Better Chicken Pot Pie

Updated: I've made some minor tweaks to this recipe to make it easier to follow and am republishing it.

I've combined several of the best techniques and tricks from our favorite chicken pot pie recipes to create a master recipe that, in my taste bud's opinion, surpasses them all. First, bake this in a large rectangular baking dish rather than a deep bowl. This will let you get crust with every bite. Second, pre-cook all of the vegetables so that they are crisp and don't get mushy when you add the roux. Third, add sherry to the roux sauce. This will add an amazing tang to the dish and plays an important chemical role in the oven so that the vegetable preserve their bright colors and flavors. A dash of Old Bay also brings out more of the chicken flavor and plays off of the other herbs and spices. Serve with a glass of wine and enjoy!

Entrees

Prep: 1 hour
Cook: 30 min
Total: 1 hour 30 min
Serves 8

Nutritional Info

T1D Carbs-per-gram ratio: 0.1529

Serving Size: 256g (about 39g carbs)

* Multiply serving weight in grams by the carbs-per-gram ratio to calculate the total estimated carbs.

Pie crust
280g / 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon salt
Combine the flour and salt in a food processor fitted with a dough blade.
½ cup (1 stick) chilled unsalted butter, cut into six pieces
Add the chilled butter slices and pulse 5 times to combine.
¼ cup vegetable shortening
Add the shortening and pulse a few more times, until the dough resembles a coarse cornmeal, with some pea-sized pieces of butter.
3 to 4 tablespoons ice water
Slowly stream in ice water, a tablespoon at a time, pulsing after each addition, until the dough sticks together when you press some between your fingers.
Empty the food processor, placing the dough on a clean surface. Use your hands to mold into a ball, then flatten the ball into a disk. Sprinkle with a little flour, wrap with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, or up to 2 days, before rolling.
Filling
4 carrots, thinly sliced
4 celery stalks, thinly sliced
550g / 4 small red or white potatoes, cubed
Wash and chop vegetables. Reserve in a bowl.
Preheat oven to 400°F.
1 ½ pounds boneless, skinless chicken breast
2 cups low sodium chicken broth
Put the chicken and broth in a large stockpot or Dutch oven. Heat over medium heat, cover, and bring to a simmer.
Simmer until the chicken is cooked through, about 8 to 10 minutes. (Note: If have extra time while you wait for the chicken to cook, pre-measure the ingredients that you need for the roux and set aside.)
Transfer the chicken to a large bowl, reserving the broth in a measuring cup.
1 ½ tablespoons vegetable oil
reserved vegetables
Increase the heat to medium-high and heat the oil in the now-empty pan. Add the carrots, celery, potatoes, and onions (if using) and sauté until just tender, about five minutes.
While the vegetables are sautéing, shred the meat into bite-sized pieces. Transfer the cooked vegetables to the bowl with the chicken and set aside.
Roux Sauce
4 tablespoons (½ stick) unsalted butter
Heat the butter over medium heat in the again-empty pan.
90g / ½ cup all purpose flour
When the foaming subsides, add flour and cook for about 1 minute.
reserved chicken broth
1 ½ cups milk
½ teaspoon dried thyme
Whisk in reserved chicken broth, the milk, any accumulated chicken juices, and the thyme. Bring to a simmer and stir frequently with a whisk until the sauce fully thickens, about 10 additional minutes.
2 teaspoons salt, or to taste
1 teaspoon Old Bay seasoning, or to taste
½ teaspoon pepper, or to taste
3 tablespoons dry sherry (do not substitute or omit)
Season with salt, pepper, and Old Bay to taste and stir in the sherry.
Assembly and Baking
Pour the sauce over the chicken and vegetable mixture and stir to combine.
175g / ¾ cup green peas, frozen or fresh
2-3 tablespoons minced fresh parsley
Stir in peas and parsley. Adjust seasonings as desired.
Prepare ahead note: The mixture can be covered and refrigerated overnight. Reheat before topping with the pastry.
Pour the mixture into a 13 by 9 inch baking pan or six 12-ounce ovenproof dishes. Roll out the dough and place on top of mixture, tucking in the sides.
Bake until the pastry is golden brown and the filing is bubbling, about 30 minutes. Serve hot.

From MakeBetterFood.com. Mar 6, 2013. (makebetterfood.com/recipes/chicken-pot-pie/). Adapted from Cook's Illustrated. The New Best Recipe. (America's Test Kitchen, 2004.) p. 349-352. Also adapted from Simply Recipes. (http://www.elise.com/recipes/archives/004089chicken_pot_pie.php). Also adapted from Siegel- man, Steve. The Marshall Field's Cookbook. (The Book Kitchen, 2006.)

MakeBetterFood.com

Combine the flour and salt in a food processor fitted with a dough blade.
Add the chilled butter slices and pulse 5 times to combine.
Add the shortening and pulse a few more times, until the dough resembles a coarse cornmeal, with some pea-sized pieces of butter.
Slowly stream in ice water, a tablespoon at a time, pulsing after each addition, until the dough sticks together when you press some between your fingers.
Empty the food processor, placing the dough on a clean surface. Use your hands to mold into a ball, then flatten the ball into a disk. Sprinkle with a little flour, wrap with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, or up to 2 days, before rolling.
Wash and chop vegetables. Reserve in a bowl.
Preheat oven to 400°F.
Put the chicken and broth in a large stockpot or Dutch oven. Heat over medium heat, cover, and bring to a simmer.
Simmer until the chicken is cooked through, about 8 to 10 minutes. (Note: If have extra time while you wait for the chicken to cook, pre-measure the ingredients that you need for the roux and set aside.)
Transfer the chicken to a large bowl, reserving the broth in a measuring cup.
Increase the heat to medium-high and heat the oil in the now-empty pan. Add the carrots, celery, potatoes, and onions (if using) and sauté until just tender, about five minutes.
While the vegetables are sautéing, shred the meat into bite-sized pieces. Transfer the cooked vegetables to the bowl with the chicken and set aside.
Heat the butter over medium heat in the again-empty pan.
When the foaming subsides, add flour and cook for about 1 minute.
Whisk in reserved chicken broth, the milk, any accumulated chicken juices, and the thyme. Bring to a simmer and stir frequently with a whisk until the sauce fully thickens, about 10 additional minutes.
Season with salt, pepper, and Old Bay to taste and stir in the sherry.
Pour the sauce over the chicken and vegetable mixture and stir to combine.
Stir in peas and parsley. Adjust seasonings as desired.
Prepare ahead note: The mixture can be covered and refrigerated overnight. Reheat before topping with the pastry.
Pour the mixture into a 13 by 9 inch baking pan or six 12-ounce ovenproof dishes. Roll out the dough and place on top of mixture, tucking in the sides.
Bake until the pastry is golden brown and the filing is bubbling, about 30 minutes. Serve hot.