Momma, get in the kitchen and make me a chicken pot pie!

Well, I hope you all laughed like 13 year olds at that previous video post like I did. No? Ok, well then I’m sorr for being a child.

If you happen to live on Mercury, and didn’t catch the reference, I am talking about chicken pot pie.  I flove me some chicken pot pie and do you know why? Because there are carbs AND cream in chicken pot pie. BONUS!

So the thing about chicken pot pie, is that there are no rules.  You can put anything you want with chicken in a pot pie, and call it a chicken pot pie.  You can top it with any carb you want, and call it a pot pie.  It’s actually amazing to me, because there aren’t a lot of other dishes you can do this to. 

Think about it.  Is it a beef wellington if it’s not beef wrapped in puff pastry?  Is it a turkey club if it doesn’t have bacon? NO! 

In the mood for something elegant, yet warm and filling? How about a chicken pot pie with an herbed pate brisee?

Feeling like you need the real McCoy? Top that son with biscuits.  

Feeling traditionalist? Just use a regular old pie crust dough.

Feeling flazy (that’s actually fat and lazy as opposed to effing lazy)? Buy Pillsbury. (SHHHH, no I would NEVER.)…

Want mushrooms in your pot pie? What about leeks? How bout pearl onions?  You can have it, and you can still call a spade a spade.

They are ALL the chicken pot pie.  And Martha Bless the Chicken Pot Pie.  (I am, for your future reference, replacing God with Martha in this blog, as she is the food authority. So yes, Good Martha Bless it.)

Chicken Pot Pie modified from Martha Stewart’s, The Classics

1 chicken (3 or 4 pounds)

4 cups chicken broth

8 ounces of skinned pearled onions

2 dried bay leaves

1/2 teaspoon whole black peppercorns

1 small bunch fresh thyme

1 rib celery, diced

5 tablespoons all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons salt

5 tablespoons unsalted butter

2 large egg yolks

9 ounces red potatoes, scrubbed and cut into 1/2-inch pieces

1 medium leek, white and light-green parts only, sliced into 1/4-inch-thick rounds and washed

2 medium carrots, peeled and sliced into 1/4-inch-thick rounds

1 cup milk

Zest of 1 lemon

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 tablespoon heavy cream

Combine chicken, chicken stock, yellow onion, bay leaves, peppercorns, 3 thyme sprigs, and celery in a stockpot, and add enough water just to cover the chicken. Bring stock to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer, uncovered, for 1 hour.

Pick enough thyme leaves to make 3 tablespoons.

Drain chicken, and reserve the stock. Remove the skin from the chicken, and remove all the chicken from the carcass. Shred the chicken into bite-size strips, and set aside. Strain the stock, and set aside 2 cups. Reserve the remaining stock for another use.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Melt the remaining 5 tablespoons of butter in a large saute pan over medium-high heat. Add pearl onions, and cook, stirring occasionally until they begin to turn golden, 4 to 5 minutes. Add leeks, celery, and carrots and cook 4 to 5 minutes more. 

Add the 5 tablespoons flour, and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Stir in reserved chicken stock and milk, and bring to a simmer. Cook until thick and bubbly, stirring constantly, 2 to 3 minutes. Add reserved chicken pieces, 2 tablespoons thyme, lemon zest, 2 teaspoons salt, and the ground pepper; transfer to a large casserole dish. Set aside.

At this point, you’ve boiled a damn chicken so crack open a can of biscuits and wipe your brow.  

OK, 98% of the time I make the dough.  This time I didn’t, so shoot me.  I wanted biscuits, and I was tired. Don’t worry, I’ll make it up to you by making real life biscuits this weekend. I promise.

Bake until crust is golden, 35 to 40 minutes. Serve hot.

Guys. Voting is about to close. Momma needs ya now!  Get on over to foodbuzz and vote for me before it’s too late. It closes at 8 pm chicago time and the contestants who are advancing are announced at 2.  

WISH ME SOME LUCK!

Love,

Whit