Classic Chicken Pot Pie
Recipe and photo by Michael Mech, The Bungalow Chef.
Is there anything more comforting than Chicken Pot Pie?
Except for when Aunt Diane spoiled me during the holidays, I grew up on the frozen variety from the local grocery store. Typically, it was served when my folks were going out of town or when I was under the weather. Either way it always lifted my spirits.
Chicken pot pie was a holiday tradition in the Mech family. My Aunt Diane would spoil me with an annual pilgrimage during the holiday's to Marshall Fields, now Macy’s, on State Street. Every year we would dine in The Walnut Room and order a "Mrs. Hering’s Chicken Pot Pie". (Marshall Fields began including this as a menu item in 1907 and got the iconic recipe from their hat department sales clerk, Mrs. Hering).
To this day, chicken pot pie is one of my favorite dishes with its steaming, creamy vegetable and rich chicken filling. Typically, I serve it for small casual gatherings at the bungalow. Instead of the traditional puff pastry crust, I have lightened it up a bit for today’s palate by using The Fillo Factory's Organic Fillo sheets as a top crust. It’s ever so flakey, tasty, and the Fillo sheets make it very easy. Enjoy this classic with a garden salad, and you have an amazing, hearty cold weather meal.
Dig in and enjoy!
Ingredients
- extra virgin olive oil - 6 tbs
- large onion - diced
- carrots - 4-peeled and diced
- leek - 1- diced (white part only)
- garlic - 2 cloves minced
- white wine - 1/4 cup
- flour - 1/2 cup
- chicken broth - 3 1/2 cups
- frozen peas - 1 cup thawed/drained
- frozen corn - 1 cup thawed/drained
- kosher salt - to taste
- fresh ground pepper - to taste
- cooked chicken - 3 1/2 cups coarse chopped
- parsley - 1/4 cup minced
- organic Fillo Factory fillo dough - 1 box
- butter - 10 tbsp, unsalted or olive oil
Instructions
Method:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees
Making the filling:
Using a deep Dutch oven, heat the oil, and then add the onions, carrots and leeks, cooking until the vegetables start taking color. Add the garlic and the white wine, and cook until the wine has evaporated. Add the flour and blend well. Slowly add the chicken broth and simmer for 10 minutes until the mixture has thickened. Stir in peas and corn. Season with salt and pepper, then add the chicken and chopped parsley. Pour filling into a 2- quart baking dish. I used a trusted Le Creuset.
Fillo crust:
Place one sheet of the thawed Fillo dough on a flat surface and brush with melted butter or olive oil. Place another Fillo sheet directly on top and using a baking sheet, compress the sheets together. Repeat 5 more times. Measure your baking dish and cut the Fillo dough 2.5 inches larger than the dish. Using a cookie cutter or doughnut center cutter, cut a hole in the middle of the Fillo dough or cut with a knife to vent the mixture while baking. Place the layered Fillo sheets on top of the filled baking dish and bush with the remaining butter or olive oil.
Bake for 30-45 minutes, until golden brown.
Mike Mech “The Bungalow Chef”
