Before I put the crust on top

After the pot pie is baked

Comfort food. Oh, how I love comfort food. And if there is anything as comforting as a big old bowl of homemade soup, then it would have to be pot pie. And OK, I know! I already have several pot pie recipes on this site. But darn, I like experimenting with new flavor combinations and I love pot pies. So, when deciding to serve pot pie the other evening, I just had to play mad scientist again. And what I came up with turned out to be pretty darn good. Thus, the fact that I am sharing the recipe with you.

If you only knew how many recipes, I don’t share with you. Because like all creative cooks, some recipes you think might work, actually do work. Others are so wrong you wonder what you were thinking. Or perhaps what you were smoking? (I don’t smoke anything, so that isn’t ever going to be my excuse.) But rest assured, I have made every recipe you find on this site. And enjoyed it. Except for most of the drink recipes Mr. C. comes up with and wishes me to share with you. Because in the wide world of adult beverages, my taste buds are terribly particular. Some might even go so far as to call my taste buds plebian when it comes to alcohol. (I’m fine with that BTW!) Because unless it’s a Tanqueray martini, one of Mr. Cs Margaritas, a gin gimlet, or an ice-cold IPA in a frosted glass, I’m usually not interested. But for most adults, a wide variety of drink recipes from which to choose is especially delightful. And Mr. C. is a very good mixologist. So, all the drink recipes on this site are wonderful too (or so I’ve been told) and have the Andy Carr seal of approval. (I do also love wine and would happily partake, except that as I have gotten older, wine no longer seems to like me! Grrrrrr)   

So, now that you know all about my drinking habits and that I am a true comfort food lover, I hope you enjoy this recipe for pot pie. It’s a bit time consuming to prepare, but well worth the effort.

Peace and love to all.

For the filling:

1½ c. chicken broth

1 lg. bone-in chicken breast

1 bay leaf

2 fresh sage leaves or a tiny pinch ground sage

¼ c. (½ stick) unsalted butter, divided

½ med. onion, chopped

½ c. diced carrot  

½ c. diced celery

½ c. diced zucchini

½ tsp. seasoned salt

freshly ground black pepper

2 tsp. dried thyme leaves

1 tsp. finely chopped fresh parsley

½ tsp. finely chopped rosemary

pinch granulated garlic

¼ c. dry white wine  

¼ c. all-purpose flour

2 T. half & half, or more as needed

¾ c. frozen peas

¾ c. frozen corn

Pour the chicken broth into a small pan. Add the chicken breast, bay leaf, and sage leaves. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover, and cook just until the chicken is completely cooked. Remove the chicken and set aside to cool. Cut away from the bone and into small dice when cool. Save the broth.

After removing the bay leaf and sage leaves from the cooking broth, add the seasoned salt, black pepper, thyme, parsley, rosemary, and granulated garlic. Cover the pan and let simmer gently over low heat.    

Melt 2 tablespoons of the butter in the large frying pan over medium heat. Add the onion, carrot, and celery; cook and stir for 5-7 minutes or until the carrot is crisp tender. Add the zucchini; cook and stir for 1 minute. Add wine to skillet; bring to boil. Transfer the veggies and any remaining liquid into a small bowl and set aside. (If you have already cut up the chicken, you can add the veggies to the same bowl.) Don’t wash the fry pan.

Melt the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter in the frying pan over medium heat. Sprinkle with flour. Stir with whisk until mixture is well blended.

Reduce heat to medium-low; cook and stir for about 3 minutes. Immediately add 1 cup of the broth, whisking until the chicken pot pie filling mixture is smooth. Whisk in remaining broth and half & half. Whisking constantly, bring to boil over medium-high heat and boil 1 minute or until sauce is thick. Taste and adjust seasoning. Stir in the diced cooked chicken, veggie mixture, peas, and corn. If the sauce seems too thick, stir in a bit more half & half.   

Fill 3 (5-inch wide and 2½-inch deep) Corning Ware French White casserole dishes or baking dishes of choice.  

For the Crust:

1¼ c. unbleached all-purpose flour, fluffed

½ tsp. kosher salt

½ c. (1 stick) cold unsalted butter, diced

2-4 T. ice water (I used 3 tablespoons)

Combine the flour and salt in your food processor. Pulse once to mix. Add the butter and process until it resembles coarse crumbs. Add 2 tablespoons of water and pulse the mixture for a few seconds. If you find your mixture is too dry, you can add more water, one teaspoon at a time. 

Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Divide dough into thirds. Roll out each piece of dough into about a 6½-inch circle or circles about 1½-inches wider than the top of the baking dishes you will be using. (This will allow dough to hang over the sides of the baking dish).

Place the pie crusts on top of the filled dishes and cut at least 4 slits in the pastry. (Make sure the slits go completely through the pastry allowing steam to escape.) Place the baking dishes on a baking sheet. (In case any of the filling manages to escape!)  

Bake the potpies in a preheated 425-degree oven for 35 to 40 minutes or until the filling bubbles and the crust edges turn golden. (If you look at the pot pies about 20 minutes into the baking time and find that the crust edges are getting dark, cover with thin strips of aluminum foil for the last part of the baking.)

Serve hot out of the oven.