Individual Chicken Pot Pie with Homemade Crust

Adapted from: Alton Brown, Food Network — Good Eats: "A Bird In The Pie Is Worth Two In The Bush"

Active Time: 45 minutes | Total Time: 3 hours 40 minutes | Serves: 4

Level: Advanced

Alton Brown's individual pot pies are a project — but the kind of project that produces something genuinely extraordinary. Each pot pie has a rich, vegetable-and-chicken filling built in a cast iron skillet, topped with a homemade whole wheat and bread flour crust. The result is dramatically better than anything from a box.

Ingredients

Filling:

• 2 Tbsp vegetable oil, divided
• 1 1/2 lbs chicken thighs and/or breast, skin and bone removed, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
• 2 1/2 tsp kosher salt, divided
• 1 large yellow onion, chopped
• 8 oz cremini mushrooms, sliced 1/4-inch thick
• 2 medium carrots, peeled, cut into 1/4-inch slices
• 2 medium celery stalks, cut into 1/4-inch slices
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 1/2 tsp dried thyme
• 1/2 tsp dried tarragon
• 2 oz unsalted butter
• 3 oz all-purpose flour
• 2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
• 1 1/2 cups 2% milk, room temperature
• 8 oz frozen green peas

Instructions

1. Position oven rack in the middle and preheat to 425°F.
2. Heat 1 Tbsp oil in a 10-inch cast iron skillet over high heat. Add chicken, season with 1 tsp salt, and cook stirring occasionally until no longer pink on the outside but not dry, 4–6 minutes. Remove to a bowl.
3. Reduce heat to medium. Add remaining oil to the skillet. Add onions, mushrooms, carrots, celery, garlic, remaining 1 1/2 tsp salt, pepper, thyme, and tarragon. Stir and cook until onions have softened, about 5 minutes.
4. Add butter and melt. Stir in flour and cook 1–2 minutes. Gradually stir in chicken broth and milk, bringing to a simmer. Stir continuously until the sauce thickens, about 3 minutes.
5. Remove from heat. Stir in the peas, thyme, tarragon, and reserved chicken. Cover and set aside.
6. Divide filling among 4 individual oven-safe dishes. Top each with a round of homemade or store-bought puff pastry crust, pressing edges to seal.
7. Bake until crust is golden and filling is bubbling, about 25–30 minutes.

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