CHICKEN POT PIE

Ina Garten is my favorite celebrity chef. Her recipes are tried and true and incredibly dependable. She seems lovable and approachable, and her cooking is elevated but still totally achievable. Just like Ina, my mom is a self-taught cook. As a child, my favorite thing she made was her chicken pot pie. I’ve combined Ina’s and my mom’s chicken pot pie recipes to create one perfect crowd-pleasing dish. What would I choose as my last meal on earth? This one.

PASTRY

3 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1 teaspoon baking powder

½ cup vegetable shortening

½ cup (1 stick) cold unsalted butter, diced

½ to ⅔ cup ice water

1 large egg beaten with 1 tablespoon water for egg wash

FILLING

5 cups chicken stock

2 chicken bouillon cubes

¾ cup (1½ sticks) unsalted butter

2 cups yellow onions, chopped (2 onions)

¾ cup all-purpose flour

½ cup dry sherry

2 teaspoons kosher salt

½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

¼ cup heavy cream

2 rotisserie chickens, meat removed and shredded

1 (16-ounce) package frozen peas and carrots

2 tablespoons minced fresh thyme

Makes 6 servings

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

2. To make the pastry, mix the flour, salt, and baking powder in the bowl of a food processor fitted with a metal blade. Add the shortening and butter, and pulse 10 times until the fat is the size of peas. With the motor running, add the ice water; process only enough to moisten the dough and have it just come together. Dump the dough onto a floured board, and knead it quickly into a disc. Wrap the dough in plastic, and allow it to rest in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes.

3. To make the filling, in a small saucepan heat the chicken stock over medium-low heat, and dissolve the bouillon cubes in the stock. In a large pot or Dutch oven, melt the butter and sauté the onions over medium-low heat for 10 to 15 minutes until they are translucent. Add the flour and cook over low heat, stirring constantly, for 2 minutes. Add the hot chicken stock and sherry to the sauce. Simmer over low heat for 1 more minute, stirring, until thick. Add the salt, pepper, and heavy cream. Add the shredded chicken, peas and carrots, and thyme. Mix well.

4. Divide the filling equally among 6 (8-ounce) ovenproof bowls. Roll out the dough to ¼-inch thickness, and cut 6 tops just larger than the serving bowls. Brush the outside edges of each bowl with the egg wash, then place the dough on top. Trim the circles to ½ inch larger than the top of the bowls. Crimp the dough to fold over the sides of each bowl, pressing to make them stick. Brush each with egg wash, and cut 4 slits in the top of each. Place on a baking sheet and bake for 1 hour until the tops are golden brown and the filling is bubbling hot.

Note: Sometimes I like to serve this family-style out of one large dish instead of individual bowls. Simply place the filling in a casserole dish, and cut the pastry one inch larger than the dish. Bake per the directions.