Probably not the smartest idea to make a chicken pot pie on a work night. From scratch, including an all butter pastry. But Moe mentioned my chicken pot pie a few times recently so I decided to make him one.

Got home from work at 5:30 and we were eating at 7:00. I normally aim for something I can put together in less than a hour on work nights.

Started cooking the chicken breasts, simmering them in chicken broth seasoned with a few sprigs of thyme, a bay leaf and a large cracked garlic clove. Salt and pepper.

While the chicken cooked, I made the pastry and got it into the fridge for a 30 minute quick rest.

Prepped the vegetables. I went with what I had on hand. Onions, celery, potatoes and a couple of small carrots. When the chicken was cooked, it was removed from the broth and the vegetables added. When they were almost tender, they were removed from the broth . I started a roux, (butter and flour). Added some of the broth the chicken was cooked in along with heavy cream and fresh minced thyme. Let it simmer for a few minutes. Added the cooked vegetables, along with frozen peas, plus the cut up chicken breasts to the sauce. Filled two baking dishes, one medium size and the other large. Topped with the pastry and baked at 450°F.

My favourite part is the pastry. Close to a puff pastry and so good with the cream sauce.

Home Cookin Chapter: Recipes From Thibeault’s Table

Chicken Pot Pie With Herbed Crust

Dough
1-1/2 cups all purpose flour
2 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 tablespoons cold butter, cut into
1 inch pieces
1/4 cup cold solid vegetable
shortening cut into bits
1/4 cup ice water
Chicken filling
4 large chicken breasts
5 cups chicken broth
2 teaspoons black peppercorns
2 bay leaves
4 springs fresh thyme
3 large garlic cloves
2 small carrots cut into 3/4 inch cubes
1 small leek cut into 1/2 inch thick
pieces (about 2 cups)
1 large sweet potato
1 or 2 stalks of celery
2 or three large baking potatoes cut
into 1 1/2 inch pieces
1 cup frozen peas
Sauce
4 tablespoons butter
5 tablespoons all purpose flour
1 cup heavy cream
2 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme
salt and pepper

.
Use any combination of vegetables. I have added fresh green beans
cut into ½ inch pieces.

Cook the chicken in a soup pot with the broth, peppercorns, bay
leaves, thyme and garlic. Bring to a boil over high head. Reduce
the heat to low and simmer very gently until the chicken is
cooked.

Remove the chicken from the pot and let cool. Remove meat from
bones. Strain broth to remove peppercorns and herbs. Bring
strained broth to a boil and add leeks, celery and carrot. Cook a
couple of minutes and then add sweet potatoes and regular
potatoes. Remove vegetables from broth to a bowl with the chicken
and set aside.

Make sauce, by melting butter in a saucepan over low heat. Add
flour and then cooking stirring frequently with a whisk, until the
mixture develops a nutty smell, about 2 minutes. Slowly add half
the broth to the roux, whisking constantly until the sauce
thickens. Add the rest of the broth along with the cream and
chopped thyme. Increase the heat to moderate and allow the sauce
to simmer, stirring occasionally, until it is well steeped with
the flavour of thyme. Remove the pan from the head. Add the
vegetables and chicken to the sauce. Add frozen peas. Season with
salt and pepper.

Spoon filling into the pan. Cover with pastry, trucking in edge to
seal to side of pan. Reroll the dough trimmings and cut out
several leaf shapes to decorate. Make small incisions in the crust
to allow steam to escape.

Bake in a 375 degree oven until crust in golden brown, for about
50 minutes.