Chicken Pot Pie

Chicken Pot Pie
Originally uploaded by paintedbooklady.

Filling
1 lb pearl onions
3/4C unsalted butter
2 large carrots, peeled and cut into small dice
3 celery ribs, cut into small dice
1 medium onion, cut into small dice
3/4c all purpose flour
6c chicken stock or broth
2 potatoes, peeled and cut into small dice
2c shredded, cooked chicken
1c frozen or fresh shelled peas
1TBS+1tsp salt
freshly ground pepper

Cornmeal Topping
1/2C unsalted butter
1 1/2C cornmeal
1 1/2c all purpose flour
1/3C sugar
4tsp baking powder
1 1/2tsp salt
2 large eggs
1 1/2C milk

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F

To make filling for pot pie: If using fresh pearl onions, fill a small saucepan with water and bring to boil over medium heat. Add pearl onions and blanch for 3 minutes. Drain and set aside to cool. Peel onions using small paring knife and set aside. If using frozen you don't have to do anything.

In large saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Add the carrots, curler, and onion and slowly cook vegetables for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, without letting them color. Add flour to pan and cook, stirring frequently, for 5-6 minutes. Add stock, slowly at first, stirring vigorously to incorporate the vegetables.

Add potatoes and chicken, bring to a simmer, and cook for about 10 minutes, or until potatoes are tender. Add peas and pearl onions and cook for another minute or so, until heated through. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Transfer to a 13x9x2 inch baking dish.

To make topping: Put butter, cornmeal, flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and eggs in bowl of food processor fitted with metal blade. Pulse until just combined but still crumbly.

Add the milk and pulse until just incorporated. Pour batter over chicken filling to cover completely. Bake for about 40 minutes, or until crust is golden and filling is bubbling around edges.

Serves 10-12

From The Family Kitchen by Debra Ponzek

All in all this was very good. The sauce thickens well and the crust it amazing. The change I would make is the pearl onions. If you really like them then keep them. But if you aren't a giant fan or have kids I would take them out. Just increase the other vegetables by about 2 or 3 cups.

Also it is a good idea to put a baking sheet under the pan. This bubbles over and makes a mess in the oven.

The servings are pretty true. This is a lot of food. You could serve a salad with it but it's filling on it's own. Cold weather food for sure.

I generally boil chicken to cook it. Depending on thickness this take anywhere from 5-10 minutes. Keep checking it and take it out as soon as the pink is gone. If you don't you will end up with tough chicken.