Chicken Pot Pie--the Ultimate Comfort Food! (recipe, meat)

Chicken /VeChicken or Vegetable Pot Pie M Yield: Serves: 12-14

I have always loved Chicken Pot pie. As my children were growing up, there was always an argument as to how thick the sauce should be. Everybody like the sauce better the second day-meaning that they liked it thicker. Thus, I now make the sauce thicker on the first day. We like a thick creamy sauce but if you prefer it thinner, use the lesser amount of flour and you’ll be happy. The amount of sauce you will need depends on the size casserole you use and how many of each. After you make this the first time, you will be better able to gauge quantities. You can always make an extra batch of sauce and add it in if you don’t feel you have enough. As to the topping- my Pot Pie Dough is a cinch to prepare in a food processor and just as easy to roll out. Add to that, it forms such a tight seal, the pies stay hot at least 20-30 minutes after baking. Frozen pareve puff pastry is also easy to work with but doesn’t retain the heat the same way. Many people enjoy mashed potatoes on top which is delicious; but again, they don’t retain the heat very long and are not really great the next day as leftovers.

Prep time: Chicken: 45 min. Vegetables: 20-30 min. Sauce: 30 min.

Assembly: about 45 min. for individual pies-- 20 min. for one large casserole

Ingredients
8 chicken cutlets-about 4 pounds
1 large onion-peeled & quartered
2 bay leaves

1 head broccoli- about 4 cups florets

½ pound carrots-peeled & cut into ½ inch pieces

¾ pound green beans-trimmed & cut into 1 inch pieces

1 cup corn kernels (use frozen and defrost)

1 pound white pearl onions-(use frozen and defrost)

1 cup peas-(use frozen and defrost)

24 ounces tri color small new potatoes –rinsed and quartered

1 large red pepper- cored and diced

4 cups chicken/vegetable broth (reserved cooking liquid plus low salt boxed broth or water)

4 cups regular non dairy soy milk

1 cup pareve margarine

1 ½ cups flour

Sea salt + hot pepper sauce-to taste

1 cup fresh chopped Italian parsley

Pot Pie Dough/non-dairy frozen puff pastry

1 beaten egg

Equipment
Large saucepan with lid
Large skillet
Large colander
2 large mixing bowls
Strainer
12 cup casserole+individual casseroles
Rolling pin
Pastry brush
Cookie sheets
Directions: Chicken and Vegetables

1. Rinse chicken cutlets and place in saucepan with onion, bay leaves and water to cover. Bring water to a boil, reduce to a simmer and cook chicken until done- about 30 minutes. Remove cooked cutlets from the liquid (reserve liquid if you are going to use it in sauce) and let them cool. After they have cooled, take a sharp knife and cut them into small cubes. Set aside. Strain cooking liquid and reserve for use in white sauce.


2. 
   Prepare vegetables while chicken is cooking. Bring about two inches salted water to boil in skillet. Add broccoli, string beans and carrots, cover skillet and steam them two minutes. Place large colander over a larger mixing bowl and drain vegetables-reserving cooking liquid. Use the same liquid (adding more water if needed) to steam potatoes for 8 minutes. Add peas, corn and onions to steamed potatoes and steam 2 minutes longer. Drain vegetables, in colander over mixing bowl reserving liquid; and add these vegetables to the others in the mixing bowl. Add cubed red pepper. Toss vegetables lightly. Set aside.
   
   

DIRECTIONS: SAUCE

Use a mixture of reserved liquid from cooking chicken and vegetables plus more low salt chicken broth to make white sauce if you have no vegetarians to consider. If you have vegetarians, use just the liquid from cooking vegetables plus water or prepared vegetable broth to make sauce.

1. 
   Melt margarine in skillet over medium high flame. Add 1 cup flour and stir vigorously so that a smooth paste forms. Slowly, pour in 4 cups cooking liquid, stirring constantly as a sauce forms. Then, slowly, pour in 4 cups soy milk, continuing to stir constantly to form a white sauce. At this point, you make a decision as to how thick you want your sauce to be. I added an additional ½ cup flour ( I scooped out 2 cups liquid and mixed flour in that before returning it to skillet and incorporating it with the rest of the sauce.) to make the sauce thicker. Season sauce with sea salt and hot pepper sauce to taste. Start with 1 teaspoon of each and taste from there. Strain sauce if you think you might have any flour lumps. When sauce is done, stir in chopped parsley.
   
   

TO ASSEMBLE:

1. 
   Remove dough from refrigerator or puff pastry from freezer 30 minutes in advance.
   
   


2. 
   Fill large casserole or individuals with vegetables if you have vegetarians. Mix remaining vegetables with cubed chicken. Divide mixture evenly amongst casseroles or pour into one large one. Pour sauce over casseroles. The sauce should cover no more than ¾ of the casserole.
   
   


3. 
   Divide potpie dough into quarters. Roll out one quarter at a time (for individual casseroles) on a floured surface. Roll out large piece of dough for larger casseroles. Dough should be about 1/8 inch thick. Cut pieces large enough to cover casserole and overlap about ¼ inch all around. Press dough around the top to seal. Repeat process until all casseroles are covered. (The puff pastry can be done the same way.) The covered casseroles can be refrigerated until baking time. Before baking, let casseroles return to room temperature for 30 minutes.
   
   

3. 
   Preheat oven to: 400 F.
   
   


4. 
   Take a sharp knife and lightly score tops of casseroles-making any pattern you like. Brush tops and sides of casseroles with beaten egg. Make any decorations you like with extra dough and place them on top of casseroles. Brush again with beaten egg. Place them on cookie sheets and bake 30-40 minutes or until pastry has browned.