Ciao Chow Linda

Individual Chicken Pot Pies

Author: Ciao Chow Linda

Ingredients

• Your favorite purchased or homemade pie pastry (I used Trader Joe’s)

• 2 Tablespoons butter

• 1/2 cup sliced leeks

• 1 shallot, minced

• 1/2 cup celery, minced

• 1 cup carrots, cut into small pieces

• 1/2 cup frozen peas

• 2 cups cooked chicken, cut into chunks

• minced parsley (or thyme)

• salt, pepper to taste

• 2 pats of butter

• FOR THE BECHAMEL SAUCE:

• 1 Tablespoon butter

• 2 Tablespoons flour

• 1/2 cup chicken stock

• 1/2 cup milk

• 1 beaten egg, to swish over the top of pastry

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.

2. Saute the leeks, shallot and celery in the 2 tablespoons of butter until everything is wilted.

3. Place the cooked vegetables in a bowl.

4. Boil the carrot pieces but don’t cook completely through.

5. Drain and add to the other vegetables in the bowl.

6. Add the chicken pieces and the parsley to the vegetables and season everything well with salt and pepper.

7. Make the béchamel sauce by melted the butter, adding the flour and stirring with a whisk, then adding the chicken stock and whisking thoroughly.

8. Add the milk and whisk until perfectly smooth.

9. Pour the sauce over the chicken and vegetables and mix thoroughly.

10. Into two buttered casseroles, place the chicken and vegetables mixture.

11. Top with a pat of butter.

12. Cut pieces of the pastry slighly larger than the casserole you’re using.

13. Arrange the pastry on top, turning under the edges and crimping them.

14. Using a fork, prick the top to allow steam to escape.

15. Brush the top with beaten egg and bake for 25-30 minutes or until the pastry is golden brown.