Easy Comfort Food: Chicken Pot Pie

A blustery, rainy cool fall day is the perfect setting for this classic comfort food, chicken pot pie!
This recipe is featured on the cover of the October 2009 issue of Everyday Food Magazine. Very simple to make, and very comforting as well as delicious!

The recipe makes 4 individual pot pies, but I made one large one, which can be done using a 2 quart baking dish.

Chicken Pot Pie
4 T. unsalted butter
1 medium onion cut into medium dice
1 large carrot cut into medium dice 1/2 cup all-purpose flour, plus more for work surface
coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
3 cups cooked chicken, cut into 1" pieces (1 pound total)*
1 cup frozen peas
1-1/2 teas chopped fresh thyme leaves
1 sheet frozen puff pastry, thawed
1 large egg yolk

*Store bought, rotisserie chickens are a great time saver for the cooked chicken meat. One rotisserie chicken will yield about 1-1/2 cups of meat.

In a medium saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Add onion and carrot and cook until onion softens, about 6 minutes. Add flour and 1/2 teas. salt; cook, stirring frequently, until mixture is pale golden, has a slightly nutty aroma, and is the texture of cooked oatmeal, about 5 minutes.
Whisking constantly, add broth. Bring to a boil, stirring frequently, until mixture thickens, about 8 minutes. Reduce to a simmer and cook 10 minutes.

Stir in chicken, peas, and thyme; season with salt & pepper. Divide mixture among four 12 oz baking dishes or one 2 quart baking dish; refrigerate until room temperature, about 20 minutes.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. On a lightly floured work surface, roll puff pastry to 1/8" thickness, 1" larger than the baking dish(es); with the tip of a sharp knife, cut vents into pastry. In a small bowl, lightly beat egg yolk with 1 teas. water; top pot pies with pastry and brush with egg wash. Refrigerate 15 minutes. Bake until pastry is deep golden and juices are bubbling, about 35 minutes.

Excellent served for lunch or dinner!