was willing to try it.

The filling is a thick, creamy mixture of onion, celery, carrot, peas and chicken, flavored with fresh thyme.  I scooped some of it out before I added the chicken and added some chopped tempeh to mine.  Instant tempeh pot pie for me!  Then I cut the puff pastry intro strips and made a lattice top crust for both pies.  A little egg wash makes sure the pastry comes out golden and perfect.  They came out looking absolutely beautiful, didn't they?

My family was obsessed with these pies.  They claimed it might even be better than my mom's old chicken pot pit filling recipe.  They happily took all the leftovers with them, and I equally as happily had no leftover chicken my fridge!  For you vegetarians out there, the tempeh was a perfect addition if tempeh pot pie is more up your alley.

Saturday was daylight savings, and it's currently 5:00, and pitch black outside.  Yuck!

Recipe:

chicken pot pie
from Lovely Little Kitchen
serves 4 - 6

Ingredients:
4 tablespoons butter
1/4 cup onion, chopped
1/4 cup celery, chopped
1/4 cup carrot, chopped
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons flour
2 cups milk
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 teaspoon "Better than Bullion"  chicken base
2 cups chicken, cooked and chopped
1/2 cup frozen peas
1/2 teaspoon fresh thyme
1 sheet frozen puff pastry
1 egg, beaten slightly with a fork

Instructions:

1) Allow puff pastry to thaw at room temperature, then gently unfold.

2) In a large pot, melt butter over medium high heat.  Add onion, celery, carrot, and salt, and saute until onions are translucent and vegetables start to get tender.

3) Sprinkle flour over vegetables and cook for 1 - 2 minutes.  Gradually whisk in milk, heavy cream, and bullion, and bring to a slow boil.

4) Simmer gently over medium heat until sauce begins to thicken, about 5 minutes.  Turn to low, and add chicken, peas, and thyme.

5) Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Pour chicken mixture into a 9x9 baking dish.  Cut puff pastry into 12 equal strips.  Lay strips over chicken mixture, weaving it together to form a lattice pattern.  Using a pastry brush, brush egg onto the top of the puff pastry.

6) Bake for 30 - 35 minutes.  The puff pastry will be a deep golden brown.  Cool for 5 minutes before serving.