Casseroles

crowdsource Community Insights

This comes together as a cozy, hands-on dinner, but people who made this learned a couple things the hard way. The biggest snag was the hot pan handle, a lot of cooks grabbed it by accident. People who draped a towel or used an oven glove over the handle avoided burns, though several warned not to leave a towel sitting on a hot handle. Also, a common tweak was to reduce the filling; some people preferred a slightly smaller amount and treated that as an easy variation to try.

military_tech Why This Recipe Stands Out

• Reliable Results: It turns out well consistently, with few reported problems.
• Repeat Worthy: People who make this tend to come back and make it again.

grocery Ingredients

• Butter
• Onion, diced
• Salt, to taste
• Chicken thigh, 1–1.5 inch pieces
• All-purpose flour
• Chicken broth (or homemade chicken broth, chicken base dissolved in water)
• Chicken base, to taste
• 2 tsp water
• Carrot, cut into 1/4 to 1/2 inch pieces
• Celery, cut into 1/4 to 1/2 inch pieces
• Frozen peas, thawed and drained
• 1 tsp fresh thyme leaves, fresh leaves (or dried thyme (a pinch, added at the beginning with the broth))
• Black pepper, freshly ground
• Cayenne pepper
• 1 recipe buttercrust pastry dough, rolled into circle
• 1 egg, beaten

book_ribbon Instructions

1. Melt butter in a frying pan over medium-high heat.
2. Add diced onion and a big pinch of salt and cook, stirring, for a couple minutes until the edges begin to brown and the pieces soften and turn translucent.
3. Add the chicken thigh pieces (about 1 to 1.5 inches) and stir into the onion-butter; cook, stirring, for a couple minutes until the chicken mostly loses its pink raw appearance.
4. Sprinkle in the flour and cook, stirring, for a couple minutes to remove the raw flour taste and form a roux; do not be alarmed if the mixture sticks to the bottom of the pan.
5. Pour in the chicken broth (or chicken base dissolved in water) and bring up to a simmer while stirring, still over medium-high heat.
6. Add the carrots and celery cut into about 1/4 to 1/2 inch pieces.
7. Reduce the simmer, stirring, for about 5 to 10 minutes until the filling really thickens (or reduce less—only a couple minutes—if you prefer a looser, saucier filling).
8. Turn off the heat and stir in the thawed, drained frozen peas and about a teaspoon of fresh thyme leaves.
9. Stir in freshly ground black pepper and a little touch of cayenne, then use a spoon to distribute the filling evenly and taste for salt; adjust seasoning as needed and set the filling aside.
10. Roll out exactly one recipe of buttercrust pastry dough into a circle about an inch or two larger than the pan.
11. Trim the edge with a knife or pizza cutter to make it more uniform, then fold over about a half inch of dough around the perimeter.
12. Crimp the folded edge by pushing one finger from one side into two fingers on the other to create a scalloped edge.
13. Place the frying pan on a sheet pan to catch any bubbling overflow.
14. Optionally punch or cut a small hole in the center of the dough to vent steam.
15. Carefully place the dough over the filling, center it, and press lightly so the dough touches the filling everywhere.
16. Optionally brush the top of the dough with an egg wash (the egg beaten with a couple teaspoons of water).
17. Transfer the pan to the upper center of a 425 degree oven and bake for about 40 minutes, until the crust is browned and the filling is bubbling.
18. Remove the pan from the oven, place a towel over the handle, and let the pie rest for about five minutes before cutting and serving.

crowdsource Community Insights

People who made this found three simple things made the biggest difference. First, cut a few slits in the top crust, if you don’t vent it, the pie can build up steam and even burst in the oven. Second, cook the chicken ahead of time; people who did that said assembly went faster and they weren’t fighting last-minute timing. Third, the filling can come out on the salty side, so a lot of cooks cut the salt by about half and liked the result. Those three small steps kept the bake predictable and made the finished pie more enjoyable.

military_tech Why This Recipe Stands Out

• Reliable Results: It turns out well consistently, with few reported problems.
• Repeat Worthy: People who make this tend to come back and make it again.

grocery Ingredients

Filling

• 3 whole (6 split) chicken breasts, bone-in, skin-on; roasted and cubed
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 2 tsp Kosher salt
• 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 5 cup chicken stock, hot
• 2 chicken bouillon cubes
• 12 tbsp unsalted butter
• 2 yellow onions, chopped
• 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup heavy cream
• 2 cup carrots, medium-diced, blanched for 2 minutes
• 2 cup frozen peas
• 1 1/2 cup frozen small whole onions
• 1/2 cup fresh parsley leaves, minced
• Flaked sea salt, to taste
• Cracked black pepper

Pastry and finishing

• 3 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 tsp kosher salt
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 cup vegetable shortening
• 12 tbsp unsalted butter, cold, diced
• 1/2-2/3 cup ice water
• 1 egg, beaten for egg wash
• 1 tbsp water

book_ribbon Instructions

Roast chicken and prepare meat

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Place the chicken breasts on a baking sheet and rub with 3 tablespoons olive oil; sprinkle generously with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper.
3. Roast the chicken breasts for 35 to 40 minutes, or until cooked through; set aside until cool enough to handle.
4. Remove the meat from the bones and discard the skin; cut the meat into large dice to yield about 5 cups of cubed chicken.

