Chicken Pot Pie

On the menu last night: Chicken pot pie, champagne, and mint chocolate-chip ice cream. I am starting my diet today, I swear. Just as soon as I finish this coffee with Bailey's Irish Cream in it. Hey, it's spring break!

This recipe made enough for one big pie-sized pot pie, plus another smaller one that I stuck in the freezer for an easy dinner when we need it. The original recipe I followed was for six individual ramekins (the bigger ones; around 2 cups each) so you could do that instead if you wanted to.

Chicken Pot Pie
Serves 6

For the crust
2 cups flour
3/4 tsp salt
12 TBSP butter, cut into bits
3 TBSP cold water

For the filling
2 TBSP olive oil
2 cooked chicken breasts, shredded
1/2 lb. sliced mushrooms
1 onion, chopped
1 cup carrots, diced
1 smallish baking potato, diced
1 smallish sweet potato, diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup frozen peas
1 cup shredded green cabbage
4 TBSP butter
1/2 cup flour
3 cups vegetable broth
1 cup half and half
parsley, thyme, red pepper flakes
salt and pepper
1 TBSP dijon mustard

Make the crust
1) Put the flour and salt in a big bowl. Add the butter bits and crumble them into the flour mixture with your hands until blended.

2) Drizzle the cold water over the mixture and knead until the dough begins to clump together. Shape the crumbs into a ball, wrap tightly in plastic wrap, and put in the fridge for a while. You want the dough to be firm but pliable. I usually take it out of the fridge about 20 minutes before I'm going to roll it.

Make the filling
3) Heat 1 TBSP olive oil in a big pot. Saute the mushrooms until they are browned, then add them to a big bowl with the shredded chicken.

4) Heat another TBSP of olive oil in the pot and add the carrots and onions. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions begin to brown (about 6-8 minutes). Add the garlic and stir for about a minute more. Scrape the veggies into the bowl with the chicken and mushrooms. Add the frozen peas and cabbage and stir everything together.

5) Melt the butter over low heat in the same pot. Add the flour and cook, whisking constantly, until it forms a ball. Add the half and half and continue to whisk constantly. Whisk in the vegetable broth until you have a smooth creamy gravy. This will take a few minutes.

6) Add the cooked chicken and vegetables and the potatoes and sweet potatoes to the gravy. Stir in the spices and salt and pepper. Partially cover the pot and simmer for about 10 minutes. Stir in the dijon mustard at the end.

7) Transfer the filling mixture into a pie dish. Roll out the crust into a circle-ish shape and lay on top of the filling. You can make it fancy, with crimped edges and all that, but I like to leave it rustic.

8) Place on a rimmed baking sheet. Bake at 400 degrees for about 40-45 minutes. Let cool for 10-15 minutes before eating (your house will smell heavenly right about now).

Enjoy! You, too, can start your diet tomorrow.