Asparagus and Chicken Mini Pot Pies

These little pastries are perfect as a spring appetizer or entrée. Thyme- and garlic-flecked dough creates a buttery, flaky vessel for the thick and delicious chicken, potato, and asparagus filling. Thyme and rosemary enhance the flavor of everyone’s favorite spring vegetable, and the addition of white wine lends a slightly acidic note that brightens the flavor. • serves 6

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Thyme and Garlic Dough

• 4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1½ teaspoons fresh thyme leaves
• 1¼ teaspoons kosher salt
• ½ teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
• 1⅓ cups (2⅔ sticks) unsalted butter, frozen
• ⅔ cup ice water
• 3 garlic cloves, minced

Asparagus and Chicken Filling

• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 pound boneless skinless chicken thighs, cut into 1-inch cubes
• 2 medium Yukon gold potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes
• ⅔ cup chicken stock
• ¼ cup dry white wine
• ½ cup frozen corn kernels
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1½ teaspoons fresh thyme leaves
• ¾ teaspoon finely chopped fresh rosemary leaves
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• ¼ teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
• ½ pound asparagus, ends trimmed, cut into 1-inch pieces
• ¼ cup heavy cream
• 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
• 1 large egg, beaten with 1 tablespoon water

For the dough, in a large bowl, mix together the flour, thyme, salt, and pepper. Grate the frozen butter on the largest hole setting of your grater, allowing the butter pieces to fall into the dry ingredients, stirring every minute to evenly disperse the butter. Add the ice water and garlic. Mix the dough together with your hands, kneading until everything is completely blended. Roll out the dough into a ¼-inch-thick, 16 by 18-inch rectangle. Transfer to a large baking sheet and cover with plastic wrap. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes while you prepare the filling or up to 4 hours.

For the filling, melt the butter in a large frying pan over medium heat. Add the chicken cubes and cook, stirring every 2 to 3 minutes, until lightly browned on all sides. Add the potatoes, stock, wine, corn, garlic, thyme, rosemary, salt, and pepper and reduce the heat to low. Simmer until the potatoes are nearly cooked through, about 20 minutes. Stir in the asparagus and set aside.

In a small saucepan over low heat, warm the cream until hot but not boiling. Whisk in the flour until a paste forms and immediately remove it from the heat. Ladle some of the stock from the chicken mixture into the saucepan, whisking constantly, until you have a thick gravy. Add the saucepan contents to the chicken mixture and stir until completely incorporated.

Preheat the oven to 375°F. Grease 6 cups of a standard muffin pan.

Cut six 5-inch circles out of the dough (I used a ramekin and traced my knife around). Cut a wedge of one-sixth of the circle out of one round. Discard the wedge and reseal the circle so it forms a small cone. Use your thumbs to push out the center of the cone slightly while turning the cone in a circle so that it begins to take the shape of a cup. Place the dough cup in a muffin pan cup and press down gently to form it to the sides. Repeat to fit 6 dough cups in the muffin pan. Fill the cups with the chicken filling until level with the top of the dough.

With the remaining dough, cut out six 3-inch rounds to use as toppers to the pot pies. Use a cookie cutter to make decorative cut outs in the rounds to allow steam to escape (or simply poke a few holes in each round). Wet your finger and trace it around the edge of a dough cup before attaching a topper. Press gently around the edge to seal.

Lightly brush the tops of the pies with the egg wash. Bake for 40 to 50 minutes, until golden brown. Allow to cool for 30 minutes before serving.