Comforting Chicken/Turkey Pot Pie for the Holidays

During the holiday season cooking at home for family and friends is enjoyable and can help to facilitate comfort and relaxation. In this post, I offer my recipe for Chicken Pot Pie, which I recently demonstrated in a virtual conference for high school consumer science teachers from the kitchen of Ozarks Technical Community College. In the actual demo, I prepared the Chicken Pot Pie with an Arugula Pear Salad with Candied Pecans, Gorgonzola Cheese, and Dried Cranberries. I decided to share the techniques and recipe on how to make a pot pie because many people serve roast turkey during the season and then wonder what to do with the leftovers. A pot pie is a good way to use leftover meat with a stock made from the roasted turkey carcass. In order to make a great pot pie two separate preparations need to be accomplished. First, a pie dough needs to be made and then the filling needs to be prepared. After the filling has been made and bowled up in an ovenproof dish or dishes, it is covered with the pie dough. In the final step, it is brushed with an egg wash and baked until the crust is golden brown and then it’s ready to be served.

To make a flakey tender pie dough, cut the chilled fat into the flour until the fat particles are the size of small peas. Make sure the fat and water are very cold. When forming the dough mix briefly with the water to avoid too much gluten development which makes the dough tough.

Pie dough

½ lb                                   All-purpose flour

1/2 tsp                                 Salt

3/8 cup                                 Shortening, chilled

1/8 cup                                 Butter, chilled and small diced

¼ to ½ cup, or more                       Water, ice cold

1. In a stainless steel or glass bowl mix the flour with the salt
2. Cut in the butter with a pastry blender
3. Cut in the shortening until only small pea size lumps can be seen
4. With a fork mix in the water in small increments to form a shaggy dough
5. Form into a ball, wrap in plastic and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or over-night.

Once the dough is made and is chilling and relaxing the next step is to prepare the filling with a classic basic sauce known as Veloute.

Once the pie is made prepare the filling with the following recipe:

Chicken/Turkey Pot Pie

Yield 2 Individual ovenproof casserole dishes or 1- 8” glass pie dish

• 12 oz                           Pie dough
• Pinch Coarse Sea salt (optional)
• 2 cups                          Chicken, cooked and large diced (Leftover turkey can also be used)
• ¼ cup                          Carrots, medium diced
• ¼ cup                          Parsnips, medium diced
• ¼ cup                          Celery, medium diced
• ¼ cup                          Pearl onions, blanched and peeled
• ¼ cup                          Mushrooms, medium diced
• 2 ½ cups                        Rich chicken stock, or double chicken stock
• 3 TBL                           Butter
• 4 TBL                           All-purpose flour
• 1 tsp                           Chopped Tarragon or Chives
• 2 tsp                           Chopped Parsley
• ¼ cup                          Heavy cream, hot
• 2 TBL                           Dry Sherry or Maderia
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Corn starch slurry if needed    50/50 starch and Sherry or water
• Egg wash                       1 egg and 1 yolk, mixed with a little water
• Large crystal sea salt if desired
• AP flour for rolling out the pie dough

1. Prepare the pie dough and chill
2. In a heavy bottom sauce pot, melt the butter and sauté the pearl onions, carrots, parsnips, celery, and mushrooms
3. Dust with 3 TBL flour to form a roux and cook while stirring over low heat for 5 minutes
4. Whisk in the chicken stock to make a Velouté
5. Simmer while occasionally stirring for 10 to 15 minutes, skim any scum that forms
6. Add the diced chicken and return to a simmer, cook for 3 more minutes
7. Add the hot cream, chopped herbs, and sherry
8. Adjust the consistency if needed with some cornstarch slurry
9. Taste and adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper if needed
10. Remove from the stove and fill the oven proof dishes or pie dish with the filling using a slotted spoon so as not to get too much sauce. The filling should have just enough sauce in it to make a hearty filling and should not be too runny.

Cutting the vegetables into a uniform size and shape is important to yield the best finished product. Dice root vegetables by first cutting them into sticks then cut across them into dice. This picture shows a very small dice 1/8 x 1/8 inch, known as Brunoise. For the pot pie, the sticks should be cut larger into a medium-size dice. Also pictured are Cremini mushrooms and Pearl Onions that can be used in pot pies.

Final preparation:

1. Dust a cutting board or surface and roll out the pie dough
2. Cut into the proper shape and cut a small hole in the middle of the dough to form a vent
3. Brush the rim of the dishes or the pie dish with egg wash
4. Cover the dishes with or pie dish with the dough and crimp the edges
5. Brush heavily with the egg wash and sprinkle on some of the large crystal sea salt if desired
6. Bake at 350F for approximately 30 to 35 minutes, or until the dough is golden brown

Remove from the oven and serve.