Make the filling

1. In a small saucepan, heat 5 cups chicken stock and dissolve 2 chicken bouillon cubes in the stock; keep hot.
2. In a large pot or Dutch oven, melt 12 tablespoons unsalted butter and sauté 2 cups chopped yellow onions over medium-low heat for 10 to 15 minutes, until translucent.
3. Add 3/4 cup all-purpose flour to the onions and cook over low heat, stirring constantly, for 2 minutes.
4. Slowly add the hot chicken stock to the roux, stirring, and simmer over low heat for 1 minute, until thickened.
5. Add 2 teaspoons kosher salt, 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, and 1/4 cup heavy cream to the sauce and stir to combine.
6. Add the cubed chicken, 2 cups medium-diced blanched carrots, 2 cups frozen peas, 1.5 cups frozen small whole onions, and 1/2 cup minced fresh parsley; mix well and remove from heat.

Make the pastry

1. In the bowl of a food processor fitted with a metal blade, mix 3 cups all-purpose flour, 1.5 teaspoons kosher salt, and 1 teaspoon baking powder.
2. Add 1/2 cup vegetable shortening and 1/4 pound cold diced unsalted butter; mix quickly with your fingers until each piece is coated with flour.
3. Pulse about 10 times, or until the fat is the size of peas.
4. With the motor running, add 1/2 to 2/3 cup ice water only until the dough is moistened and just comes together.
5. Dump the dough onto a floured board and knead quickly into a ball; wrap in plastic and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Assemble and bake

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
2. Divide the filling equally among 4 ovenproof ramekins.
3. Divide the chilled dough into quarters and roll each piece into an 8-inch circle on a floured board.
4. Brush the outside edges of each ramekin with the egg wash (1 beaten egg mixed with 1 tablespoon water), then place a dough circle on top; trim the circle to be about 1/2 inch larger than the rim of the ramekin.
5. Fold and press the dough to the rim to make it stick; brush the top of each crust with egg wash and cut three slits in the top.
6. Sprinkle the tops with flaked sea salt and cracked black pepper.
7. Place the filled ramekins on a baking sheet and bake at 375 degrees F for 1 hour, or until the tops are golden brown and the filling is bubbling hot.

military_tech Why This Recipe Stands Out

• Reliable Results: It turns out well consistently, with few reported problems.
• Repeat Worthy: People who make this tend to come back and make it again.

We couldn't confidently pull the full ingredient list and instructions from this video yet — watch it above for the complete recipe.

crowdsource Community Insights

Most people who made this found one simple prep move worth doing: freeze the butter before you work with it, that was the change folks mentioned most. If you want a crunchy, savory extra, some cooks saved the crispy chicken skins after cooking and kept them to sprinkle or tuck in later. And a common variation people tried was roasting the chicken first; some liked the flavor it added. Those three things are what came up again and again when people actually made it, so think about which fits how you want it to turn out.

military_tech Why This Recipe Stands Out

• Reliable Results: It turns out well consistently, with few reported problems.
• Repeat Worthy: People who make this tend to come back and make it again.

grocery Ingredients

Stock

• 1 whole chicken
• Neutral-flavored oil (or canola oil)
• Carrots
• Celery
• Onion
• Parsnips
• Turnips
• Leeks
• Lemongrass
• 1 head garlic, halved widthwise
• Fennel fronds
• 1 tbsp whole peppercorns
• Fresh parsley, sprigs
• Fresh thyme, sprigs
• 1-2 bay leaf
• Water

Pie crust

• 150g all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp kosher salt
• 1 stick butter, refrigerator cold (or vegetable oil)
• 1-2 tbsp ice water
• 1 egg, beaten
• Flaky finishing salt, to taste

Filling (day-of white meat)

• 2 tbsp butter (or vegetable oil)
• Chicken breast meat, bite-sized pieces
• 1/2 onion, chopped
• Carrots, chopped
• Celery, chopped
• Parsnips, chopped
• 1 tbsp fresh thyme, fresh, chopped
• 4 tbsp all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup white wine (or dry sherry)
• 2 cup homemade chicken stock
• Kosher salt, to taste
• Freshly ground black pepper
• Fresh parsley, chopped
• 1/2 cup frozen peas
• 1/4 cup heavy cream

