Individual Chicken Pot Pie with Puff Pastry
ACTIVE TIME: 1 hour
TOTAL TIME: 3 hours 40 minutes
Yield: 4
Photo by Lynne Calamia
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Software
Pastry Crust
- 10 ounces bread flour
- 2 ounces whole wheat flour
- 1 teaspoon fine kosher salt
- 20 tablespoons (2 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, cubed and frozen
- 12 tablespoons ice water
Filling
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided
- 1 1/2 pounds chicken thighs and/or breast, skin and bone removed, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
- 2 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt, divided
- 1 large yellow onion, chopped
- 8 ounces cremini mushrooms, sliced 1/4-inch thick
- 2 medium carrots, peeled and sliced 1/4-inch thick
- 2 medium celery stalks, sliced 1/4-inch thick
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1/2 teaspoon dried tarragon
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 3 ounces all-purpose flour
- 2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- 1 1/2 cups 2 percent milk, room temperature
- 8 ounces frozen green peas
- 1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
- 1 teaspoon chopped fresh tarragon
Egg Wash
- 1 large egg, beaten
- 1 tablespoon water
Specialized Hardware
12-inch cast-iron skillet
Bench scraper
Rolling Pin
4 (16-ounce) ramekins
ACTIVE TIME: 1 hour
TOTAL TIME: 3 hours 40 minutes
Yield: 4
Procedure
- Make the crust: Combine the bread flour, whole wheat flour, and salt in a medium mixing bowl. Place in the freezer for 1 hour.
- Pour the flour mixture and butter onto a clean work surface and form a mound. Use a bench scraper to cut the butter into the flour until the mixture is crumbly and the butter pieces are about the size of almonds. Add the ice water, 2 tablespoons at a time, and mix into the dough using the bench scraper until it just barely comes together. Do not add too much water, it will come together.
- Shape the dough into a rectangle and pound with a rolling pin until it is about the size of a sheet of notebook paper, approximately 8 1/2 by 11 inches.
- Use the bench scraper to fold the dough into thirds, like a letter. Pound with the rolling pin until the piece of dough is again the size of a sheet of notebook paper and rotate 90 degrees. Repeat the pounding, folding, and rotating 2 more times for a total of 4 turns of the dough.
- Pound with rolling pin and fold the shorter sides of the rectangle in towards the center, from top to bottom, and then fold in half, like a book. Wrap in parchment paper and refrigerate for 1 hour.
- Make the filling: Heat 1 tablespoon of the vegetable oil in a 12-inch cast iron skillet set over medium-high heat for 2 minutes. Add the chicken and 1 teaspoon of the salt and cook, stirring occasionally until the chicken is no longer pink on the outside but not dry, about 5 minutes. Evacuate the chicken to a medium bowl and set aside.
- Decrease the heat to medium and add the remaining oil. Add the onions, mushrooms, carrots, celery, garlic, remaining salt, black pepper, dried thyme, and dried tarragon, and stir to combine. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions have softened, about 5 minutes. Add the butter and melt then stir in the flour and cook for 1-2 minutes. Gradually pour in the chicken broth followed by the milk, whisking constantly, and bring to a simmer. Continue cooking and stirring until the sauce thickens, about 3 minutes. Remove the skillet from the heat and stir in the peas, fresh thyme and tarragon, and reserved chicken. Set aside.
- Position a rack in the middle of the oven and heat to 425 F. Make the egg wash by combining the beaten egg and water in a small dish.
- Build the pie: Divide the warm filling into 4 (16-ounce) ramekins and place on a half-sheet pan lined with parchment paper.
- Remove the puff pastry from the refrigerator. Divide in half and return one half to the refrigerator. Sprinkle the remaining half lightly with flour and roll out 1/4-inch thick. Using your ramekins as a guide, cut 2 circles that are 1/2 inch wider than the rim using a sharp knife or pizza cutter. Repeat with the other half of the dough. Refrigerate excess dough up to 3 days (or freeze up to 6 months).
- Brush each dough round with egg wash and place egg washed-side down onto the top of each filled ramekin. Brush the top of the pastry with egg wash and bake for 15 minutes. Decrease the heat to 400ºF and bake until the crust is puffed and golden brown and the filling is bubbly, another 15 to 20 minutes. Cool on a rack for 10 minutes before serving.
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