Individual Chicken Pot Pies

I saw this recipe for Chicken Pot Pie on Weelicious a few weeks ago and was dying to try it. There is just something about chicken pot pie that makes my mouth water. Me thinks it's the flaky, buttery crust.  This recipe does not disappoint!


As always, my adaptations/changes are in blue.


Chicken Pot Pie
(adapted from Weelicious.com)


*I used a roll of Pillsbury pie crust. Saved a bit of cooking/baking and clean up time! 

Crust:
4 Tbsp Butter, chilled and cubed
4 Tbsp Shortening or Lard, chilled and cubed
1 1/4 Cup All Purpose Flour
1/2 Tsp Salt
2-3 Tbsp Ice Water
1. Place the first 4 ingredients in a food processor and pulse until it resembles coarse cornmeal.
2. Sprinkle 1 tbsp of the water in the food processor and pulse a few times until the dough starts to come together.
3. Place the dough of a piece of parchment or plastic wrap and gather the dough into a ball and flatten into a disk.
4. Refrigerate the pie crust dough for 30 minutes or until chilled.


Pie Filling:
2 Cups or 1 14 oz Can Chicken Broth (I use low sodium)
2 Chicken Breasts, boneless, skinless (about 1 Lb)
4 Tbsp Butter, divided
1 Clove Garlic, minced
1 Small Onion, minced
2 Stalks of Celery, diced
2 Carrots, peeled and diced (I used frozen carrots)
1 Tsp Fresh or 1/2 Tsp Dried Thyme
3 Tbsp Butter
3 Tbsp Flour
1 Cup Milk
Salt
1 Cup Peas (I use frozen)
Pepper to taste


1. In a saucepan, bring chicken stock and chicken breasts to a boil, reduce to a simmer, partially covered for 12 minutes. Remove the chicken breasts to a plate, reserving the chicken broth, and when cool, cut the chicken into bite size chunks.
2. Heat 1 tbsp of the butter in a saucepan over medium heat and cook the garlic and onions for 4 minutes or until translucent.
3. Add the celery, carrots and thyme and cook for an additional 3 minutes.
4. Melt the remaining butter into the vegetables and sprinkle the flour over and stir to make a roux. Cook for 1-2 minutes stirring to coat the vegetables.
5. Add the milk, reserved chicken broth, chopped chicken and peas and simmer over low to medium for 10 minutes or until thick and creamy. Season to taste with Salt and Pepper.
6. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
7. Place 1/4 of the mixture in 4 10 oz ramekins or 1 large ramekin. (I used 5 8oz ramekins)
8. Dust a flat surface with flour and roll out the dough 1/4 inch thick (about the size of a pie plate).
9. Place the ramekins on the dough upside-down and cut 1/2 inch wider around to make the top crust of the pot pie.
10. Place the cut-out dough on top of the ramekin and gently pinch the sides, pressing it to make it stick.
11. Using the tip of a knife, make 3 slits on top of the dough (to allow ventilation).
12. Place ramekins on a cookie sheet and bake for 30 minutes at 400 degrees.
13. Cool and serve.




Enjoy!


(Image from weelicious.com)