Buttermilk-Crusted Chicken à la King

For this savory pie, classic chicken à la king, the creamy chicken stew with mushrooms and vegetables, is cooked down to thicken the sauce, then wrapped in a delicious buttermilk crust and baked until the pastry is golden and flaky. The filling simmers away inside the dough, leaving the interior of the crust drenched with the flavors of the sauce while the exterior becomes wonderfully crisp. The finished pastry contains all the best kinds of food textures, and the deep savory flavor makes it a common repeat meal, as it’s hard to have it just once. • serves 4

Buttermilk Dough

3½ cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon minced fresh thyme leaves
1 teaspoon rubbed dried sage
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon granulated sugar
¾ teaspoon kosher salt
½ teaspoon mustard powder
½ teaspoon garlic powder
¼ teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, frozen
⅔ cup buttermilk
4 to 7 tablespoons ice water

Filling

4 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 small yellow onion, diced
5 ounces mixed white button and cremini mushrooms, chopped
¾ cup chicken stock
¼ cup dry red wine
1 tablespoon sherry vinegar
1 large (½-pound) boneless skinless chicken breast
1 medium (5-ounce) Yukon gold potato
1 tablespoon heavy cream
2 teaspoons minced fresh thyme leaves
1 teaspoon minced fresh oregano leaves
¾ teaspoon kosher salt
¼ teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
1 teaspoon all-purpose flour
1 large egg, beaten with 1 teaspoon water

For the buttermilk dough, in a large bowl, mix together the flour, thyme, sage, onion powder, sugar, salt, mustard powder, garlic powder, and black pepper until combined. Grate the frozen butter over the bowl, stopping every 20 seconds or so to whisk the grated butter into the flour so that it gets coated with flour and doesn’t form one giant grated butter clump.

Add the buttermilk, a little at a time, stirring constantly. Add 4 tablespoons of the ice water and attempt to knead the dough together in the bowl. If it won’t come together, continue adding tablespoons of ice water until it will just stay together when you grasp it in your hand and release it. Cover with plastic wrap and set aside in the refrigerator while you prepare the filling. You can also refrigerate it for up to 2 days in advance.

For the filling, melt 3 tablespoons of the butter in a large frying pan over medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until slightly translucent, about 3 minutes. Add the mushrooms and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion turns golden around the edges and the mushrooms shrink slightly, about 20 minutes. Remove the onion and mushrooms from the pan with a slotted spoon and set aside.

Deglaze the pan with ½ cup of the stock, the wine, and sherry and bring to a simmer. Add the chicken breast and simmer, spooning the hot liquid over the chicken every few minutes, until the liquid has reduced by at least half, about 20 minutes. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon butter and ¼ cup stock and cover. Simmer over low heat until the chicken is cooked through, about 8 to 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, bring a medium pot of water to a boil over high heat and add the potato. Boil until soft when poked with a fork, about 20 minutes. Remove from the water with a slotted spoon and let cool completely. Peel and cut into roughly ½-inch cubes.

Remove the chicken from the pan and set it aside. Add the cream, thyme, oregano, salt, and black pepper to the sauce in the pan and mix until smooth. Sprinkle with the flour and whisk together until a thick sauce forms. Remove from the heat. Add the onion and mushroom mixture and the cubed potato and stir to coat with the sauce. Dice the chicken breast and stir into the filling until incorporated.

On a clean and well-floured work surface, roll out the dough to a 16-inch round that is ¼ inch thick. Transfer the dough to a large baking sheet. Empty the filling onto half of the round, leaving a 2-inch border at the edge. Fold the dough over the filling and press the edges firmly together with a fork to seal. Brush the exposed crust lightly with the egg wash. Use a sharp knife to cut 3 (1-inch) slits in the top of the pastry so that steam can escape. Bake for 50 minutes to 1 hour, until the pastry is golden brown. Let cool for 15 minutes before slicing and serving.