Freezer pies (dark meat)

• Chicken thigh and drumstick meat, bite-sized pieces
• Neutral-flavored oil (or canola oil)
• Garlic
• Aromatic vegetables, chopped
• 1/2 cup chicken stock, cold
• 2-3 tbsp cornstarch

book_ribbon Instructions

Make the stock

1. Break down the whole chicken: remove the spine, wings, legs, and breasts and reserve all skin, bones, and carcass pieces for stock; reserve white breast meat and dark thigh/drumstick meat separately and refrigerate.
2. Cut the carcass and spine into manageable pieces, toss with a little neutral-flavored oil, spread evenly on a greased rack set in an aluminum foil-lined rimmed baking sheet, and roast at 400 degrees Fahrenheit for about 1 hour or until deeply brown.
3. Place roasted chicken pieces in a pot or pressure cooker with carrots, celery, onion and any optional root vegetables or aromatics you choose (parsnips, turnips, leeks, lemongrass), add a whole head of garlic halved widthwise, fennel fronds if using, about a tablespoon of whole peppercorns, a few sprigs of parsley and thyme, and a bay leaf or two if desired, then cover with water.
4. Simmer the stock slowly for 4–24 hours or cook in a pressure cooker for 60 minutes, then release pressure, strain, and drain the stock; reserve about 2 cups for the pie filling and more for other uses.

Make the pie crust

1. Whisk together 150 grams all-purpose flour and 1 teaspoon kosher salt.
2. Cut 1 stick (about 113 grams) refrigerator-cold butter into the flour until the butter is in pea-sized pieces (use a pastry cutter, two knives, or a food processor with a shredding disk and a frozen stick of butter).
3. Add ice water and bring the dough together: start with 50 grams ice water and add a tablespoon or two at a time as needed, mix with a rubber spatula and finish by massaging with hands until it just holds together; do not over-knead.
4. Form into a disk, wrap tightly in plastic wrap, and refrigerate at least 1 hour to relax gluten and keep butter cold.
5. Alternatively, use a food processor: pulse flour and salt, shred a frozen stick of butter through the feed tube, then add ice water and coax into a cohesive disk, chill as above.

Make the filling (day-of white meat)

1. Melt 2 tablespoons butter in a 10-inch cast iron skillet until sizzly and foamy, add the reserved chicken breast meat and sauté 2–3 minutes until colored; remove the chicken and set aside.
2. Add another 2 tablespoons butter to the skillet, add half a chopped onion and sauté 2–3 minutes, then add chopped carrots, celery, and parsnips and sauté over medium heat about 5 minutes until softened and beginning to color.
3. Add 1 tablespoon freshly chopped thyme and sauté 30 seconds until fragrant.
4. Add 4 tablespoons all-purpose flour and cook, stirring, 1–2 minutes to form a roux with the butter.
5. Optionally deglaze with 1/4 cup white wine or dry sherry and cook about 1 minute until the alcohol smell evaporates.
6. Slowly add stock a little at a time, stirring until a thick paste forms, and eventually add about 2 cups of homemade chicken stock to form a thick sauce.
7. Return the sautéed chicken and any accumulated juices to the skillet, bring to a simmer and cook about 5 minutes until the chicken is cooked through.
8. Remove from heat, season with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste, then stir in a few tablespoons chopped parsley, 1/2 cup frozen peas, and 1/4 cup heavy cream; taste and adjust seasoning, then set the filling covered aside while you roll out the dough.

Assemble and bake (cast-iron pot pie)

1. Remove chilled dough from the refrigerator, generously flour the dough and work surface, and roll the dough out with a rolling pin until about 1/8 inch thick and roughly twice its original diameter; cut into a round to cover the skillet filling.
2. Precook and pre-vent the crust: cut vents (decorative if desired), chill the cut crust for at least 30 minutes to reduce shrinkage, then brush the crust with a beaten egg and sprinkle with flaky finishing salt.
3. Bake the crust at 375 degrees Fahrenheit for 10–15 minutes until lightly golden; cool on a wire rack 10–15 minutes.
4. Place the cooled crust on top of the hot filling in the cast-iron skillet, then bake at 400 degrees Fahrenheit for an additional 10 minutes until bubbly and golden brown.

