Individual Chicken Pot Pies

If ever there was a “make ahead” dish in our house, this is it. This recipe is full of veggies and tender chicken breast. The sauce gets its richness from a simple roux, flavored with sherry. We routinely make large batches of this recipe, portion it into individual servings, and stash the pot pies in the freezer.

Ingredients

• 2 lbs boneless,skinless chicken breast

• 8 tablespoons unsalted butter (1 stick, divided)

• 1 large onion, diced

• 3 large carrots, diced

• 4 stalks celery, diced

• 1/2 cup flour

• 1 1/2 cup milk (preferably whole milk)

• 2 1/2 cups chicken stock (preferably Kitchen Basics Unsalted Chicken Stock)

• 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves, lightly chopped

• 3/4 cup sherry (preferably, a medium dry sherry)*

• 3/4 cup green peas, frozen or fresh

• 2 tablespoons fresh parsley chopped

• Kosher salt

• Fresh ground black pepper

• Pie crust**

• 6-8 individual ramekins (about 8-10 oz. each)

• 1 egg (optional, for egg wash)

Instructions

Poach the chicken breast:

Place the chicken breast in a single layer in a heavy skillet. Add cold water and a heavy pinch of salt to the skillet, covering the chicken breast by about 1 inch. Place the skillet over medium heat and slowly bring to a simmer. Once the water is simmering, set a timer for 10 minutes. After 10 minutes, use a probe thermometer to check the temp. Continue to slowly simmer the chicken breast until the internal temp reaches 160°F. Remove the chicken from the water and set aside on a plate. Loosely cover with foil to allow the chicken breast to rest while you prepare the remaining elements of the pot pie.

Assemble the pot pies:

In a dutch oven, melt 6 tablespoons butter over medium heat. When the butter begins to foam, add the onion, carrot, and celery. Season with a bit of salt and pepper. Cook, stirring frequently, for about 10 minutes. The onion should be translucent and the carrots and celery softened.

Add the flour and cook for one minute, stirring constantly. Whisk in the stock and milk. Bring the mixture to a boil and reduce the heat to low. Simmer, with occasional stirring, for about 10 minutes. Meanwhile, thinly slice the chicken breast into bite size pieces and begin preheating the oven to 400°F.

When the sauce has thickened, add the meat, thyme, peas, and parsley. Add the sherry and remaining two tablespoons of butter. Stir well to combine. Taste and season generously with salt and pepper. Don’t be afraid to use a heavy hand on the black pepper - it will help carry the sauce. Add a bit and taste, and then add some more as needed. If you feel up for it, a pinch of red pepper flake works well too.

Divide the mixture evenly among the ramekins, filling each just shy of the top rim. Roll out the pie crust and cut out circles large enough to cover the ramekins (see note** below on crust quantities). Cover and crimp the edges with a fork. Cut a few vents in the top of the crust and, optionally, brush with an egg wash (beat 1 egg with about 1 teaspoon water to make an egg wash). Sprinkle the tops of the pies with a bit of salt and pepper before baking.

You’ll have some extra pie crust left over. Reserve it to make some “dippers” to enjoy with the pot pies. Cut the remaining rolled out crust into bite size strips and arrange on a small baking sheet lined with parchment. Brush with a bit of the egg wash and season with salt and pepper.

Bake the pot pies:

Place the ramekins on a baking sheet and bake the pot pies for about 25 minutes, until the crust is golden brown and mixture is bubbly.

When the pot pies have about 15 minutes left on the timer, add the baking sheet with the dippers into the oven. They’ll be nicely browned by the time the pot pies finish up.

Allow the pot pies to rest for at least 10 minutes before eating - they’ll be quite hot so approach with caution! Since the ramekins will be hot, we usually place the ramekin on a plate or shallow bowl to serve, with a few dippers on the side.

Make ahead:

If you plan to make a large batch, simply divide the mixture into the ramekins and cover each with a lid, or tightly wrapped with plastic wrap.

If you plan to use them in a day or two, store in the fridge. To reheat, simply uncover and top with pie crust as above. Bake on a baking sheet in a 400°F oven for 25-35 minutes, until the pot pies are golden brown and bubbly.

For longer storage, stash the covered pot pies in the freezer. Thaw overnight in the fridge. Since the centers will likely still be a bit frozen, remove the lid or plastic wrap and instead cover with foil. Bake the ramekins on a baking sheet in a 400°F oven for about 25 minutes. Uncover and stir the pot pie mixture (it will likely appear a bit separated - don’t worry, it’ll come back together). Top with pie crust as above, and continue baking at 400°F for another 25-35 minutes, until the pot pies are golden brown and bubbly.

Notes

*If you can’t find a medium dry sherry, you can use a cream sherry, such as Harvey’s Bristol Cream Sherry. Keep in mind that this has a sweeter flavor, so start with 1/2 cup. Add the butter and remaining seasonings and taste. If you want the sauce to be a little richer, then add the remaining 1/4 cup a little at a time, tasting between additions.

**Most of the time, I use a store-bought pie crust. Feel free to use your favorite homemade savory pie crust instead though! A double crust recipe should be sufficient to cover at least 6 pot pies, or 4 pot pies plus extra for crust “dippers.”