A chicken pot pie so worth the calories that’s loaded with chicken and vegetables in a creamy flavorful sauce then topped with a flaky crust. You can use a homemade crust or make it simpler by using store bought. This feeds a crowd but you can scale in half or make two and freeze one for later.This feeds 8 generously.The prep time is about 30 minutes and includes chopping and making crust. If using store-bought, you save yourself 15 minutes. I don't include the time to chill the dough or to poach the chicken because you continue with other parts of the recipe during those times.The cook time includes preparing filling and baking.
In a large bowl, mix together flour, salt and sugar. Add the shortening and toss to coat. Using your fingers, squish each piece to flatten. Add the water and knead a few times in the bowl.
Transfer the dough onto a floured surface and gather it into a pile. Knead a few times to bring the dough together. Sprinkle the top of the dough with some flour, flip it over, and repeat.
Roll the dough out into a rectangle the length of your baking dish. Sprinkle a little more flour as needed. The dough should be pretty pliable and not break.
Once you have your shape, line a baking sheet with parchment and transfer it onto the baking sheet. Just roll it onto the rolling pin and unroll on parchment.
Chill for 30 minutes or until you make pie filling.
Preheat oven 400°F.
Poach Chicken:
Place chicken in a saucepan and add chicken stock, bay leaf, salt and vermouth or white wine. Place over high heat and bring to a boil. Once it’s boiling, turn off heat, cover, and let sit for 20 minutes. Do not remove the cover until 20 minutes is up. Meanwhile, prep the filling.
Remove chicken breasts and reserve liquid. Discard bay leaf. You’ll notice there may be some stuff that forms in the liquid. Don’t worry about it. It blends into the sauce.
Shred the chicken using two forks. Don’t worry if the chicken looks a tad pink. We are going to cook it in the oven.
Prepare Filling:
In a large skillet over medium high heat, melt butter and add onions. Saute until onions are translucent - about 3 - 5 minutes. Add the carrots and celery and continue to cook for about 5 minutes until softened.
Stir in thyme, salt, pepper, and flour and cook for a minute or two.
Whisk in the reserved chicken stock and cream then bring to a simmer. Continue to cook for about 5 minutes until thickened. Taste and adjust for salt.
Stir in chicken and peas. Transfer to a a large casserole or a 9x13 baking dish.
Assemble:
Remove pie crust from fridge. Cut into square shapes and place over the filling, overlapping slightly. Don't worry about it being perfect. The more imperfect it is, the more perfect it looks. Beat together the egg with the water in a small bowl. Brush the crust with the egg mixture.
Bake:
Bake for 35 to 40 minutes until golden brown. You can broil it for a minute or two to get more color but keep an eye on it. Let the pie cool for at least 15 minutes, allowing the filling to thicken slightly.
Notes
If you want a looser filling, you can add ½ - 1 cup more of chicken stock. I’ve made this using 4 cups and the filling is loose but still delicious. It does set up beautifully when reheating for leftovers.*Remove the tendons when shredding or dicing chicken. Nothing is worse than chewing on a tendon.