Freezer pies (dark meat)

1. Cut reserved thigh and drumstick meat into bite-sized pieces and sauté in a little neutral-flavored oil until they pick up some color.
2. Add aromatics (onion, carrots, celery) and stock, then simmer about 20 minutes to braise and break down the dark meat.
3. Make a slurry by mixing 2–3 tablespoons cornstarch with about 1/2 cup cold stock until smooth; slowly stream the slurry into the simmering filling while stirring to avoid lumps and cook about 3 more minutes until thickened.
4. Season to taste, stir in chopped parsley, then cool the filling.
5. Portion filling into ramekins or intended serving vessels, top with rounds of pie crust (double the crust recipe or use scraps), wrap in plastic wrap, and freeze for up to 3 months.
6. To reheat from frozen: bake wrapped in foil at 400 degrees Fahrenheit for about 30 minutes, unwrap, brush the crust with a beaten egg, and bake another 20 minutes until golden brown and bubbly.

grocery Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cup chicken, cubed (or chicken breast)
• 2 cup carrots, sliced
• 2 cup celery, chopped
• 1 white onion, diced
• 14 oz (397g) chicken broth, reduced sodium
• 1 can cream of celery soup, Healthy Request brand
• 1 can cream of chicken soup, Healthy Request brand
• 1 cup water
• Ground pepper, to taste
• Thyme leaves
• 1 cup peas, frozen
• 7 Grand Biscuits, cut in quarters
• Mild cheddar cheese, shredded

book_ribbon Instructions

1. Place 1 1/2 cups cubed chicken, 2 cups sliced carrots, 2 cups chopped celery, and 1 diced white onion into the Crock-Pot.
2. Add 14 ounce chicken broth (reduced sodium), 1 can cream of celery soup, 1 can cream of chicken soup, and 1 cup water to the Crock-Pot.
3. Add ground pepper to taste and thyme leaves, then stir until blended.
4. Cover with the lid and cook on high for 4 hours or on low for 8 hours, or until the chicken is cooked through.
5. After the initial cook, add 1 cup frozen peas and 7 canned biscuits cut into quarters to the Crock-Pot, and sprinkle additional thyme.
6. Cover and cook on high for another 45 minutes, or until the biscuits are done.
7. If using cheese, sprinkle shredded mild cheddar over the top and cover until the cheese melts (cheese was observed to melt in about 2 minutes).
8. Ladle into bowls to serve.

military_tech Why This Recipe Stands Out

• Reliable Results: It turns out well consistently, with few reported problems.
• Repeat Worthy: People who make this tend to come back and make it again.

grocery Ingredients

Chicken & Stock

• Whole chicken, patted dry
• 1 tbsp kosher salt
• Compound butter, room temperature
• Garlic powder
• Black pepper
• Thyme, fresh
• Lemon, quartered and zested
• Onion, chopped
• Garlic, halved
• Butcher's twine
• Chicken carcass, bones reserved
• Chicken skin, reserved for stock
• Onion
• Garlic
• Carrots (or parsnips, butternut squash, leeks, beets)
• Celery
• Whole peppercorns
• Parsley, fresh
• Bay leaf
• 12-16 cup water, ice-cold or room temperature as needed
• Roasting juices, reserved from pan

Crust

• All-purpose flour
• Salt, a little bit
• Butter, very cold, cubed
• Ice water, ice-cold
• Vodka
• Plastic wrap

Filling & Assembly

• Butter, melted
• Onions
• Carrots (or parsnips, butternut squash, leeks, beets)
• Potatoes
• Thyme, fresh
• 1 tsp kosher salt
• Flour
• Chicken stock, room temperature
• Heavy cream, a touch
• Shredded chicken, shredded into 1/2 inch pieces (or store-bought rotisserie chicken)
• Frozen peas
• Parsley
• Egg wash
• Flour, for dusting

