The Self-Made Cookbook / Chicken-Pot Pie

I like food. Nothing makes me happier than finding a new recipe and making it for friends and family. So this blog is all about sharing the love. I find something delicious, I pass it on to you. Feel free to do the same.

Variation on The Lady and Sons' Chicken Pot Pie

Paula Dean knows that sometimes eating something with 4 cups of heavy cream is necessary in life. This pot-pie is comfort food like no other, and while, no, I wouldn't eat it more than once a month if you want your arteries to stay clear, it is so worth the time and effort on an occasional cold winter night. It's rich and densely flavored and just incredible.

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 and 1/2 pounds of boneless, skinless chicken breasts
Salt and pepper
1/3 cup unsalted butter (or about 2/3 of a stick)
1/4 cup finely chopped yellow onion
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/3 cup all-purpose flour plus an extra pinch for dusting
4 cups heavy cream
2 chicken bouillon cubes
3 cups frozen peas and carrots mixture
1 cup diced canned potatoes, drained
1 teaspoon FRESH ground nutmeg (Trust me, it's so much better fresh.)
1 tablespoon dried parsley
1 sheet frozen puff pastry, thawed
1 large egg, lightly beaten

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees F. In a deep, 12-inch skillet heat the oil over medium-high heat. Sprinkle chicken breasts with salt and pepper on both sides then cook in the oil until golden brown and cooked through. (Be careful not to over-cook the chicken- it will continue to cook while the pot-pie is baking.) Set the cooked breasts aside on a paper-towel lined plate to cool. Once cool enough to handle, chop chicken into bite size pieces.

Add the butter to the skillet with the left over oil from the chicken. (The little brown bits will add a ton of flavor to the cream sauce.) Melt the butter over medium heat. Add the chopped onion and keep stirring for about 3 minutes, then add the minced garlic and keep stirring for 30 more seconds. Stir in the flour and stir for about 1 more minute until flour is browned and mixture is thickened.

Slowly pour in the cream and continue stirring to avoid lumps in your sauce. Add the bouillon cubes and keep mixing, allowing cubes to melt before adding veggies, chicken, dried parsley and salt and pepper to taste. Now allow the entire mixture to come to a simmer for around 1-2 minutes or until thickened. Pour the mixture into a 9 inch, 2 and 1/2 quart casserole dish.

On a lightly floured cutting board, unfold the pastry and cut out a 10 inch circle of dough. You need to use a very sharp knife to cut the dough without mashing the edges of the pastry or it won't rise well. Lightly crosshatch the surface of the circle before placing the pastry on top of the casserole and tucking the edges down into the edge of the dish. Now brush the crust with the lightly beaten egg.

Bake for 35 minutes or until the crust is puffed and golden and allow to stand for about 10 minutes after baking before cutting and serving.