Chicken Pot Pie

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Chicken Pot Pie

In every movie from the 50s, or season of The Wonder Years, there is always a scene like this: 

[boy, yelling through his family’s screen door]

“Hey mom, can I stay at Danny’s house for dinner?”

“Of course honey, so long as it’s okay with Mrs. Jones!” 

“It is! She’s making pot pie!” the boy replies enthusiastically. 

I was reminded of this always-present TV scene while talking to my friend Beth, who lives in a suburb outside of Boston. She was telling me 2 of her son’s buddies were staying for dinner, so she was trying to stretch the meal to feed 3 13-year-old hungry boys. 

I was delighted to hear this “old-fashioned” notion of “having a friend stay for dinner” was alive and well. In the world of scheduled play dates, evening sports practices, and complex carpools, an impromptu dinner guest seems like a thing from the past.

My kids are inevitably mortified on the few occasions we happen to have a friend at our dinner table. Seemingly innocuous questions such as “do you have any siblings?” or “who is your homeroom teacher” garner desperate glances of embarrassment from my son. But so much of our family’s conversation and connection happens over supper – I’d relish getting to know my middle schoolers’ friends at the dinner table. 

Inspired by my friend Beth, I am going to encourage my kids to invite more friends to dinner this spring. Mrs. Cleaver always made it look so easy. (But then again, she wasn’t up against travel ball!)

P.S. Okay, so maybe Mrs. Jones wasn’t making pot pie… but doesn’t it sound good? Maybe you’re wanting to celebrate Pi Day with your family this week with something savory – don’t sleep on today’s recipe for a homestyle classic, perfect for March when spring is rudely interrupted by a snowy cold front.

Use puff pastry to make an easy weeknight savory pie, full of chicken and veggies.

  • Active Kitchen Time: 50-60 minutes
  • Bake Time: 15 minutes
  • Yield: 6-8 servings

Ingredients:

  • 1 onion
  • 2 carrots
  • 1 lb boneless chicken breasts
  • ¼ cup flour
  • 1 tsp kosher salt
  • ½ tsp ground black pepper
  • 1 tsp dry rubbed sage
  • 1 ½ cups chicken broth
  • 4 Tbsp butter
  • ¼ cup heavy cream
  • 1 sheet frozen puff pastry
  • ½ cup frozen peas

Supper Smarts:

  • Speed it Up: Skip cutting onions and carrots and use a frozen vegetable blend.

  • Leftover Love: Use any leftover chicken you have on hand, and cut your cook time in Step 6.

  • Table Talk: Pi Day is celebrated on March 14 each year (it was officially recognized by Congress in 2009.) It also happens to be Albert Einstein's birthday! Discuss at the dinner table why pi is such a big deal, and what kind of pie is the best kind for celebrating.

Steps:

1
Defrost 1 sheet frozen puff pastry according to package directions. Preheat oven to 400°F.
2
Peel 1 onion, cut away ends, cut into strips, and dice. Add to small bowl.
3
Cut tops away from 2 carrots. Cut into thin rounds. Add to onion. Set aside.
4
Cut 1 lb chicken breasts into small ½-inch cubes. Add to separate medium bowl. Set aside.
5
Melt 4 Tbsp butter in pot over medium heat. Add onions, carrots, and 1 tsp kosher salt. Cook until very soft, 8-10 min.
6
Add chicken. Cook until no longer pink, about 5 minutes.
7
Add ¼ cup flour, ½ tsp ground black pepper, and 1 tsp dry rubbed sage. Cook 1 minute, stirring to coat chicken.
8
Add 1 ½ cups chicken broth, ¼ cup heavy cream, and ½ cup frozen peas. Bring to boil and cook 2 minutes. Turn off heat and set aside.
9
Roll puff pastry into a 10-inch square. Set pie pan face down. Trace a circle with a knife to cut.
10
Cut slits into the crust – this allows steam to vent.
11
Set pie pan on baking sheet. Carefully add hot filling. Place puff pastry on top.
12
Transfer baking sheet to oven. Bake until browned, 15-18 minutes. TASTE & SHARE!
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Replies

Jen Brown March 14, 2024 @ 07:28 AM

We subbed celery instead peas, added extra carrots, used cashew cream and butter-flavored coconut oil instead of heavy cream and butter, and a refrigerated pie crust instead of frozen puff pastry. Easy subs to make it dairy free and it was SOOOOOOO good.