book_ribbon Instructions

1. Pat the whole chicken dry with paper towels.
2. Season the chicken cavity with 1 tablespoon kosher salt.
3. Make a compound butter by combining room-temperature butter with garlic powder, black pepper, fresh thyme, and lemon zest.
4. Rub the compound butter all over the chicken, working some under the skin and coating the thighs and breasts evenly.
5. Place lemon quarters, chopped onion, and halved garlic into the chicken cavity.
6. Tie the chicken legs together with butcher's twine and tuck the wings under.
7. Transfer the chicken to a roasting pan fitted with a rack and roast: about 60 minutes for a smaller bird or about 80 minutes for a larger bird.
8. Insert a thermometer into the thickest part of the thigh and remove the chicken when it reaches 165 degrees Fahrenheit.
9. Let the chicken rest at least 20 minutes.
10. Remove the thighs and set aside the skin for the stock; shred the meat into roughly 1/2 inch pieces and refrigerate until needed.
11. Add the carcass and reserved bones (and reserved skin) to a stock pot or pressure cooker to make stock.
12. Add onions, garlic, carrots, celery, whole peppercorns, fresh thyme, parsley, and a bay leaf to the pot with the carcass.
13. Pour in enough water to cover the carcass by at least 1 inch (about 12 to 16 cups) and add the roasting pan juices.
14. Do not add salt to the stock before cooking.
15. Cook the stock on high in a pressure cooker for 45 minutes and then strain, or simmer on the stove for 4 to 6 hours and then strain.
16. Make the crust: combine all-purpose flour and a little bit of salt, then add very cold cubed butter and toss to coat the butter pieces in flour.
17. Smash the butter pieces between your fingers to make lima-bean-size pieces, then begin incorporating an ice water and vodka mixture a little at a time, tossing with a rubber spatula until the dough just comes together.
18. Gently shape the dough into a rectangle, fold it in thirds, turn 90 degrees, flatten, and fold in thirds again to create layers.
19. Divide the dough into two pieces, wrap tightly in plastic wrap, and chill at least 1 hour (or up to 3 days).
20. Make the filling: melt butter in a large pot over medium heat, add onions, carrots, potatoes, and fresh thyme, and cook until the onions begin to soften, about 5 minutes.
21. Season the vegetables with 1 teaspoon kosher salt.
22. Add flour to the pot and stir constantly for 2 to 3 minutes to incorporate and avoid browning the roux.
23. Slowly whisk in room-temperature chicken stock a little at a time until incorporated, then simmer until the sauce reduces and is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon.
24. Stir in just a touch of heavy cream, then turn off the heat.
25. Fold the shredded chicken into the sauce, then fold in frozen peas and some parsley.
26. Chill the assembled filling in the freezer for 15 minutes.
27. Let the chilled dough sit at room temperature for 5 to 10 minutes before rolling.
28. Flour your work surface, rolling pin, and dough, then roll each dough piece into about a 12 inch circle, making the bottom crust slightly thicker.
29. Roll the bottom dough onto the rolling pin and transfer it to a glass pie dish, pressing it into the sides and removing air bubbles.
30. Brush the inside of the bottom crust with some egg wash to create a protective layer.
31. Add the chilled filling and even it out into a uniform layer.
32. Drape the top dough over the pie, trim excess, pinch the edges together, roll under, and crimp the edge.
33. Brush the top crust with egg wash and cut vents in the top after egg-washing.
34. Chill the assembled pie in the refrigerator for about 20 minutes so it holds its shape.
35. Bake the pie on the lower third of the oven for about 40 to 50 minutes, rotating halfway through, until the crust is golden and the filling is bubbling.
36. Let the pie cool 15 to 20 minutes before slicing and serving.

military_tech Why This Recipe Stands Out

• Reliable Results: It turns out well consistently, with few reported problems.
• Repeat Worthy: People who make this tend to come back and make it again.

grocery Ingredients

Filling

• 2 lb (907g) chicken thighs, boneless, skinless (or boneless skinless chicken breast, rotisserie chicken, leftover cooked chicken)
• 4 tbsp unsalted butter
• 1 carrot, medium diced
• 1 onion, large, diced (or leek, garlic)
• 1 stalk celery, medium diced
• 2 sprig fresh thyme, whole sprigs
• 1 bay leaf, whole
• 1/2 cup white wine
• 7 tbsp all-purpose flour
• Kosher salt, to taste
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 4 cup chicken bone broth, kept hot (or beef stock, low-sodium chicken stock)
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 1 cup frozen peas
• 1/4 cup parsley, finely chopped
• Tabasco (or a pinch of cayenne, another hot sauce)
• 1 egg, large

Puff pastry

• 300g all-purpose flour
• 50g butter, room temperature
• 6g kosher salt
• 175g water

Butter block

• 2 stick butter, chilled, formed into square packet

book_ribbon Instructions

Puff pastry (dough and butter block)

1. Combine 300 gram all-purpose flour, 50 gram room temperature butter, and 6 gram salt; work the butter into the flour until it is incorporated, then add 175 gram water and bring into a shaggy dough; form into a ball, cover, and rest for about 20 minutes.
2. Make the butter block by stacking two sticks (226 gram total) of butter, beating/rolling them in parchment to form a square packet about 1/4 to 1/2 inch thick; wrap and chill.
3. On a lightly floured surface roll the rested dough into a square slightly larger than the butter block, place the butter block in a diamond orientation, fold the four points of dough over to fully enclose the butter and pinch seams to seal.
4. Roll the packet into a long rectangle and perform the first set of folds (book fold / folded-in sequence described), trimming as needed to maintain straight edges; rotate 90 degrees between turns.
5. Repeat rolling and folding for a total of four turns (one book-style initial envelope-fold then three letter folds), chilling as necessary between turns (she rests about 20 minutes before the final turn and recommends keeping pastry cold between turns).
6. When the final turn is complete, chill the pastry; if using immediately, chill at least about one hour, but the dough can be refrigerated up to two days or frozen for longer storage.

