Yahoo Lifestyle How to Make the Best-Ever Chicken Pot Pie, According to Ina Garten
Everyone has their own idea of comfort food. It could be a thick slice of chocolate cake, a big bowl of mom’s signature soup or a super cheesy lasagna. The whole point of comfort food is for it to bring us “comfort” when we’re sad, anxious or just darn hungry. And if you ask me, chicken pot pie should definitely be on the list, and Ina Garten’s version is pretty special.
Like most comfort food dishes, not all recipes are created equal. Ina is known for her simple yet elevated approach to cooking, as well as her precision. Because she isn’t a ‘wingin’ it’ type of chef, her recipes can be executed no matter your experience level or confidence in the kitchen. This means that you can really impress someone just by following the directions because the result will be consistent.
There are a few reasons why Ina Garten’s chicken pot pie recipe is so special, including her creamy filling, fresh herbs and from-scratch stock and crust. If you want to plan something special for Sunday supper, give Ina’s chicken pot pie recipe a try. Here's what you need to know.
Related: Need a Winter Warmup? Ina Garten’s Chicken Pot Pie Soup Marries Two Comfort Food Classics
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How to Make Ina Garten’s Chicken Pot Pie
Ina’s chicken pot pie recipe has more than 1,400 (nearly all 5-star) reviews on the Food Network website, and nearly all of those reviews are 5 stars, so it's obviously a fan favorite.
You can get the full recipe on the Food Network site, but we'll give you the broad strokes idea here. Start by preparing the chicken. On a large baking sheet, drizzle olive oil, salt and pepper over a few whole bone-in, skin-on chicken breasts. Cook for 35–40 minutes at 350°. When cool enough to handle, cut the meat into large pieces.
To make the filling, in a medium pot you'll dissolve chicken bouillon cubes in some chicken stock to make the stock deeply chicken-y. In a large pot, you'll cook onions in butter, then sprinkle in some flour and cook that for a couple of minutes. Slowly add the chicken stock, simmer and stir until thick. Adjust the seasonings, then stir in some heavy cream. Add the chicken, peas, carrots, pearl onions (frozen ones are find) and fresh minced parsley.
Ina makes her crust, but you can also use store-bought pie crust or puff pastry, if you're running short on time and/or energy. To make the crust, Ina mixes flour, salt, baking powder, shortening and butter in a a food processor. She adds some ice water to help the dough come together and then kneads it quickly before wrapping it in plastic and chilling it for 30 minutes. The combination of shortening and butter is great because the shortening makes the dough flaky and the butter adds a rich flavor.
When you're ready to build the pot pies, ladle the filling equally among four ovenproof bowls. Divide the dough into four pieces and roll each piece into an 8-inch circle (which should be slightly larger than the bowls). Brush a bit of beaten egg around the edges of the bowls to help the pastry stick, then add the pastry to each bowl, pressing to help it stick. Brush the top of the pastry with more beaten egg, cut a few slits in each pastry, then bake at 375° until golden brown, which should take 30 to 40 minutes.
Related: The Easy Pasta Dish Ina Garten Loves to Make After a Busy Day of Recipe Testing
Tips for the Perfect Chicken Pot Pie
Ina’s chicken pot pie is highly ranked for a reason. Whether you're making her recipe or another one, use these Ina-approved tips.
Use high-quality stock. Whether it’s vegetable or chicken stock, the better the quality, the better the outcome. Ina suggests making it yourself.
Chill out. Cool the filling before assembling. If the filling is still hot when you add the pastry it could melt the butter in the pastry, leading to a soggy crust, which is something nobody wants.
Finish strong. Don’t skip the egg wash. Egg wash gives the pot pie its golden finish, which will make you look like a pro.
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