CHICKEN POT PIES

CHICKEN POT PIES image

Yield 4 people

Number Of Ingredients 17

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2 tbs. butter
1 tsp. olive oil
1 large boneless, skinless chicken breast
salt and pepper
1 medium onion, chopped
2 carrots, peeled and chopped (1/2 inch)
1 stalk celery, chopped (1/2 inchâwith leaves)
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tbs. pesto, or 1 tbs. fresh basil, or 1 tsp. dried basil
2 tbs. flour
2 1/2 cups chicken stock
1/4 cup heavy cream
1 cup frozen peas (no need to thaw)
1/4 cup chopped parsley
1/2 cup grated parmesan
1 sheet (1/2 lb.) puff pastry, thawed but still cold
1 egg, beaten

Steps:

Heat the oven to 375 degrees F. Set four 8-oz. ramekins on a cookie sheet. Melt the butter with the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Split the chicken breast through the middle so you have 2 thin pieces. Season liberally with salt and pepper and sautÃ© in the skillet until browned and just cooked through. Set the chicken aside and add the onions to the pan. Cook for 5 minutes until softened. Add the carrots, celery and garlic; cook for another 10 minutes until softened. Add the flour and pesto, stir well to combine, and cook for 1 minute. Stir in the stock and cream. Cook, stirring, for about 10 minutes until the sauce is thickened and the carrots are tender. Stir in the peas, parsley, and parmesan. Chop the chicken into bite-sized pieces and stir in. Remove from the heat. Roll out the pastry just a little, until the seams are no longer visible. Cut the sheet into quarters. Cut the corners off. Beat the egg in a small cup. Divide the filling among the 4 ramekins. Top each with one piece of pastry, pressing gently on the edges to seal well. If you wish, decorate with the scraps. Cut a few slits in each pastry top. Brush with the beaten egg. Bake for 45 minutes until the filling is bubbly and the pastry is deep golden. Set aside to cool for 10 minutes before serving, to avoid burned tongues.