BONJOUUUUR guess what – it’s très simple! FACILE. FRA-GIL-EH. Just kidding, that’s something else.
So this, oh my word. Looks fancy, right? Well, it is. But let me tell you, it’s seriously not to completely wreck your psyche or send you to self-esteem camp. Opposite, actually. It’s a chicken pot pie – but FRANCE-Y fancy. And I think we can all obviously sprint on board with this right now.
Want to know the main secret to a chicken pot pie with sophistication?
There are three. Three secrets.
WINE.
SHALLOTS.
TARRAGON.
PUFF PASTRY.
There are four secrets.
It’s a lot of ingredients, sure. But we do save time with a store-bought rotisserie chicken, n’est ce pas?! Just shred that thing up and and sip a good french white wine. And listen to this! Look at you right now.
You’ll start like you do with anything else and sauté a bunch of shallots, sliced carrots and celery for a lil’ bit. I dig shallots over onions because they just have a more gentle flavor. More polished. I have no idea why or how, but in my head they do.
After that, make your roux, boo! (sorry) And this is where the Frenchiness reaaaally amps up. Butter and flour, whisky whisk. Then add white wine. And TARRAGON. Bubble bubble and whisk until it thickens. Slowly add chicken stock and keep whisking until it becomes a smooth sauce. Then carefully pour in the cream and let it simmer for about 10 minutes, thickening until it becomes a velvety blanket of yes.
Then we add in the sautéed vegetables, the shredded chicken, frozen peas and parsley. Once you’ve stirred it all in and around, give it a small taste. Need a pinch of salt? Maybe so. This is your chance to dial the underneath.
Also we’re starting a band called Dial the Underneath. We’re already banned from society.
And finally, you’ll just take some thawed puff pastry sheets and cut them into any shape you want. Triangles, rectangles, Apollonian gaskets for all I care.
Arrange and overlap them on top of the pot pie and brush the tops with a lightly beaten egg. All good things in life.
Um, what? ^^^
I’m sorry did that just come out of your oven?^^^^ Invite the whole town over, stat.
First of all, it’s spectacularly show stopping. A sprig of fresh tarragon on top and I mean, yeah.
Secondly, it’s got this savory depth under all that puffed and golden brown pastry. These gorgeous rustic, homey flavors that will catastrophically ruin your soul so good for the rest of time.
Nostalgic! But with finesse.
Comforting! But so, so elegant.
You can’t, can you? You literally cannot.
And the thing is, it honestly takes no longer than it would with any other chicken pot pie. Just a couple of ingredient swaps and a mind shift and bon! Tellement parfait!
You’re still sipp- chugging that French white wine, right? Obviously.
Vous êtes les bienvenus, bia.
Ingredients
- 1 rotisserie chicken, shredded
- 2 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 large shallots, thinly sliced
- 2 carrots, thinly sliced on the diagonal
- 2 celery stalks, thinly sliced
- 3 Tbs. butter
- 3 Tbs. flour
- 1/2 cup dry white wine
- 1 Tbs. freshly chopped tarragon, plus extra sprigs for garnish
- 2 cups chicken stock
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 1 Tbs. freshly chopped parsley
- 1/2 cup frozen peas
- 2 puff pastry sheets, thawed and cut into rectangles
- 1 egg, lightly beaten
- Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 375.
- In a large cast iron skillet (I used a 13 inch), heat the oil over medium high heat. Add the shallots, carrots and celery; sauté about five minutes, until they start to soften and brown in places. Season with a pinch of coarse salt. Move the veggies out and cover to keep warm.
- Back in the skillet, melt the butter over medium heat. Once it’s foaming, add the flour and whisk until it’s smooth and becomes a golden brown color, 30 seconds to a minute. Then add the white wine and chopped tarragon. Let it bubble while you whisk another 30 seconds. Season with a pinch of salt and gently pour in the chicken stock, whisking as it becomes a smooth sauce. Once all the stock is in, pour in the heavy cream and whisk another 30 seconds. Turn the heat down to low and let it simmer and gently bubble for ten minutes. Taste it again to see if it needs another pinch of salt. Maybe a grind of black pepper?
- After ten minutes, add the vegetables, shredded chicken, frozen peas and chopped parsley. Stir until everything is covered in sauce.
- Arrange the puff pastry shapes on top of the pot pie, overlapping in places. Brush the tops with the beaten egg, and bake 30-40 minutes, until the puff pastry is golden brown and lightly puffed.
- Let it rest about 10 minutes, and then serve family style with another sprig of fresh tarragon on top.
- It’s unbelievable! You’ll just melt right into it.
- Serves 4-6.
Invite me over?
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