KFC CHICKEN POT PIE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400°F.
• In a large stockpot, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the onions, celery, carrots, and potatoes. Saute until onion is translucent and vegetables begin to soften, about 3-4 minutes.
• Add the flour, salt, pepper, and minced herbs. Saute 2-3 minutes longer to brown the flour a bit.
• Add the milk, chicken broth, cream, and peas to the mixture and bring to a simmer.
• Simmer 5-10 minutes until filling thickens and vegetables are cooked through.
• Prepare the puff pastry tops by gently unfolding and rolling out each pastry crust. Place oven-safe bowls or ramekins upside down on the crust to measure the size of the top. Cut out a circular pie top about 1/2-3/4" larger than the bowl.
• Fill bowls/ramekins with chicken pot pie filling. Top with pastry cutout and press the overhang of the crust down around the top of the bowl.
• Whisk together egg with 1 tablespoon of water and brush the egg mixture over the tops of the pie crusts using a pastry brush.
• Bake for 15 minutes in the 450°F oven. Check pie for a deep golden brown. When it is browned to your preference, cover with aluminum foil and continue baking 15 minutes longer until the bottom crust is also cooked and filling is bubbling up under the crust.
• Bake for 15 minutes until puff pastry is golden brown and puffed.
• Serve and enjoy!
• The filling is enough to make 4-6 ramekins or 2 large bowls (as shown here). Be sure to use OVEN SAFE bowls before baking them in the oven.
• Filling is rich and creamy. Decrease amounts of milk/cream to reduce calories/fat, but as written, this really makes a nice "from-scratch" creamy pie filling.
• Vary the herbs - we used thyme, rosemary, and parsley - sage would be lovely also. If you need to use dried herbs, use about ½ the amount as fresh (1-2 teaspoons dried herbs total)
• You can also add corn or green beans - fresh or frozen or even canned vegetables are easy to swap in.
• Pie can be baked as one 9" pie as well.
• Refrigerated pie crust can be substituted for the puff pastry.
• The egg wash gives the baked crust a beautiful golden sheen. It's not necessary. If you substitute regular pie crust, you can also use the egg wash. Cut slits for venting in the pie crust before baking. Venting is not needed with the puff pastry.
• Store, covered, for 2-3 days in the refrigerator or freeze for up to 3 months (pot pie filling can be made in advance and frozen; thaw in the refrigerator overnight then assemble and bake).