Summer Chicken Pot Pie

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It is time for the Let’s Lunch group to get together to nosh.  This month’s nibble is all about pies.  I did not instantly think of a sticky, gooey, and sweet pie.  Instead, my thoughts jumped to a savory version.  Particularly, this Summer Chicken Pot Pie recipe.  You know the kind;  thick chunks of chicken, sweet veggie niblets, and a saucy but savory gravy that wraps it all together.  The kind that drips off of your fork, and runs down your chin pot pie.

I have been thinking about this savory summer chicken pot pie since I picked up these cute chicken-shaped ramekins.  I know, dorky to buy a dish just for a certain meal.  I could not resist.  Let’s Lunch seemed like the perfect time to perfect my pot pie recipe. Which by the way is very simple.  I decided to forego the traditional chicken pot pie;  you know the one full of chicken, peas, carrots, and celery.  I wanted this one to be a little French and to ooze summertime.

I had planned to use chicken thighs for this recipe but had a very large breast leftover from another meal, so I used that.  I started by using a little carrot, celery, and shallot as my base and then threw in summer fresh green beans, and summer squash. As well I added a diced russet potato which acted as a thickener.  

The saucy sauce that brought the dish together was made with a little olive oil, butter, flour, chicken stock, and an abundance of fresh tarragon – the French part of the dish.  Don’t all French recipes seem to use so much tarragon?  The tarragon seemed to make, what can otherwise be a heavy meal, light.  

This pot pie recipe was fresh-tasting, and the vegetables were still slightly crisp, not overcooked.  I did cheat a bit by using a premade puff pastry as the topping;  Dufour is my favorite to use, as it is light and fluffy, and browns perfectly.  Our summer pot pie recipe is so easy, that I had dinner on the table in an hour.

*note if you decide to use chicken that has not been cooked you will need to allow at least 15 minutes extra to precook the chicken.

Recipe:  Summer Chicken Pot Pie

serves 2

Ingredients:

• 1 carrot, diced very small
• 1 celery, diced very small
• 1 small shallot, diced very small
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 3 tablespoons tarragon, torn into pieces
• 1/4 lb green beans, cut into small pieces
• 1 small yellow summer squash, cut into small pieces
• 1 russet potato, small dice
• 1 large pre-cooked chicken breast, cut into small pieces
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 3 tablespoons flour
• 2 cups chicken broth
• salt and pepper to taste
• puff pastry, cut to fit your baking dishes
• 1 egg
• 1 tablespoon water

How To:

1. Heat oven to 400.
2. Butter two large ramekins or 4 smaller ones.
3. In a large dutch oven, drizzle a small amount of olive oil; heat over medium heat.  Add the shallots, stir, and cook until soft;  about 3 minutes.  Add the carrots and celery, stir, and cook for another 5 minutes.
4. Add the green beans, summer squash, and russet potato;  stir and cook for 5 minutes.
5. Add the garlic and tarragon, stir, and cook for 1 minute.  Turn off the heat and set aside.
6. In a small saucepan, add the olive oil and butter, heat over medium heat until the butter is melted.  Whisk in the flour, and continue cooking until slightly bubbly;  about a minute.
7. Add the chicken broth, whisk until smooth, and cook over low heat until thick;  about 3 – 5 minutes.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.  Pour the sauce over the vegetable mixture, and gently stir in the chicken.
8. Pour the mixture into the buttered ramekins.
9. Cover the tops of the ramekins with puff pastry that has been cut slightly larger than the top of the dish.
10. Lightly crimp the sides of the puff pastry over the sides of the dish.
11. Beat the egg with a tablespoon of water, and gently brush the tops of the puff pastry.
12. Put the ramekins onto a baking sheet, and slide into the oven.  Bake until the tops are golden, and the inside is bubbly, it will begin to come out the sides;  will take approximately 25 – 35 minutes.
13. Serve.
14. Eat.

Be sure to see what other #LetsLunch folks are slurping up this month.

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