Chicken Pot Pie, take two! I made Chicken Pot Pie before and blogged it, and honestly thought it was an awesome "diet" substitute. That was before I discovered I could make a real and savory crust, not a phyllo crust. After deciding to remake the crust, I also decided to revamp the filling a bit as well. I thought the first filling was still very good, but had some room for improvement. The new and improved Chicken Pot Pie is really, really amazing. The inside is creamy and chunky and the outside is crusty and delicious. Absolute perfection! I also decided to make individual pot pies this time, which I find are much prettier and are the perfect serving size. This will definitely fulfill the craving for pot pie if you are on a low fat diet. Promise! Even my mother loved it, who is not on my diet :).
The recipe takes time to make (I would say at least 2 hours) but it's well worth the time and effort. I actually really enjoy taking time to make something complicated every once and a while. However, If you need to cut the time, you can prepare some ingredients the day before, which would significantly reduce the cooking time. For example, you can bake the chicken the day before and refrigerate it, and you can also use frozen vegetables as well. I do not recommend using a rotisserie chicken, since it is cooked with the skin, which adds a lot of fat. I also I do not recommend using a store-bought crust. The crusts are high in fat and have very unhealthy ingredients. Besides, the crust listed below is really quite easy to make.
I hope you enjoy making and eating this recipe as much as I did!
Ingredients for Filling:
- 3 large boneless skinless chicken breasts
- Kosher salt and black pepper
- 3 tbsp of extra virgin olive oil plus more for brushing chicken breasts
- 1 tbsp minced garlic
- 4 carrots, peeled and finely chopped
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 1/4 tsp dried thyme leaves
- 1/4 cup all purpose flour
- 1 1/4 cup fat free half and half (any brand that is organic or does not have hydrogenated oil, palm oil, or mono & diglycerides)
- 1 1/4 cup low fat/1% buttermilk
- 2-3 tbsp of low sodium organic chicken stock
- 8 oz of frozen peas, thawed and cooked
Ingredients for Crust:
- 2 cups of all purpose flour
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp baking soda
- 1/4 tsp kosher salt
- 2/3 cup low fat/1% buttermilk
- 3 tbsp plus 1 tsp of vegetable oil
- 1 egg
Ingredients for Egg Wash:
Necessary Cookware:
- 4 16 oz ovenproof bowls. (The mixture makes approximately 2 quarts of filling if you decide to use another size.)
Directions for Filling:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Place the boneless skinless chicken breasts on a baking sheet, brush them with extra virgin olive oil on both sides, and sprinkle generously with salt and pepper all over. Bake the chicken for 35-40 minutes, or until cooked through. Let the chicken cool enough so that it can be handled. Then, shred the chicken with your hands, or if you prefer, cut the chicken into cubes. (This step can be done a day in advance in order to save time).
To make the filling, begin by preparing your vegetables. Chop your carrots, onions, and mince the garlic. Cook the peas in the microwave and set aside.
Heat three tablespoons of olive oil on a medium heat. Cook the onions, carrots, garlic and thyme for 8-10 minutes or until the onions are translucent and carrots are crisp-tender. Add the chicken stock and season with salt and pepper to taste. Then, add the 1/4 cup of flour to the vegetables and cook for one minute, stirring continuously. Add the half and half and buttermilk slowly, stirring continuously until the mixture is smooth. Let the mixture simmer on low and thicken, stirring occasionally.
Directions for Crust:
While the filling is simmering, it's time to make the crust.
In a large mixing bowl, mix together the flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt together with a wooden spoon. In a small mixing bowl, whisk together the buttermilk, vegetable oil and egg. Pour the milk mixture over the flour mixture. Stir the mixture together with a spoon until most of the ingredients are gathered together. Then, using your hands, make a ball out of the dough and grab any leftover pieces of dough and put it together.
On a floured surface, knead the ball of dough 10-12 times. Then, using a floured rolling pin, roll the dough out to 1/8 to 1/4 inch thickness. Cut the dough into four 7.5 to 8 inch circles, one for each bowl. You can use the bowls as a guide if necessary.
Now, fill each bowl with filling to the top and then carefully place a dough circle on top of each bowl. Press the dough securely around the bowls and brush them egg wash. Cut three slits into the top of each pot pie and place them on a baking sheet.
Bake the pot pies in the oven for 25-30 minutes, or until the crust is golden brown. Let the pot pies cool for about 10-15 minutes and serve. Enjoy!!