Chicken Pot Pie (adapted from Serious Eats)
Total time: 5 hours
Makes: 6 servings
Tools: 5-quart stockpot, 5-quart saucepan, 2-quart baking dish
For chicken/stock:
2 quarts – chicken stock
4 ½ lbs. – bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs/breasts
1 – onion (large), diced
2 – carrots (large), diced
2 – celery ribs (large), diced
2 – garlic cloves (medium), crushed
2 – fresh thyme sprigs
1 – fresh parsley sprig
1 – fresh rosemary sprig
1 – bay leaf
For filling:
½ oz. – gelatin (2 packets)
¼ C. – chicken stock, reserved and cooled
8 tbs. – unsalted butter
1 C. minus 1 tbs. – AP flour
1 – onion (medium), diced
1 – carrot (large), diced
1 – celery ribs (large), diced
½ C. – white wine
1 quart – chicken stock, reserved and cooled
5 oz. – frozen peas
3 oz. – pimento peppers, drained and diced
1 ¾ tsp. – salt
1 tsp. – fresh thyme leaves
1 tsp. – ground black pepper
1 ½ tsp. – Worcestershire sauce
Salt & pepper, to taste
For biscuit topping:
2 C. – AP flour
2 tbs. – sugar
1 tbs. – baking powder
1 ½ tsp. – salt
16 tbs. – unsalted butter, cold and cut ½” cubes
1 C. – buttermilk, cold
For chicken/stock:
1. Chicken stock + 4.5 lbs chicken + 1 onion + 2 carrots + 2 celery + 2 cloves garlic + 2 sprigs thyme + 1 sprig parsley + 1 sprig rosemary + 1 bay leaf > 5-quart stockpot. Cover and heat (mid high) to 150º. Adjust heat to maintain for about 1 hr.
2. Remove chicken and set aside, covered. Strain stock and set aside. Discard solids.
For filling:
1. Gelatin + ¼ C. cooled stock > bowl. Whisk and set aside.
2. Heat (mid low) 8Tbs butter in 5-quart saucepan until foaming subsides. Add little less than 1 cup flour and whisk to light blonde roux. Add onion + carrot + celery > saucepan and cook until softened.
3. Add 1/2 cup white wine + 1 quart reserved stock > saucepan and stir constantly to combine. Increase heat (mid high) and bring to boil stirring constantly. Remove heat. Add 5 oz frozen peas + 3 oz diced pimentos + 1/2 oz gelatin mix + salt + thyme + pepper + 1 1/2 tsp Worcestershire sauce > saucepan. Stir until gelatin is melted. Salt/pepper to taste.
4. Shred/dice reserved chicken and add to filling. Pour filling into (6) individual ramekins or 2-quart baking dish. Filling can be covered and refrigerated (3 days) or frozen.
For biscuit topping:
1. Preheat oven 400ºF. Mix 2 cups flour + 2 Tbs sugar + 1 tbs baking powder + 1 1/2 tsp salt > bowl. Add 16 Tbs butter > bowl and mix with hands smashing butter to small pieces. Add 1 cup cold buttermilk > bowl and stir to combine. Drop mixture over filling in approx. 1 tbs. portions.
2. Bake until golden brown approx. 45 min. – 1 hr. Cool 30 min.