Keila Tirado-Leist

I am having so much fun with this cooking through my cook book challenge :) ! I decided to try a twist on an original comfort food recipe of mine: chicken pot pie. I was excited to see that this version had some fun new ingredients I never thought of! And because it was Valentine's Day I decided to use a heart-shaped cookie cutter, instead of a round one! It was fantastic- definitely a HIT recipe!

4-6 servings

Ingredients: For the Chicken Filling

3 1/2 cups chicken stock ( I used organic Swanson's) 
3 carrots sliced
1 lb 10 oz Potatoes ( I used organic Yukon golden)
3 celery ribs, thinly sliced
6 oz peas
1 lb 2 oz skinless, boneless chicken
4 tbsp butter 
1 onion, chopped
1/4 cup flour
3/4 cup heavy cream
ground nutmeg
salt and pepper
leaves from 1 small bunch parsley chopped
1 egg

For the scone topping:

leaves from 1 small bunch thyme
1 tbsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
4 tbsp butter (since I used salted butter I omitted the salt)
1/2 cup milk (more if needed)

MAKE the filling

1. Heat the stock to boiling in a large saucepan. Add the carrots potatoes, and celery and simmer for 3 minutes. Add the peas and simmer for about 5 minutes until all the vegetables are tender. 

2. Drain the vegetables in a colander, reserving the stock. Cut the chicken into slivers and put in bowl. Add the vegetables.

3. Melt the butter in a small saucepan over moderate heat. Add the onion and cook for 3-5 minutes, until softened but not browned. Sprinkle the flour over the onions and cook, stirring, for 1-2 minutes. 

4. Stir in 2 cups of stock and heat, whisking until the sauce comes to a boil and thickens. Simmer for 2 minutes, then add the cream and a pinch of nutmeg and taste for seasoning. Pour the sauce over the chicken and vegetables, add the parsley, and mix gently. 

5. Sift the flour into a large bowl with the baking powder and salt and make a well in the center. Add the butter, cut into small pieces with two knives.

6. Rub the mixture with your fingertips until it forms fine crumbs, lifting a d crumbling to aerate it. Add the thyme, make a well in the center, add the milk and cut in quickly with a knife to form coarse crumbs. Add a little more milk if it seems dry.

7. Mix the dough with your fingers just until in comes together. Turn on to a floured surface and knead tightly for a few seconds until smooth. Pat the dough out to 1/2 in thick. Cut out rounds or hearts ;) with a 3 1/2 in round cookie cutter or glass. Pat out the trimmings and cut additional rounds for a total of about 8.

ASSEMBLE and BAKE the pie 

8. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Spoon the filling into a medium baking dish, or a shallow pie dish, depending on preference.

9. Arrange the cut-out rounds evenly over the filling, then glaze the scones and bake the pie, allowing 15 minutes at 425 degrees then 20-25 minutes at 350 degrees. The filling shoud be bubbling hot and give off delicious aromas. :)