The top performers at KCRW’s annual Pie Contest over the last few years have been savory pies. It could be that flaky vessels filled with slow-cooked brisket are the perfect antidote for our over-saccharined tastebuds, or, more simply, that pot pies are the very best thing to eat. EVER. This recipe comes to us from the Pie Contest’s organizer and Queen Evan Kleiman. She recommends you work with her classic 3-2-1 crust recipe and use whatever fat you prefer. This recipe makes one 10″ deep dish or six smaller, 8-ounce pies.
Ingredients
1lbcooked chicken off the bonefrom a rotisserie chicken, boiled chicken, or poached thighs/breasts
4CupsChicken broth
2Carrotspeeled and diced small
2stalksCelerydiced small
1Small Yellow oniondiced small
10-12sugar snap peasstringed and cut diagonally into slices so peas spill out
1lbcornshucked and niblets cut off (about 1⁄2 - 1 cup niblets)
¼cupOlive oil
6TbspButter
5TbspFlour
2TbspMinced Italian parsley
Instructions
Saute carrots, celery, onion in olive oil until softened. Set aside.
To make the chicken veloute, first heat the chicken broth and keep the warmed broth on the side. Melt the butter in a small saucepan. Whisk in the flour and let cook over very low heat until the flour turns blond. Pour the warm chicken broth into the roux and cook, whisking occasionally until the sauce thickens. Add salt and pepper to taste. Turn off the heat.
Add the prepared chicken and vegetable sauté to the sauce along with the parsley. Mix well and let the ingredients sit together to marry the flavors. It’s best if you make the filling in advance so it has a chance to cool down before you put it in a pie pan and cover it with dough.
Preheat oven to 400°F.
Put chicken mixture in buttered pie pan or divide mixture amongst individual pans, if using. Roll out dough and top the fillings making a nice big crimped edge. Be sure to cut a vent or vents in the top pastry. Place pies on baking sheet. Bake at 400° for 20 minutes. Turn heat down to 375° and continue baking until crust is beautifully golden and filling is piping hot.