Weekend Chicken Pot Pie

Okay, so:  A)  This dish takes a little too long to make on a weeknight; and B) It uses a pre-made crust, something that, snob that I am, I generally try to avoid.  But even so?  Dang, it's GOOD!

This comes to me from my friend Jane, who got it from a blog somewhere.  I've cut back on the boiling times, because Lucy doesn't like overdone veggies and I hate chicken that's been cooked so long it's stiff.  

Keep in mind, this dish will be great with your store bought chicken, but if you take the time to find a local meat cutter who carries local foods, you won't regret it!

Weekend Chicken Pot Pie

3 medium carrots, chopped

2 large stalks of celery, chopped

4 small red potatoes, peeled and chopped
1/2 head of cauliflower, cut into bite-sized pieces

1 quart chicken stock (I use store-bought broth; I'm just lazy that way)

6 T butter

1 yellow onion, diced

6 T flour

1.5 lbs chicken breasts

1/4 cup cream

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp pepper

2 sheets frozen puff pastry (Pepperidge Farm is good)

1 egg, beaten

1. Take the puff pastries out of the freezer to thaw.
2. Peel and slice all of your veggies. 
3. In a large pot, bring the stock to a boil and add the carrots, celery, cauliflower and potatoes.  Simmer for nine minutes, or until just tender. 
4. Remove veggies with a slotted spoon.  Pour stock into a measuring cup for later use. 
5. Simultaneously (or afterwards, whichever) bring a pot of water to boil.  Add the chicken breasts and simmer for 10 minutes. 
6. Drain the chicken, allow it to cool, then cut it up into tiny bits.  
7. Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
8. Melt the butter in a dutch oven.   Add onion and cook for five minutes, stirring occasionally. 
9. Add the flour and stir to make a roux.  Cook for another 3-5 minutes, until the roux starts to darken a bit and give off a toasty smell.  
10. Slowly stream in the reserved stock and stir constantly.  Don't panic if it starts to thicken.  Just keep adding the stock steadily.  
11. Cook for another three minutes, then turn off the heat and slowly add the cream. 
12. Add the veggies and chicken to the sauce, along with salt and pepper.  Mix well and pour into a 9 x 13 baking dish.  
13. Layer the puff pastry over the top of the pie.  Brush with egg for shine.
14. Cut small slices into the crust to allow steam to escape. 
15. Bake for 10 minutes. 
16. Cover with foil and bake for 25 more minutes.  

Family Ratings

Will, who's getting less fussy as he's becoming a teenager and starting to eat everything: 10
Jamie, who's getting more fussy as he figures out it's a way to draw attention away from his sister:  7
Lucy, who likes everything, particularly when she can help make it:  10
Ellen, who's pleased that there's no cream of mushroom or cream of chicken soup in this:  10
Paul, who's been craving homemade pot pie for about a year now:  10