Wednesday, February 25, 2015

Chicken Pot Pie #recipe from author @DarylWoodGerber




One of my favorite memories as a girl is having chicken pot pie. Yes, the frozen kind that you pricked the top with a fork and baked until the insides goo'ed out. Swanson's, I think. And then I graduated to Marie Calendar pot pie. The crust was so fabulous!

And then I had to learn to eat gluten-free. Boo-hoo. But last year, while writing AS GOUDA AS DEAD, I was determined to come up with a great chicken pot pie, gluten-free. Yes, you can make the crust with gluten, if you can eat it, but you don't have to. There's nothing in the filling that has gluten. Yay! 

My husband says the insides are perhaps the best he's ever had. In fact, he asked me to make it just as a "stew" one night, no crust, and it was delish!

So enjoy away. This one is a keeper (for me, anyway).


THE COUNTRY KITCHEN DINER CHICKEN POT PIE

(Serves 4-6)

4 cups chicken broth (gluten-free, if necessary)
1/2 cup butter (one stick)
1 onion, chopped
2 large carrots, peeled and cut into thing rounds
1 celery stalk, diced
1 tablespoon dried parsley
1/2  teaspoon dried sage
1 clove garlic, chopped fine (if desired)
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup cornstarch
1/4 cup heavy cream
3 tablespoons white wine
1 pound skinless chicken breasts, pre-cooked and shredded
1 cup frozen peas
1 recipe pastry dough (see below)

[Note: Make pastry dough first *recipe below, and refrigerate, then precook your chicken breasts. To cook chicken breasts, I wrap them in foil and pop them in the oven at 300 degrees F for 35-40 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool.]

Preheat your oven to 375 degrees F.

In a 6-quart saucepan, heat the chicken broth over medium heat for 2 minutes.




Meanwhile, in large stockpot, melt butter over medium heat. Add onions, carrots, celery, parsley, sage, and garlic. Sauté until tender, about 10 minutes. Add salt and pepper. Stir.

To the hot broth, add the cornstarch and whisk together until it thickens, about 5 minutes. Add the mixture to the vegetables. Stir in the heavy cream, white wine, chicken, and frozen peas. Bring to a boil then reduce to a simmer for 5 minutes.




With a ladle, fill 4-6 ovenproof ramekins or bowls with the filling. (This recipe made 4 in my ramekins.) Place the ramekins on a baking sheet. Top with pastry dough, pinched around the rim of the ramekin.



[Note: For the crust, you can use store-bought pastry dough, or you can make it from scratch using this recipe below. For gluten-free, substitute your favorite gluten-free mixture for the flour. I use a blend of sweet rice flour and potato starch.]


PASTRY DOUGH

(Yield one crust)

1 ¼ cup sifted flour
1 teaspoon salt
6 tablespoons butter or shortening
2 to 3 tablespoons water
1 egg beaten with 1 tablespoon water, for egg wash on pastry (see below)
Kosher salt

Put flour and salt into food processor fitted with a blade. Cut in 3 tablespoons of butter or shortening and pulse for 30 seconds. Cut in another 3 tablespoons of butter. Pulse again for 30 seconds. Sprinkle with 2 to 3 tablespoons water and pulse a third time, for 30 seconds.

Remove the dough from the food processor and form into a ball. Wrap with wax paper or Saran wrap. Chill the dough for 30 minutes.

Sprinkle flour on a countertop or board. Remove the dough from the refrigerator and remove the covering. Place a large piece of parchment paper on a countertop. Place the dough on top. If desired, cover with another large piece of parchment paper. This prevents the dough from sticking to the rolling pin. Roll out dough so it is 1/4-inch thick. Using a biscuit round or mold (or be daring and go freehand), cut out dough large enough to cover the tops of the ovenproof ramekins, leaving about 1/2-inch hangover. Place each round on top of the individual bowls and crimp the dough over the edge.

Brush with the egg wash and, IMPORTANT, make 4 small slits on the top of each to let out steam. Sprinkle with kosher salt. Place the baking sheet with ramekins in the preheated oven. Bake for 15-20 minutes. Remove from the oven and serve hot.


******************

Friend Daryl on Facebook
Friend Avery on Facebook
Follow Daryl on Twitter
Follow Avery on Twitter
Follow both of us on Pinterest
Check out our website.

AS GOUDA AS DEAD
order here





FUDGING THE BOOKS, the next Cookbook Nook Mystery, is available for order: order here.



If you haven't done so, sign up for the mailing list 
so you can learn about upcoming events, releases, and contests! 



15 comments:

  1. I love chicken pot pie too Daryl, and had many meals out of those frozen ones:), exactly in the order you described. This recipe looks so much better though!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. The frozen ones have their place, but if you have time, homemade is the way to go. Either way you go, they are so comforting, aren't they?

      Delete
  2. I'm with hubby...could eat it without the crust! This is definitely a keeper!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. The filling is so tasty, I enjoy it both ways - though I'll admit I do love that first steamy cut into the crust.

      Delete
  3. Oh, I love pot pies! I will be making this! Thanks.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. What is your preferred flour for gluten-free? I haven't used too many yet.

      Delete
    2. Elaine, I use sweet rice flour and tapioca flour, occasionally potato starch and sorghum flour. Sweet rice flour really helps with the binding process. Learned that 16 years ago!

      Delete
    3. Thanks! Good to know! Sometimes I have to go gluten-free for company.

      Delete
  4. LOL! You, Roberta, and I ate exactly the same things! I love chicken pot pie. So comforting! Can't wait to try this!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I hope you enjoy it, Krista. What is it about chicken pot pie that is so comforting?

      Delete
  5. Add me to the "love (good) chicken pot pie" list. Nice chicken and vegetables, with a creamy sauce holding it all together, topped with a lovely, flaky crust.
    And your fine directions: "2 large carrots, peeled and cut into thing rounds"
    Love it!

    ReplyDelete
  6. Why must everybody put peas into pot pies? I love pot pies, but never eat them because I hate peas. Peas are very hard to pick out of pot pies, which I did when I was a kid. Now I just give up and never eat them. Stupid peas.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I don't care for peas that much either...but for a really good chicken pot pie I'll tolerate them. Mom used to make a cold pea salad & make use eat a serving. Ugh, that may have the turning point for my peas dislike!

      Delete