Poach chicken & make filling

1. Heat the chicken bone broth until hot and bring to a simmer, then lower to a gentle simmer and add 2 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs; poach until cooked through and keep the broth hot for the filling.
2. Remove the cooked thighs from the broth and set aside to cool slightly; reserve the hot broth.
3. Melt 4 tablespoons unsalted butter in a Dutch oven over medium heat, add the diced carrot, diced onion, and diced celery and cook over medium until softened but not browned, about 8 to 10 minutes.
4. Add 2 sprigs fresh thyme and 1 bay leaf to the vegetables during the cook.
5. Add 1/2 cup white wine to the pot, cook until the wine has almost entirely evaporated, then shred the cooked chicken and cut any long strands so the pieces are bite size.
6. Sprinkle 7 tablespoons all-purpose flour evenly over the vegetables and stir so the flour adheres and cooks in the fat until it starts to stick to the bottom of the pot.
7. Ladle the reserved hot chicken broth in gradually, stirring after each ladle until smooth; after more than half the liquid is incorporated and lumps are gone, add the rest and bring the mixture to a boil to fully thicken.
8. Reduce to a simmer, add the shredded chicken back to the pot, stir in 1/2 cup heavy cream, then season with kosher salt and plenty of freshly ground black pepper; taste and adjust seasoning.
9. Turn off the heat and stir in 1 cup frozen peas, about 1/4 cup finely chopped parsley, and Tabasco (she suggests roughly 6 or 7 dashes as a guide); pick out any large thyme stems or the bay leaf before assembling.
10. Cool the filling completely before assembling the pie; the recipe yields about two quarts of filling and benefits from being made in advance and refrigerated so it is cold at assembly.

Assemble and bake

1. Preheat the oven to 425F and place a foil-lined baking sheet in the oven to catch drips.
2. Beat 1 large egg until streak-free to make an egg wash.
3. Roll the chilled puff pastry to a thickness of roughly a generous 1/8 inch, cut to fit the skillet with about a 1.5 inch overhang (save scraps).
4. Place cold filling into a skillet (she uses the same skillet used for poaching), brush the skillet rim with egg wash, drape the pastry over the filling, crimp the edges to seal, brush the pastry surface with egg wash and sprinkle with cracked black pepper, then cut steam slits in a radiating pattern.
5. Bake at 425F; check at about 20 minutes and when the pastry surface starts to brown reduce the oven to 375F and continue baking until the center is puffed, browned, and the filling is bubbling (she estimates about 45 to 55 minutes total bake time as a guideline and notes actual time may vary).
6. Remove from the oven and let the pot pie rest to cool and set for at least about 15 minutes before serving.

military_tech Why This Recipe Stands Out

• Easy To Customize: Home cooks often adapt it to what they have without issue.
• Reliable Results: It turns out well consistently, with few reported problems.
• Repeat Worthy: People who make this tend to come back and make it again.

grocery Ingredients

• Rotisserie chicken, pulled
• 1 pack puff pastry
• 3 tbsp butter
• Onion
• 6 clove garlic, crushed and roughly chopped
• 2 turnip, medium, peeled and diced
• 1 tbsp fresh thyme leaves, picked leaves (or rosemary)
• 1 tsp salt
• Black pepper
• 3 tbsp flour
• Wine
• 2 cup heavy cream
• Frozen peas

book_ribbon Instructions

1. Pull the rotisserie chicken into parts and remove the skin; reserve and pull the meat.
2. Peel the turnips, cut into thick planks, and dice them; place diced turnips in a bowl.
3. Smash six cloves of garlic with the side of a knife, roughly chop them, and add to the turnips.
4. Pick about 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves and add to the turnip and garlic mixture.
5. Preheat a 12 inch skillet over medium heat.
6. Add 3 tablespoons butter to the preheated skillet and melt.
7. Add the onions and sweat gently without browning until translucent.
8. Fold in the turnip, garlic, and thyme mixture and cook about 3 minutes to begin softening the turnips.
9. Season with 1 teaspoon salt and a good amount of black pepper.
10. Sprinkle 3 tablespoons flour over the vegetables and cook for about 1 minute to cook out the raw flour taste.
11. Add wine and cook until the wine reduces and the alcohol cooks off and the mixture begins to thicken.
12. Add 2 cups heavy cream (reserve 1 tablespoon of the cream), stir until the sauce thickens and the skillet is relatively dry on the bottom.
13. Stir in all of the pulled rotisserie chicken meat and the frozen peas; heat through.
14. Bring the skillet to the counter and let the filling cool for a couple of minutes while you roll out the puff pastry.
15. Lightly flour a surface and unfurl one package of puff pastry; roll it to about a 13 inch square.
16. Curl the rolled pastry onto a rolling pin and unfurl it over the skillet to cover the filling.
17. Trim the pastry to leave a 1 inch border, fold the border under to create a crust, and press to even the edge.
18. Crimp the edge with the tines of a fork.
19. Brush the top of the pastry lightly with the reserved 1 tablespoon heavy cream.
20. Cut a few slits in the pastry to vent the pie.
21. Place a sheet tray under the skillet to catch any bubbling, then bake the pot pie in a 400 degree oven for about 25 minutes until the pastry is nicely golden.
22. Lower the oven to 350 degrees and continue baking until the puff pastry is cooked through (time not specified).
23. Remove the pot pie from the oven and let it cool about 15 minutes before serving.

