Chicken Pot Pie
Ingredients
Pie Crust:
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp salt
2 1/2 sticks unsalted butter (1 cup + 4 tbsp or 24 tbsp)
1/4 cup ice cold water
1 egg (for egg wash before baking)
Pie Filling:
1 1/2 cups carrots (small dice)
1 1/2 cup celery (small dice)
1 1/2 cup fingerling potatoes (1/2 inch pieces)
22 white pearl onions
2 cups shredded chicken
2 bay leaves
14 black peppercorns
3 fresh thyme sprigs
1 tbsp salt
Béchamel:
3 tbsp unsalted butter
3 tbsp unbleached all-pupouse flour
3 cups whole milk
2 tsp salt
1/4 cup fresh parsley (minced)
2 tbsp fresh thyme leaves
1/4 tsp paprika
1/4 tsp black pepper
Method
Pie Crust
Cube the butter into about 1/2-inch pieces and place them in the freezer to chill. Prepare the ice water and place it in the freezer.
In the bowl of a food processor, add the flour and salt. Pulse until well combined and free of clumps.
Remove the butter and ice water from the freezer. Add about 6 pieces of butter and pulse until the flour starts to clump. Add another 6 pieces and pulse again. Repeat until all the butter is incorporated; the flour and butter should form a nice lose crumble.
Add one tablespoon of ice water to the mixture and pulse until combined. Add another tablespoon and pulse again. Continue adding water gradually until the dough comes together enough to mold into a ball. You may not use all the water, and that’s perfectly fine.
Weigh the pie dough and divide it in half. Press each half into a disc and refrigerate for at least one hour before using.
Pie Filling:
Fill a saucepan with 4-5 cups of water. Add the bay leaves, fresh thyme sprigs, and peppercorns. Set aside for later use.
Prep the carrots by peeling them and cutting them into small dice. Once prepared, add them to the saucepan and place it over medium heat. Simmer for about 10 minutes or until the carrots are just tender.
While the carrots simmer, prep the potatoes. Wash and dice them into about 1/2-inch pieces, ensuring each piece is roughly the same size.
Once the carrots are tender, remove them from the water and pour them onto a sheet tray. Add the prepped potatoes to the water and simmer until just tender, about 10 minutes.
While the potatoes are simmering, prep the onion by slicing off each end and peeling the first layer. Leave the onion whole and set aside. Prep the celery by cutting it into small dice and set aside.
Once the potatoes are just tender, remove them from the water and place them on the sheet tray with the carrots. Add the onions to the water and bring to a simmer, cooking until just tender, about 8-10 minutes.
Remove the onions from the water and place them on the sheet tray to cool before slicing them in half.
Discard the thyme, peppercorns, and bay leaves, and fill the saucepan with fresh water. Bring the water to a boil. While the water heats, fill a bowl with cold water and ice. Pour the celery into the boiling water and blanch for 2 minutes before straining and transferring the celery to the ice water to stop the cooking. Add the celery to the sheet tray and set aside.
Béchamel and Assemble the Pie:
Preheat your oven to 375°F. Grease a deep skillet or large pie plate with a little butter and set aside. I used the Staub 11” frying pan so anything of similar size will work!
Prep the herbs for the béchamel. Mince the parsley and thyme, and prepare the paprika, pepper, and salt so they're ready to use. Remove the pie dough from the refrigerator.
Place a medium saucepan over medium-low heat and add the 3 tablespoons of butter to melt. Once the butter is completely melted, add the flour and use a spatula to mix it into the butter. Cook the flour and butter for about 3 minutes, stirring continuously to prevent burning.
Once the flour has cooked for about 3 minutes, pour in the milk. Switch to a whisk and whisk frequently to prevent the flour from clumping and burning at the bottom of the pan. Bring the béchamel to a low simmer, whisking often. It should reduce and thicken significantly after about 30-40 minutes. Continue whisking to keep things moving.
While the béchamel finishes, combine all the prepped veggies in a bowl along with the chicken and 1 tablespoon of salt; toss until combined.
Once the béchamel has reduced to about 2 cups, it's done. Pour the sauce through a fine mesh sieve into a bowl to create a smooth and creamy sauce. Stir in the parsley, thyme, paprika, pepper, and salt, then set aside.
Roll out one of the pie disks to fit your preferred dish. Press the dough into the dish and use a knife to trim off any excess that hangs over the edge. Pour in the vegetable and chicken mixture and spread it evenly. Roll out the other dough disk for the top. Pour the béchamel over the filling, ensuring everything is coated before placing the top crust on and trimming any excess. Whisk up the egg to egg wash the top and use a knife to cut a slit in the dough to allow steam to escape.
Place the pie in the oven on a middle rack and bake for 50 minutes at 375°F, or until the crust is a deep golden brown and there’s some bubbling around the edges. Remove the pie from the oven and allow it to cool for at least 15 minutes before serving; it will be scorching hot!
Serve with a side salad and enjoy all your effort!
NotesI know this recipe seems long and has a lot of steps, so I want to share some tips on how to break it up so you don’t spend all day in the kitchen! The only part of the pot pie that MUST be done right before baking is the béchamel. You can make the pie crust a couple of days in advance when you have time, and keep it in the fridge until you're ready to use it—just don’t make it more than three days ahead. The vegetable prep can also be done the day before or the day of, and then stored in the fridge until you're ready. Take it step by step, and trust me: the recipe only seems long because I spaced out the steps to provide as much clarity as possible.
For the chicken, I personally used 6 boneless, skinless chicken thighs (about 1.35 pounds). I seasoned each thigh with salt, pepper, and paprika, then baked them at 375°F until they reached an internal temperature of 165-170°F, after which I shredded the meat. You can also use leftover chicken from a previous meal or grab a rotisserie chicken from your local grocery store—either option works perfectly!
For this recipe, I drew a lot of inspiration from Chef Thomas Keller. His cookbook Ad Hoc at Home features a chicken pot pie recipe that turns out amazing every time, but it really does take all day. In my version, I streamlined the process by simplifying a few steps and incorporating some tweaks that I love. I hope you all enjoy this recipe as much as I do!
Tools and Extras: