Barefoot Chicken Vegetable Pot Pie

Chicken pot pie is a favorite at my house so I was excited about this weeks Barefoot Bloggers recipe, chosen by Deb from Kahakai Kitchen (she has a wonderful blog and is so nice, stop by!) I've actually made this recipe before, last fall, so this time I made a few changes.

Most importantly, I reduced the fat in the recipe and used a combination of olive oil and butter. I also added cubed rotisserie chicken, since I knew it would go off much better with a little "substance". For vegetables, I would suggest using whatever you have on hand or is in season- the quality is usually much better and the price is, too. This time I added green beans, peas, and extra carrots to Ina's recipe (leaving out the fennel). For flavoring, I skipped the liqueur and used extra chicken stock and Herbes de Provence (I got mine at Safeway, but this one at Williams Sonoma is adorable!). The seasoning is wonderful and great on pastas, soups, and more- it's become a staple in my pantry. I skipped the heavy cream and added some milk since my sauce was thickening a lot and I had some extra vegetables.

This is another winner from Ina- the filling is delicious (even with less butter!) and the pastry top has the perfect flavor and texture. If you're in a pinch for time, don't forget that you can make the pastry in the food processor and keep it in the fridge until you are ready to roll it out. You could also assemble the pies the night before and through them in the oven after work. Either way, it's delicious and worth the time to make these from scratch!

Chicken Vegetable Pot Pie
adapted from Ina Garten
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 cups sliced yellow onions (2 onions)
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
3 cups good chicken stock
1/2 teaspoon Herbs de Provence
1 teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 cup whole milk
1 1/2 cups large-diced potatoes (about 3 small red potatoes)
1 cup chopped green beans
1 1/2 cups peeled, 3/4-inch-diced carrots (4 carrots)
1 1/2 cups peeled, 3/4-inch-diced butternut squash
1 1/2 cups frozen small whole onions (1/2 pound)
3/4 cup frozen peas
1/2 cup minced flat-leaf parsley

For the pastry:
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 cup vegetable shortening
1/4 pound cold unsalted butter, diced
1/2 to 2/3 cup ice water
1 egg beaten with 1 tablespoon water, for egg wash
Herbs de provence (for garnish)

Melt the butter in a large pot over medium heat and add the olive oil. Add the onions and saute until translucent, 10 to 15 minutes. Add the flour, reduce the heat to low, and cook for 3 more minutes, stirring occasionally. Slowly add the stock, milk, herb de provence, salt, and pepper, and bring to a boil. Simmer for 5 more minutes, stirring occasionally. Season to taste- the sauce should be highly seasoned.

Cook the potatoes in boiling salted water for 10 minutes. Lift out with a sieve. Add the green beans, carrots, and squash to the pot and cook in the boiling water for 5 minutes. Drain well. Add the potatoes, mixed vegetables, onions, and parsley to the sauce and mix well.

For the pastry, mix the flour, salt, and baking powder in the bowl of a food processor fitted with a metal blade. Add the shortening and butter and mix quickly with your fingers until each piece is coated with flour. Pulse 10 times, or until the fat is the size of peas. With the motor running, add the ice water; process only enough to moisten the dough and have it just come together. Dump the dough out onto a floured board and knead quickly into a ball. Wrap the dough in plastic and allow it to rest in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Divide the filling equally among 6 ovenproof bowls. Divide the dough into sixths and roll each piece into circle just larger than the tops of the bowls. Brush the outside edges of each bowl with the egg wash, then place the dough on top. Trim the circle to 1/2-inch larger than the top of the bowl. Crimp the dough to fold over the sides, pressing it to make it stick. Brush the dough with egg wash and make 3 slits in the top. Sprinkle with sea salt and cracked pepper. Place on a baking sheet and bake for 45 minutes, or until the top is golden brown and the filling is bubbling hot.