military_tech Why This Recipe Stands Out

• Repeat Worthy: People who make this tend to come back and make it again.

grocery Ingredients

• Puff pastry
• 3 tbsp all-purpose flour
• 3 tbsp unsalted butter
• Olive oil
• 1 egg, beaten
• 1/2 cup frozen corn
• 1/2 cup frozen peas
• Chicken thighs, skinless
• Dry sherry
• 2-3 cup chicken stock
• 1/2 pint heavy cream (or milk)
• Onion, diced
• Carrot, diced
• Celery, diced
• Garlic, thinly sliced
• Rosemary, small tied bundle
• Thyme, small tied bundle
• Salt, to taste
• Dijon mustard
• Parmesan cheese, grated
• Chives, finely minced

book_ribbon Instructions

1. Prepare puff pastry bowls: dust work surface with a little flour, roll each puff pastry sheet just slightly and cut to fit over two bowls, drape the dough over the bowls on a sheet tray, trim edges and reserve trim.
2. Make a lattice from the trimmed strips by cutting thin strips, weaving into a 4x4 square, press edges with a little water to glue, trim excess, then use a fork to prick the flat bottom of each dough-lined bowl so the bottoms stay flat.
3. Chill the shaped puff pastry bowls in the refrigerator until firm before egg-washing and baking.
4. Build a herb bundle: gather a small amount of rosemary and thyme, tie tightly with kitchen twine and leave a tail so you can secure the bundle to the rim of the pot.
5. Dice a mirepoix (two parts onion to one part carrot and one part celery) and thinly slice the garlic.
6. Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit before baking puff pastry (preheat while other steps progress).
7. Season skinless chicken thighs and very lightly dredge them in flour.
8. Heat a Dutch oven over high heat with enough olive oil to coat the bottom, add the chicken thighs and sear on the first side until golden brown, flip and sear the remaining side, then remove the thighs from the pot.
9. To the same pot, add the diced mirepoix, season with salt, and cook for about 2 to 3 minutes or until the vegetables are soft and translucent.
10. Add the sliced garlic and cook until the garlic softens and browns around the edges and becomes fragrant.
11. Add about 2 tablespoons unsalted butter to the vegetables to help them soften; note that the roux will require approximately 3 tablespoons flour and 3 tablespoons butter in total.
12. Once the vegetables are soft, add 3 tablespoons of flour and stir constantly to combine with the fat and cook out the raw flour taste for a minute or two until the roux is lightly browned.
13. Deglaze the pot with dry sherry, stirring as it thickens, then lower the heat and cook until the alcohol aroma is gone.
14. Add roughly 2 to 3 cups of chicken stock and about a half pint (0.5 pint) of heavy cream, then tie the herb bundle to the pot so it can be removed later.
15. Return the seared chicken thighs to the pot, move the pot to a very low burner, cover, and cook for at least 1 hour, or until the chicken is tender and easily shredded; stir occasionally and add a touch more stock if it reduces too much.
16. After braising, remove the pot from the heat, keep covered and let it rest off the stove to absorb liquid and relax.
17. Remove the chicken thighs and the herb bundle from the braising liquid, then shred the chicken with two forks or chop into pieces as desired.
18. If using Dijon mustard, temper a little of the hot cooking liquid into a small bowl with a bit of mustard to form a slurry, then stir that back into the braising liquid to brighten the sauce.
19. Add the shredded chicken back into the pot with the frozen corn and frozen peas, then return the pot to the stove and heat until the frozen vegetables are hot and the mixture is hot throughout.
20. Check seasoning and add salt as needed, then finish the filling by stirring in grated Parmesan cheese until the consistency is thick, creamy, and not clumpy.
21. Brush the chilled puff pastry bowls and lattice tops with the beaten egg wash, bake in the preheated 400 degrees Fahrenheit oven for about 30 minutes or until the pastry puffs around the edges and is golden brown and crisp.
22. Gently release the baked puff pastry bowls from the molds, grate a little Parmesan into the center of each bowl as a barrier, fill each pastry bowl with the hot chicken pot pie filling allowing a little to overflow, finish with additional grated Parmesan and the finely minced chives, and serve.

