Chicken Pot Pie

Chicken Pot Pie

Fluffy Buttermilk Biscuit Topping:

1 c. flour
1 c. cake flour (if you don't have it, just use regular flour)
1 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
8 T. unsalted butter, quartered lengthwise and cut crosswise into 1/4 inch pieces
3/4 c. cold buttermilk + 1-2 T if needed (I often don't have this so I mix a T. or so of lemon juice w/milk and let it sit for a few minutes)

1. Mix dry ingredients, add butter pieces w/pastry blender or fork until mixture resembles coarse cornmeal with a few slightly larger butter lumps.
2. Add buttermilk, stir w/ fork. Transfer dough to a floured work surface and form into a rough ball. Roll out the dough until it is a 1/2 inch thick. Using a 2 1/2 inch to 3 inch pastry cutter, stamp out 8 rounds of dough. If making individual pies, cut the dough slightly smaller than the circumference of each dish. (Dough rounds can be refrigerated on a lightly floured baking sheet covered w/plastic wrap for up to 2 hours).
3. Arrange the dough rounds over the warm filling and proceed with the recipe for Chicken Pot Pie.

Filling:

1 1/2 # of boneless, skinless chicken breasts and/or thighs
2 c. chicken broth
1 1/2 T. vegetable oil
1 med-large onion chopped fine
3 medium carrots, peeled and cut crosswise 1/4 inch thick
2 celery ribs, cut crosswise 1/4 inch thick
salt and ground black pepper
4 T. (1/2 stick) unsalted butter
1/2 c. flour
1 1/2 c. milk
1/2 tsp. dried thyme
3/4 c. frozen peas, thawed
3 T. minced fresh parsley leaves

1. Make the biscuit topping and refrigerate until ready to use.
2. Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and heat oven to 400 degrees. Put chicken & broth in stockpot over med heat. Cover and bring to a simmer. Simmer until the chicken is just done 8+ minutes. Transfer the chicken to a large bowl, reserving the broth in a measuring cup.
3. Increase heat to med-high and heat oil in now empty pan. Add onion, carrots, & celery. Saute until tender, approx 5 min. Season w/salt and pepper to taste. While veg is sauteing, shred meat into bite-sized pieces (DO NOT CUBE, the sauce sticks on much better when shredded). Transfer cooked veg to bowl w/chicken, set aside.
4. Heat butter over med heat in again empty pan. When foaming subsides, add flour, cook 1 minute. Whisk in reserved chicken broth, milk and any accumulated chicken juices, & thyme. Bring to a simmer and continue until sauce fully thickens, about 1 minute. Season w/salt & pepper to taste.
5. Pour sauce over chicken mixture and stir to combine. Stir in peas and parsley. (The mixture can be covered and refrigerated overnight, reheat topping before topping with the pastry) Pour mixture into a 13x9 inch pan or 6 12-oz ovenproof dishes. Top with biscuit. Bake until pastry is golden brown and filling is bubbling, 30 minutes for large or 20 to 25 minutes for smaller pies.

By: Krista Bodily