Not Your Average Pot Pie

There are few things as comforting as a chicken pot pie for dinner. This particular recipe calls for some nontraditional ingredients. Tarragon, white wine, and sweet red peppers make this an adult version of a childhood favorite. Low fat? Not even slightly. Save your calories for this one; she's worth it. (Why did I assign a female gender to the pie? I'm not sure, but it just felt right.)

SHOPPING LIST:

-Cooked and shredded chicken

-puff pastry

-peas

-red bell pepper

-shallots

-carrots

-tarragon

-white wine (dry)

-cream

-butter

-flour

-chicken stock

Chicken Pot Pie
** I'm going to be honest; I don't make my own crust. Frozen puff pastry tastes delicious, and I'm not going to be ashamed to say that I use it when necessary!

1. Preheat oven to 400.
2. Making the roux: Saute 1/3 cup of shallots in 1/2 cup of butter on low-medium heat. When shallots are translucent, sift in 1/3 cup of flour and mix well. Continue stirring for 2 minutes. The roux should be a little darker in color.

3. Add 1 cup of heavy cream, 1 cup of broth, 1/3 cup of dry white wine, tarragon ( 1/2 teaspoon dried or 1 teaspoon finely minced fresh), salt and pepper. Stir well incorporating roux into liquid mixture. Cook on low an additional 5- 7 minutes while prepping vegetables.

4. Finely chop carrots and bell pepper. You should have about 2/3 cup of each. Measure out 1 cup of fresh or frozen green peas.

5. Shred cooked chicken until you have about 2 cups. (You can use a whole chicken, breasts, or even a pre-cooked rotisserie chicken. I usually make my own broth, so I'll use a whole chicken. Typically I shred all the meat, saving the left over for chicken tacos another night.)

6. Add chopped vegetables and chicken to the pan with the base. Stir only to combine the wet and dry ingredients.

7. Add to casserole dish and spread evenly. Layer Puff pastry on top, making sure to vent a couple areas for steam to escape while cooking.

8. Bake time is tricky. This can bake anywhere from 25-35 minutes on 400 depending on your oven.

Does anyone remember the days of the frozen Banquet pot pies that took 45 minutes in the oven? As a kid, that seemed like an eternity to wait! I remember my brother and I counted down with the timer until the glorious pies were lifted out of the oven, only to have to wait another 20 minutes until they were cool enough to eat. We'd end up sticking them in the freezer to try and speed up the process. After pot pies were consumed, the little tin plates became Frisbees, weapons, and a number of other entertaining items.

Am I alone here? Please validate my childhood if you did the same thing...



~Heather

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Make sure yours is thawed according to the package before you begin cooking.