crowdsource Community Insights

This recipe really hinges on the crust. Most people who made this found it easiest to grate frozen butter into the flour, freezing the butter first and using a box grater to shred it makes the dough come together more predictably than trying to slice chilled sticks. If you want a tidy finish, people who preferred a cleaner edge folded the crust under and crimped it rather than folding it over. And as an optional step, some cooks cut a vent in the top crust to let steam escape while it bakes.

military_tech Why This Recipe Stands Out

• Repeat Worthy: People who make this tend to come back and make it again.

grocery Ingredients

Shortcrust Pastry

• 2.2 lb (998g) all-purpose flour
• 17.6 oz (499g) unsalted butter, cut into tiny cubes
• 4 tsp salt
• 4 large eggs, beaten
• 1/2 cup ice-cold water
• 1 egg yolk

Chicken Pot Pie Filling

• 1 whole roasted chicken, cut into 1-inch cubes (or rotisserie chicken, cooked breast and thighs (pan-cooked))
• 6 tbsp unsalted butter
• 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 yellow onion, large dice
• 4 carrots, cut into oblique shapes
• Celery
• 2 1/2 cup chicken stock
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 2 tsp Marmite
• 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
• 2 tsp kosher salt
• 1 tsp black pepper
• 1 cup frozen peas
• 2 tsp fresh rosemary, finely chopped
• 2 tsp fresh sage, finely chopped
• 5 sprig thyme, stripped
• Wine (or omit)
• Coarse salt, to taste
• Mushrooms

book_ribbon Instructions

Shortcrust Pastry

1. Pour ice-cold water over a measure and immediately mix it into beaten eggs; refrigerate the egg-and-water mixture until needed.
2. Sift all-purpose flour and salt together through a strainer into a bowl.
3. Add very cold unsalted butter cut into tiny cubes to the flour and, using a pastry cutter or a bench scraper, cut the butter into the flour until large cold pieces remain (about 3 minutes with the tool used).
4. Occasionally submerge hands in ice water to keep them cold; use a pinching/smashing motion to spread the butter pieces for about 90 seconds, re-ice hands as needed; if the butter warms, freeze the mixture for about 10 minutes.
5. Make a well in the flour-butter mixture and pour in the cold egg-and-water mixture; use a bench scraper to start bringing the dough together, then finish by hand on a lightly floured surface, taking care not to overwork it.
6. Flatten the dough, divide it in half (this recipe was doubled), wrap each piece in parchment, and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes (one hour recommended).
7. Before rolling, let the dough sit at room temperature for about 10 minutes so it is cold but not rock hard.
8. On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough starting from the center, adding a little flour if it sticks, and roll to a size that allows about 1 and a quarter inch overhang for the pie top.
9. Carefully transfer the rolled dough to the pie dish, push the sides down so the dough is not stretched tight, trim the overhang leaving roughly 1 and a quarter inch, and crimp the edge.
10. Make an egg wash by combining one egg yolk with one teaspoon of water and brush one even layer over the pastry (including the edge); chill for 10 minutes to let the wash dry; repeat coats if a deeper color is desired.
11. Cut decorations from extra dough, place them on the pie, egg-wash the decorations, sprinkle with a little coarse salt, chill another 10 minutes, then bake.

Chicken Pot Pie Filling & Assembly

1. Heat a pot over medium heat, tilt it and add unsalted butter; once melted, add the carrots and cook on medium-low heat for about 5 to 6 minutes.
2. Add the onions and celery and cook for about 7 to 8 minutes.
3. Add the all-purpose flour to the vegetables to build a roux and cook it down for at least 4 minutes to remove raw flour flavor.
4. Optionally add a splash of wine and cook for 2 to 3 minutes with the wine.
5. Start adding the chicken stock in two additions: add half the stock, bring up to temperature until bubbling, then add the rest of the stock and bring up to temperature again.
6. Add a little bit of heavy cream.
7. Add Marmite and Dijon mustard before adding salt, because both ingredients are salty; do not add salt prior to these.
8. Add finely chopped sage and rosemary and stripped thyme leaves (use modest amounts); add black pepper (about a teaspoon was used) and then turn off the heat.
9. With the heat off, fold in the cubed roasted chicken so it does not cook further; let the filling sit so the chicken soaks up the gravy.
10. Rinse frozen peas under hot water for about 30 seconds to moderate their flavor, then fold them into the filling.
11. Pour the filling into the baking dish you will use for the pie and chill it in the freezer for about 40 minutes to cool.
12. Place the prepared pie top over the chilled filling, finish any decoration, and bake in a preheated oven at 400°F for 1 hour (may take slightly longer or shorter depending on pastry thickness).
13. Let the pie cool a little before serving.