Lady and Sons Chicken Pot Pie (Paula Deen)

Ingredients

Pastry Crust

• 2-4 sheets frozen puff pastry (her original recipe called for 4, I felt 2 was plenty)
• 1 egg, beaten

Pot Pie Filling

• 4 chicken breast halves (or 2 cups leftover cooked chicken)
• 2 tablespoons cooking oil
• 1/3 cup butter
• 2/3 cup all-purpose flour (or less ( see chef's note in directions)
• 1 quart milk (Paula's recipe called for cream)
• 1/4 cup chicken base (or less ( see chef's note in directions)
• 1 tablespoon minced garlic
• 1/2 small yellow onion, minced
• 1 cup frozen green pea, cooked
• 1 cup chopped cooked carrot
• 1 pinch fresh grated nutmeg (optional)

Directions

1. 1

   For Crust: Preheat oven to 350°F Cover large cookie sheet with parchment paper. Cut each sheet of frozen puff pastry into 1-inch strips long enough to cover each pie. On cookie sheet, weave strips into squares. (I made one large square to cover 8x8 casserole with pieces close together. As a result, it didn't cook all the way through in the center.) Brush beaten egg onto each lattice square.

2. 2

   Bake for 15-18 minutes, or until pastry has risen and is a nice golden brown. (It should be cooked through at this stage). Set aside until ready to assemble pies.

3. 3

   For Filling: Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken and sauté until cooked through. Remove from heat and cut into chunks.

4. 4

   In a large saucepan melt butter and then slowly add flour, stirring until consistency of peanut butter, but do not brown like a roux. NOTE: You may not need all of the flour--stop with it is the right consistency--it may only take 1/4 cup. Slowly add cream and keep stirring.

5. 5

   Add chicken base (NOTE: here again you may not want to use all 1/4 cup--it may be too salty so use caution), garlic, and onion and stir until thickened.

6. 6

   Add cooked peas and carrots, nutmeg, if using, and cut up chicken. Remove from heat.

7. 7

   To serve fill 4 individual oven-proof bowls with chicken mixture and then top each with a pre-cooked lattice square.