Individual Chicken Pot Pies
Serves 6
Note: For an easy dinner later in the week, prepare pot pies as directed. Let cool at room temperature 30 minutes after baking. Cover loosely and refrigerate for up to 3 days. When ready to serve, preheat oven to 375 degrees. Place pot pies on a rimmed baking sheet and bake until a table knife inserted in the center feels hot when touched with a finger, about 20 to 30 minutes. From “Betty Crocker Best 100.”
For filling:
1⁄3 cup (5 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon) butter, plus extra for ramekins (or cooking spray for ramekins)
1⁄3 cup flour
1⁄3 cup chopped onion
1⁄2 teaspoon salt
1⁄4 teaspoon freshly ground
black pepper
1 ⁄4 cups chicken broth
3
⁄3 cup milk
2
3 cups cut-up cooked chicken
(or turkey)
2 cups frozen peas and carrots For crust:
2 cups plus 2 tablespoons flour,
plus extra for rolling dough 1 teaspoon salt
2⁄3 cup cold shortening
3 to 5 tablespoons ice-cold
water
A To prepare filling: In a 2-quart saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Stir in flour, onion, salt and pepper. Cook and stir until mixture is bubbly, about 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in chicken broth and milk. Heat to boiling, stirring constantly. Boil and stir for 1 minute. Stir in chicken (or turkey) and peas and carrots, and remove from heat.
A To prepare crust: In a medium bowl, mix flour and salt. Using a pastry blender (or a fork), cut in shortening, until mixture forms coarse crumbs the size of small peas. Sprinkle with water, 1 tablespoon at a time, and toss with a fork until all flour is moistened and pastry almost leaves the side of the bowl (1 to 2 teaspoons more water can be added if necessary). Gather pastry into a ball. On a lightly floured work surface, divide pastry in half and shape into 2 rounds.
A To prepare pot pies: Preheat oven to 425 degrees and lightly coat 6 (10-ounce) ramekins or custard cups with butter (or cooking spray) and place prepared ramekins on a rimmed baking sheet.
A On a lightly floured work surface, using a lightly floured rolling pin, roll one round of pastry into a 16-inch circle. Using one of the ramekins as a guide, cut pastry with a sharp knife at least 1 inch around the dish to make 3 pastry circles (about 51⁄2 inches in diameter), rerolling pastry if necessary. Repeat with second pastry round to make a total of 6 pastry circles. A Evenly divide chicken mixture among ramekins. Top each ramekin with a pastry circle, gently pressing sides down the ramekin. Make a slit in the top of each circle. Bake until golden brown, about 30 to 35 minutes.