Lunch / Dinner
Classic Chicken Pot Pie with Brown Butter Pie Crust
If all you know of chicken pot pie is frozen dinners, flavorless veggies, and spongy cubes of “chicken,” think again. Homespun and hearty, this pot pie is so worth the effort. You’ll be bubbling over with excitement at the chance to enjoy it again and again. Though not ideal for a hectic weeknight meal, this comforting pot pie definitely has a place on the weekend table. Especially since you can make the filling a day ahead — the filling has time to cool down, so it won’t melt the butter in the crust.
Ingredients
FOR THE CRUST, MELT:
WHISK:
FOR THE FILLING, SWEAT:
STIR IN:
ADD:
Test Kitchen Tips
Depending on the type of dish you use, you may end up with extra dough. A wide, shallow dish with lots of surface area is best, or try six individual pies.
Making pie dough gets many people’s nerves going, but the brown butter crust in this pot pie is worth perfecting. To start, melt the butter, then cook it slowly. The darker the solids turn, the richer and nuttier their flavor becomes — just be careful they don’t scorch, or the crust will taste burnt.
Instructions
For the crust, melt butter in a saucepan over medium-low heat. Cook butter until brown flecks appear, about 15 minutes. Transfer butter to a shallow dish and freeze until firm, 20–30 minutes.
Whisk together flour and salt. Cut in chilled brown butter with a pastry blender until pieces are pea-sized. Stir in ¾ cup ice water, then test by pinching dough between your fingers. If it seems dry, add remaining water, 1 Tbsp. at a time, until dough is no longer crumbly. Form dough into a disk, wrap it in plastic, and chill at least 30 minutes before rolling out.
Preheat oven to 425°. Line a baking sheet with foil.
For the filling, sweat carrots, parsnips, mushrooms, onions, thyme, and sage in butter in a large saucepan or Dutch oven over medium-low heat, covered, stirring occasionally, 15 minutes.
Stir in flour to coat vegetables; cook 1 minute. Deglaze pan with wine and lemon juice, scraping up any browned bits.
Add broth; stir until smooth, then add chicken and potatoes. Increase heat to medium-high; bring mixture to a boil. Reduce heat to medium and simmer filling until thickened, 10–15 minutes. Off heat, stir in peas. Season filling with salt and pepper; transfer to a 2-qt. baking dish.
Roll prepared dough on a lightly floured surface to ¼-inch thick, then cut to fit baking dish. Arrange dough on filling, then trim and crimp edges. Transfer pot pie to prepared baking sheet.
Brush dough with egg wash and bake pie until crust is golden, 25–30 minutes. Let pie stand 10 minutes before serving.
Use a spoon to scrape the chilled butter from the pan. Make sure to get the browned bits, too.
Crimp edges of dough with your fingers, then cut small vents on top so steam can escape while baking.
Slowly add broth to vegetable mixture. If it’s added too quickly, the sauce may develop lumps.
Nutritional Facts
Nutritional Facts
Per serving
Calories: 755
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 40g 61%
Saturated Fat 24g 120%
Cholesterol 171mg 56%
Sodium 322mg 13%
Carbs 70g 23%
Fiber 6g 24%
Protein 26g
*Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.