Chicken Pot Pie — Double-Crusted Classic Comfort Food

Chicken Pot Pie is one of my all-time favorite cold-weather comfort foods. Pie and dinner all in one! I know the name "Chicken Pot Pie" is not appealing to anyone who associates that name with the mid-century modern frozen version.

The first frozen chicken pot pie came out in 1951 and has had various iterations over the ensuing decades of convenience foods. Some have crusts top and bottom, some just a top crust, but all are heavy on the sauce and light on the chicken and vegetables.  

When I make my little individual chicken pot pies, I give them just a top crust to leave more room in the ramekins for the filling. But a regular pot pie must have both crusts. And the bottom crust does not have to be soggy.

There are various ways to avoid the "soggy bottom" problem. You can prebake ("blind" bake) the bottom crust before filling and adding the top crust. Or you can brush the bottom crust with egg wash before filling and bake your pot pie on the lowest rack of the oven at an initial high temperature. The fact that I am in the habit of lightly buttering the glass pie plate might also contribute to browning. 

Let me know in the comments whether you are a fan of savory pies as well as sweet, and any pie tips you'd like to share, or pie questions you might have. 

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Chicken Pot Pie 

(Makes one 9-inch pie, 6 servings)

The Pastry

1 1/2 sticks (6 ounces/170 grams) cold unsalted butter

1/2 cup (4 fluid ounces/118 ml) milk

1 1/2 teaspoons cider vinegar
2 1/2 dip-and-sweep cups (12.5 ounces/354 grams) unbleached all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon non-GMO baking powder

1 large egg

The Chicken Filling

4 tablespoons (2 ounces/57 grams) unsalted butter
1/3 cup chopped onion

1/3 cup chopped celery

1/3 cup chopped red bell pepper

2/3 cup chopped carrots
1/3 dip-and-sweep cup (1.67 ounces/47 grams) unbleached all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
1 1/2 cups (12 fluid ounces/355 ml) chicken broth

1/4 cup (2 fluid ounces/59 ml) milk

1/4 cup (2 fluid ounces/59 ml) heavy cream

1/4 teaspoon marjoram

1/4 teaspoon thyme

1 cup diced potato

2 1/2 cups cold diced cooked chicken*

3/4 cup frozen peas (not thawed)

The Egg Wash

1 large egg, beaten

* I cooked 1 pound (16 ounces/454 grams) boneless skinless chicken breasts (thighs are good, too) seasoned with 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper in skillet with 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, cooled and diced the chicken, and refrigerated it several hours ahead. You could even cook it the day before and make the pastry a day or two before.

1 Cut butter into 1/2-inch cubes and place in freezer for 15 minutes. In 1-cup glass measure, stir together milk and vinegar; let stand at least 5 minutes while proceeding with pastry. With metal blade in place, add flour, salt and baking powder to work bowl of food processor. Turn on for three seconds to combine. Add half the frozen butter and pulse for six 1-second pulses or until the frozen butter is the size of large peas. Add remaining butter and pulse for three 1-second pulses.

2 Whisk the egg into the soured milk. Pour half of the liquid over the flour and pulse for three 1-second pulses. Add the rest of the liquid and pulse for up to six 1-second pulses, or just until the dough forms large clumps. Turn dough out onto lightly floured surface and sprinkle it with flour. Press it into an even piece and divide into 2 equal pieces. Place each half on a square of plastic wrap and flatten slightly into a 4- to 5-inch round disk; wrap; refrigerate for at least 60 minutes or up to 2 days.

3 Let thoroughly chilled dough stand at room temperature for 10 to 20 minutes before rolling. On a lightly floured piece of parchment, roll out one piece of dough (save the plastic wrap) to a 13-inch circle and transfer it to a lightly buttered 9-inch pie plate, pressing dough (but not stretching it) to fit pie plate with about a one-inch overhang (trim with knife or scissors), cover with reserved piece of plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator.

4 Using the same piece of parchment, roll out the top crust just as for the bottom crust. Place it, parchment side down, on a half sheet pan, cover with reserved piece of plastic wrap and place in refrigerator for 30 minutes. 

5 In 3-quart saucepan, melt butter. Add chopped onions, celery and carrots. (Sometimes I use sliced mushrooms; you can use anything that adds up to the same amount.) Cook for 5 minutes. Stir in the flour, salt and pepper, and cook for a minute, while stirring. Stir in chicken broth, milk and, cream, marjoram and thyme. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, stirring constantly, for 3 minutes, until thickened. Stir in the diced potato, and simmer for 8 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool a bit. Stir in the cold chicken, and then the frozen peas. Taste and adjust seasoning. 

6 Beat the egg to use as an egg wash. Brush some of the egg wash inside the bottom crust; you'll use the rest on the top crust. Let rest in refrigerator for 20 minutes, or in freezer for 10 minutes. Move oven rack to lowest position. Preheat oven to 450F/230C/Gas8.

7 Pour the chicken filling into the chilled egg-washed bottom crust. Put top crust in place, trim and crimp. To vent the pie, make six 2-inch slashes. Brush the top with a thin, even coat of egg wash; let rest in refrigerator for 15 minutes. If desired, do a second thin, even coat of egg wash. Place the pie in a 15x10x1-inch baking sheet or a half sheet pan. Bake for 20 minutes (an excellent and inexpensive  kitchen timer); reduce heat to 375F/190C/Gas5 and continue baking for 20 minutes until crust is golden brown. Cool on wire rack for about 20 minutes before serving.

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Jean