Fall Comfort Foods Sneak Addition: Chicken Pot Pie

I don't know about you, but nothing says comfort like a nice, hot, creamy chicken pot pie.  The flavor of the vegetables melds with the delicious chicken and with the beautiful, creamy sauce - divine.  My recipe is an adaptation of one I found on Food Network by Ina Garten which I thought I had shared here previously, but am failing to find.  


The basics of Ina's recipe are just what I like, but I switch around the veggies a little to my own liking.  And, I admit, I cut corners.  I'm a remedial vegetable chopper (no matter how much practice I get I just don't get much better at it) so cutting all the vegetables and fresh herbs takes enough time for this dish without adding the chicken and pastry into the mix.  Instead of roasting my own chicken breasts (which you can easily do if you follow the original recipe) I use a rotisserie chicken from the deli section.  And instead of making my own pastry crust (again, not that hard) I often use pie crusts purchased in the dairy section.   


Without further ado...


Chicken Pot Pies
1 whole rotisserie chicken, skin removed and meat trimmed from bones and cubed (I just use the breast meat) 

• 5 cups chicken stock
• 12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter
• 2 cups yellow onions, chopped (2 onions)
• 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup heavy cream
• 2 cups medium-diced carrots
• 2 cups chopped celery
• 1/2 cup minced fresh parsley leaves (1 tablespoon if using dried)
• 1 tablespoon fresh thyme (1/4 tablespoon if using dried)
• Kosher Salt
• Freshly Ground Black Pepper
• White pepper
• 1 package prepared pie crusts 

Directions

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

In a small saucepan, heat the chicken stock. In a large pot or Dutch oven, melt the butter and saute the onions over medium-low heat for 10 to 15 minutes, until translucent. Add the flour and cook over low heat, stirring constantly, for 2 minutes. Add the hot chicken stock to the sauce. Simmer over low heat for 1 more minute, stirring, until thick. Add 2 teaspoons salt, 1/2 teaspoon pepper, and heavy cream. Add the cubed chicken, carrots, celery, thyme, and parsley. Salt, black pepper, and white pepper to taste.  Mix well.  Remove from heat.

Ladle filling into ovenproof ramekins (I have 6 ramekins, and I usually have enough filling leftover for 4 more which I freeze for future use).  Roll out the dough and cut into circles that are slightly larger than the ramekins (I use a larger bowl to measure the size).  Place dough on top of each ramekin, and then brush with egg wash.  Make 3-4 slits on top of dough, and sprinkle dough with salt and pepper.  Place on a baking sheet and bake for 1 hour, or until the top is golden brown and the filling is bubbling hot.  Enjoy!