Random Posting

While residing at the casino last week, my friend L. indicated that though she certainly enjoyed hearing how I was 'feeling', what she really likes best about my blog is the random postings. "Random Postings?" I asked. "Oh, like the recipes." And so just for L., I am posting the chicken pot pie recipe. Man is this good, if you like Chicken Pot Pie.

2 large whole chicken breasts [split] or 3 medium whole chicken breasts [split], bone in, skin on
3 tablespoons olive oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
5 cups chicken stock, if not homemade, boxed low sodium
8 tablespoons butter [reduced from recipe's original 12!]
3/4 cup flour
1/4 heavy cream
2 cups medium diced carrots [app 4 carrots], blanched for two minutes
2 cups frozen peas
1/2 cup fresh parsley

puff pastry or your favorite unsweetened pie crust for topping

Preheat oven to 375 degrees

Place the chicken breasts on a sheet pan and rub them with olive oil. Sprinkle generously with salt and pepper. Roast for 35-40 minutes, or until cooked through. Set aside until cool enough to handle, then remove meat from the bones and discard the skin. Cut the chicken into large dice. You will have 4 - 6 cups of cubed chicken.

In a small saucepan, heat the chicken stock. In a large pot or Dutch oven [yea, this is where we want that Le Creuset L!], melt the butter and saute the onions over medium-low heat for 10 to 15 minutes or until translucent. Add the flour and cook over low heat, stirring constantly, for 2 minutes. Add the hot chicken stock to the sauce. Simmer over low heat for 1 more minute, stirring until thick. Add two teaspoons salt, 1/2 teaspoon pepper and the heavy cream. Add the cubed chicken, carrots, peas, and parsley. Mix well. Place the stew in a 10 x 13 x 2 inch oval or rectangular baking dish. Place the baking dish on a sheet pan lined with parchment or wax paper. Bake for 15 minutes.

Cut pastry to size for the dish, and cook separately in the oven until pastry is puffed, but not brown, about 15 minutes.

Remove Chicken Stew and Pastry, place pastry on top of stew and finish cooking for another 20-30 minutes, or until pastry is brown.

To make in advance, refrigerate stew and pastry separately. Bake the stew for 25 minutes, then place pastry on top and bake for another 30 minutes.

For our purposes, we divided this stew into three containers, freezing two of them, enjoying one right away. Stolen from the Barefoot Contessa, and then modified. Delicious!!!!