Rosemary Chicken Pot Pie

Nothing says hello to winter cooking like a homemade pot pie.  But typically when I think of pot pie, I'm not all too impressed.  I think of the oozing sauce with little amounts of veggies tossed in. That I am not a fan of.  For me,  i think my rendition brings more of a focus on the delicious veggies while the sauce plays a smaller part.  Next time, I might even try adding in more vegetables like sweet potato and parsnip.  I also love the addition of the herbs, especially the fresh rosemary in the roux-based sauce to bring more flavor to the standard pot pie.

The Ingredients:

1/2 lb Chicken Breast

1 1/2 Cups Celery, halved length-wise, then cross cut into 1/4 in pieces

1 1/2 Cups Carrots, halved length-wise then cross cut into 1/4 in pieces

1 1/2 Cups Cremini Mushrooms, chopped

1 Cup Frozen Peas

1/2 Teaspoon Garlic, minced (1-2 Cloves)

1/2 Cup Yellow Onion, chopped

1/2 Cup Red Onion, chopped

1 Teaspoon Dried Thyme

1 Tablespoon Fresh Rosemary, chopped
2 Tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil + 1/2 Tablespoon
4 Tablespoons Butter
2 1/2 Tablespoons Flour
1 1/3 Cups Vegetable Broth
2 9-inch Pie Crust 

1 Teaspoon Salt
1/2 Teaspoon Fresh Ground Pepper

1) In a large saute pan, add 1/2 tablespoon of oil over high heat.  Add the chicken and brown on both sides - around 1-2 minutes per side.  Once browned, remove and cut into bite-size pieces and add to large mixing bowl.  Please note: The interior will NOT be fully cooked. That is OK because it will continue to cook in the pie.  This helps the chicken from not getting overly cooked and dry. 

2) In the same pan, add 2 tablespoons olive oil.  Add the celery, carrots, onion, mushrooms and garlic and cook over medium high heat.  Add in the salt, pepper, thyme and rosemary.  Cook veggies for about 15-20 minutes or until onions become translucent.  Remove from heat and add veggies to a mixing bowl.  Add in the frozen peas and shredded chicken.

2) To make the roux-based sauce, melt the butter over medium high heat using the same saute pan.  Once the butter begins to bubble, add in the flour, whisking constantly for about 2-3 minutes.  Slowly add in the chicken broth while whisking.  Reduce the heat to a simmer for about another 3-5 minutes or until the mixture has thickened. Remove from heat.

3) Using a 9-inch pie dish or a 9-inch cast iron pan, add one of the pie crusts. Add in the veggie mixture.

4) Pour the roux over the veggie & chicken mixture and gently incorporate. Lay the other pie crust on top and begin by gently pressing the top crust down into the seam, so that the bottom crust becomes exposed.

5) Fold the bottom crust lip over the top crust, pinching down and towards the wall of the pie dish.

6) With a sharp knife make slices in the top of the crust to allow for steam to escape.

7) Lightly cover with foil and bake at 425 degrees for 15 minutes. Then turn the oven down to 350 and continue to bake for 20-25 minutes or until filling begins to bubble and the pie is golden brown. Check the pie with 10-15 minutes left.  If crust needs more browning action to occur, remove the foil at that point.