Name: Chicken and Vegetable Pot Pies with Cream Cheese Crust
Ingredients: 2 1/2 cups all purpose flour; 1/2 teaspoon salt; 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, cut into pieces, room temperature; 1 8-ounce package cream cheese, cut into pieces, room temperature; 1 3 1/2-pound whole chicken; 12 cups water; 2 large onions, quartered; 2 large carrots, coarsely chopped; 1 large leek, sliced; 12 small thyme sprigs; 1 bay leaf; 3 tablespoons olive oil; 2 red bell peppers, cut into strips; 1 large onion, chopped; 8 ounces shiitake mushrooms, stemmed, caps sliced; 4 ounces green beans, boiled 1 minute, cut into 1-inch pieces; 3/4 cup chopped green onions; 1/2 cup drained oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, chopped; 1 tablespoon chopped rosemary; 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter; 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons all purpose flour; 1 cup milk; 1/4 cup whipping cream; 4 1/2 teaspoons beef base* or other concentrated beef-flavored broth*; 1 egg, beaten to blend (for glaze)

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Chicken and Vegetable Pot Pies with Cream Cheese CrustElizabeth Watt

This filling is definitely not peas and hard carrots and tough chunks of chicken. Instead, there are sun-dried tomatoes and shiitake mushrooms with flavorful pieces of thyme-seasoned chicken.

And best of all, the individual pies can be assembled a day ahead, leaving only the baking to be done before sharing them with the family.

Ingredients

Crust

2 1/2 cups all purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, cut into pieces, room temperature

1 8-ounce package cream cheese, cut into pieces, room temperature

Chicken

1 3 1/2-pound whole chicken

12 cups water

2 large onions, quartered

2 large carrots, coarsely chopped

1 large leek, sliced

12 small thyme sprigs

1 bay leaf

Filling and assembly

3 tablespoons olive oil

2 red bell peppers, cut into strips

1 large onion, chopped

8 ounces shiitake mushrooms, stemmed, caps sliced

4 ounces green beans, boiled 1 minute, cut into 1-inch pieces

3/4 cup chopped green onions

1/2 cup drained oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, chopped

1 tablespoon chopped rosemary

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter

1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons all purpose flour

1 cup milk

1/4 cup whipping cream

4 1/2 teaspoons beef base* or other concentrated beef-flavored broth*

1 egg, beaten to blend (for glaze)

Preparation

For crust:
Step 1
Mix flour and salt in processor. Add butter and cheese; blend until moist clumps form. Shape dough into 6-inch-long log. Wrap; chill while making chicken and filling.
For chicken:
Step 2
Place all ingredients in large pot; bring to boil. Reduce heat; simmer until chicken is cooked through, about 45 minutes. Transfer chicken to large bowl; cool. Discard skin and bones. Cut meat into 1-inch pieces; return to bowl. Strain cooking liquid into large saucepan. Boil until reduced to 3 cups stock, about 1 hour.
For filling and assembly:
Step 3
Heat 1 tablespoon oil in large skillet over medium heat. Add peppers and onion; cook until soft, about 6 minutes. Transfer to bowl with chicken. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in same skillet over medium-high heat. Add mushrooms; sauté until just brown, about 4 minutes. Add to bowl with chicken; mix in next 4 ingredients.
Step 4
Melt butter in large saucepan over medium heat. Add flour; whisk 2 minutes. Gradually whisk in 3 cups stock, then milk, cream and beef base; bring to boil. Season sauce with salt and pepper. Stir 3 cups sauce into chicken mixture (reserve remaining sauce for another use).
Step 5
Cut prepared dough crosswise into 6 equal pieces. Roll out pieces to 7-inch rounds on lightly floured surface. Divide filling among six 2-cup soufflé dishes. Cover each dish with 1 dough round. Press overhang to side of dish to adhere. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover; chill.)
Step 6
Preheat oven to 350°F. Brush top of each dough round with egg glaze; cut 3 slits in each for steam to escape. Bake pies until crust is golden brown and filling is heated through, about 45 minutes.
Step 7
*Sold at specialty foods stores and in the soup section of many supermarkets

Ingredients

Crust

Chicken

Filling and assembly

Preparation

For crust:

Step 1

For chicken:

Step 2

For filling and assembly:

Step 3

Step 4

Step 5

Step 6

Step 7

Recipe notes