Winter Recipes: Chicken Apricot Pot Pie
Chicken Apricot Pot Pie
Ingredients
- 1 rotisserie chicken (or homemade roast chicken) dark and white meat picked and shredded -- save the bones and skin of rotisserie chicken for the broth
- 1 carrot, large dice
- 1 rib celery, large dice
- 1 medium onion, quartered
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 sprig thyme whole
- 2 quarts water
- 4oz flour by weight
- 4 oz butter by weight
- 1 quart heavy cream
- 1 cup medium diced celery
- 1 cup medium diced carrots
- 2 cups medium diced onions
- 1 cup frozen peas
- 1 cup dried Mediterranean apricots, quartered
- 1 sprig thyme chopped fine
- 3 tablespoons parsley chopped fine
- 1 tablespoon sage chopped fine
- 1 tablespoon rosemary chopped fine
- 1 package frozen puff pastry, or your favorite pie dough recipe.
- 1 egg beaten with 1 tablespoon of water
To Prepare
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Pick and shred the meat off your chicken and set aside. Place chicken bones and skin and any roasting juices in a 4qt stockpot and cover with 2 qts water. Add large dice carrot, celery, onion, thyme and bay. Bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer for onehour. Strain and set aside.
In an 8 qt stockpot, start melting 4 oz butter. Once it is all melted, pour in 4oz flour all at once and whisk until fully incorporated. Cook on medium heat until light golden brown.
Add celery and onions and sauté until soft and translucent. Add carrots and sauté 2 more minutes. Whisk in 1 qt heavy cream and the roasted chicken broth. Add dried apricots and bring to a boil.
Reduce to a simmer for 15 minutes while the apricots plump. Add chopped herbs and season with salt and pepper. Stir in picked chicken and frozen peas.
Fill your favorite ramekins or pie tin with filling and cover with appropriate sized top, brush edges with egg wash to seal and brush top with more egg for golden brown crust. If you are using puff pastry be sure to score it lightly (don't cut all the way through) with a paring knife to allow for it to expand when it cooks.
Cook for 15-20 minutes until golden brown.
