Possible Cooking Methods: Stovetop Pressure Cooker
Chicken pot pie is a classic comfort meal, but Pennsylvania Dutch pot pie might not be what you’re expecting. Instead of a pastry crust, this version of the classic has square egg noodles inside the thick stew, similar to the rolled dumplings in another comfort classic – chicken and dumplings. (If you’re looking for the traditional “pot pie”, check out the Italian Turkey Pot Pie with Parmesan Crust on page 40.) This recipe calls for 1½ pounds of chicken breasts and thighs. You can use any combination of breasts and thighs, but 2 chicken breasts and 4 chicken thighs would be about right.
2 tablespoons butter
3 large leeks, cleaned, halved, dark green parts removed, white and light green parts sliced ½-inch thick
3 carrots, sliced ¼-inch thick
3 ribs celery, sliced ¼-inch thick
4 sprigs fresh thyme
2 cloves garlic, minced
6 cups chicken stock*
1½ pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts and thighs
1½ teaspoons salt
freshly ground black pepper
1 (12-ounce) can evaporated milk*
1 pound Yukon gold potatoes, peeled, halved or quartered and then sliced ¼-inch thick
12 ounces dried “pot pie” square egg noodles
1 cup corn kernels, fresh or frozen and thawed
1 tablespoon lemon zest
juice of ½ lemon
¼ cup chopped fresh parsley
*Quantity changes for alternate methods
Stovetop Directions
Serves:6 to 8
Cooking Time:75 minutes
1. Pre-heat a large 6-quart Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the butter and sauté the leeks, carrots, celery, thyme and garlic for 2 to 3 minutes, until the vegetables start to soften.
2. Pour in the chicken stock and bring it to a boil. Cut the chicken breasts in half on the bias and add all the chicken pieces to the pot. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper, cover and simmer for 45 minutes.
3. Stir in the evaporated milk and add the potatoes to the pot. Cook for 10 minutes and then remove the chicken pieces from the pot and set aside.
4. Add the dried egg noodles along with the corn and cook for 10 minutes. While the noodles are cooking, shred the chicken with two forks. Return the shredded chicken to the pot and continue to cook for 5 to 8 more minutes, until the noodles are soft.
5. Stir in the lemon zest, lemon juice and fresh parsley, season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper and serve in bowls with salad greens as an accompaniment.
Additional Cooking Directions for
Pressure Cooker Directions
Serves:6 to 8
Cooking Time:5 minutes
Change Ingredients: Cut chicken into bite-sized pieces; reduce chicken stock to 5 ½ cups; replace the can of evaporated milk with 1 cup of heavy cream
1. Pre-heat a 6-quart multi-function pressure cooker using the BROWN or SAUTE setting.
2. Add the butter to the cooker and brown the chicken pieces on all sides. Remove the chicken from the cooker and set aside. Add the leeks, carrots, celery, thyme and garlic and continue to sauté until the leeks start to soften – about 2 to 3 minutes.
3. Add the chicken stock, heavy cream, browned chicken, potatoes, corn and dried egg noodles. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper, cover and lock the lid in place.
4. Pressure cook on HIGH for 5 minutes.
5. Release the pressure using the QUICK-RELEASE method and carefully remove the lid. Stir in the lemon zest, lemon juice, and fresh parsley, season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper and serve in bowls with salad greens as an accompaniment.