22 November 2011

Comfort Food


Before we get to the deliciousness that is below, know that if you decide to make this pot pie - it takes some time, and having that time is really really nice because you don’t feel like you’re in a rush.  Albeit, we made it fast and it was still amazing.  But slow and steady really wins the race...I may have felt rushed b.c I was also making chocolate chip cookies for out dessert. That’s my own fault for reaching for more...I could have bought cookies.

Also, totally random side note, when I cook for myself I don’t go fancy nor do I always go awesome...like I just make a quesadilla with really just cheese and that’s it.  If I have greens, it’s greens and an egg. And, even if its gross, I’ll still eat it because I took the time to cook it! Terrible, right?

This recipe calls for shredded chicken.  I assume they don’t sell shredded chicken so you have to cook and shred your chicken.  I poached chicken breasts in milk and water until they were done, barely let them cool then pulled them apart.  I then just started chopping it up because my hands were burning and like I mentioned, I was in a hurry.  These biscuits are also awesome and really easy.  I’d make them on Saturday morning for a homemade brunch.

Enjoy this! And thanks to Joy, she really does know how to make amazing food...can’t wait for her cookbook, which I pre-ordered!

Chicken Pot Pie with Cream Cheese and Chive Biscuits
Makes one 9×13-inch dish with 12 biscuits

For the Biscuits:
  • 2 1/2 C all-purpose flour
  • 1 T baking powder
  • 1/4 t baking soda
  • 1 t salt
  • 1 t granulated sugar
  • 1/2 to 1 t coarsely ground black pepper
  • 1/4 C chopped fresh chives
  • 1/4 C (2 ounces) unsalted butter, cold and cut into cubes
  • 4 oz (half of a brick) cream cheese, cold
  • 3/4 C buttermilk, cold (if you don’t have buttermilk, take a T of of white vinegar and then enough milk to make a C and let sit for 10 minutes, then get 3/4 C from it.  So easy! You can even use lemon juice)
For the Filling:
  • 4 T unsalted butter
  • 1/2 C all-purpose flour
  • 2 C chicken broth
  • 1 1/2 C whole milk
  • 4 oz (half of a brick) cream cheese
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • 1 T fresh lemon juice
  • 1/8 t fresh ground nutmeg
  • 3 C shredded chicken meat (I used 3 decent sized chicken breast - might have been too much)
  • 2 T butter or olive oil
  • 1 small onion, diced
  • 1 small garlic clove, minced
  • 1 1/2 C thinly diced carrots
  • 1 C diced zucchini (optional)
  • 1 1/2 C frozen peas, thawed
Make your biscuits first, really simple, really quick.  In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, sugar, black pepper, and chives.

Add butter and cream cheese to the dry ingredients.  Use your fingers to quickly incorporate the butter into the flour.  This is one of those, use your hands add the love type recipes, it’s really the best way to get the best results.  Break up the butter and cream cheese with your fingers until there’s some the size of oat flakes and some the size of small pebbles.

Make a small well in the center of the fat and flour mixture.  Add the buttermilk.  Using a fork, combine the wet and dry ingredients, make sure you get everything moistened.  Dump the biscuit dough onto a lightly floured work surface - at this point you may think the dough’s a little weird it’s okay, just go with it.  Knead together until dough forms a disk about 1 1/2 inches thick.

Use a round, 1 1/2-inch biscuit cutter to cut biscuits.  Gather the dough scraps, knead a few times, and cut out more biscuits until no dough remains.  Place biscuits on a small cookie sheet and place in the fridge until ready to bake.

Place a rack in the center of the oven and preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

Dice onion, garlic, carrots, zucchini, and thaw the frozen peas.  Set aside.

In a medium saucepan over medium heat, melt butter.  Whisk in the flour, this will be really thick, heat for 1 minute.  Turn heat to low and add the chicken stock.  Whisk until no flour chunks remain now, whisk in the milk and add the cream cheese.  Turn your heat back to a medium/low temp, stir often until cream cheese has melted and the mixture is the consistency of warm, thick pudding.  Add chicken, lemon, and nutmeg, stir then add salt and pepper to taste.   Remove mixture from heat and set aside.

In a medium pan over medium heat, melt butter.  (I added all of the veggies at once, you could do it like Joy and go layer by layer I think this is better but remember I was on a time crunch.) Add onions and saute until translucent, about 3 minutes.  Add minced garlic and saute for one minute more. (At this point, if you wanted to kick up the heat, you could add a few shakes of red pepper flakes.)  Add carrots, zucchini, and peas.  Cook for  about 3 minutes.  The vegetables will not be entirely cooked through do not worry!  Remove from heat and add vegetable mixture to the creamy chicken mixture, stir to combine.

Spoon filling into a 9×13-inch pan.  Remove the biscuits from the fridge and place them on top of the filling.  Brush the tops of the biscuits with heavy cream, buttermilk, or egg wash.

Bake for 20-23 minutes, or until biscuits are puffed and golden, and the sides of the pot pie are bubbling.  Remove from the oven and allow to cool slightly before serving.

Chicken Pot Pie will last, well wrapped in the refrigerator, for up to 4 days...if you can make it that long, we for sure didn’t.

Enjoy this so much … treat yourselves to it! xo

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