Noble Bird’s adapted rotisserie chicken and vegetable pot pies
Yield: 4servings
(If you want larger servings, use 2 larger heatproof bowls to serve two)
INGREDIENTS
1 rotisserie chicken
Dough:
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour, plus more for rolling out
Pinch of salt
8 tablespoons cold, unsalted butter (or cold vegan butter), cut into 8 pieces 4 tablespoons ice water — without the ice
Egg wash: 1 egg, lightly beaten with a fork Sauce:
2 tablespoons butter (or vegan butter) 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 cups whole milk (or 1 cup oat milk and 1 cup vegetable broth), heated
Salt and pepper to taste
Small amount of milk (or vegetable broth) to prevent skin forming on sauce as it rests
Vegetable mixture:
1-2 tablespoons vegetable oil, canola oil or extra-virgin olive oil
8 fresh green beans, trimmed, cut into 1 1⁄2-inch pieces
3⁄4 cup chopped fresh white or cremini mushrooms
1 large shallot, finely chopped
1 large garlic clove, finely chopped
1 large, peeled carrot, cut into 1⁄4-inch dice 3 large celery stalks, cut into 1⁄4-inch dice 1 1⁄2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh sage 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh parsley 3 cooked fingerling potatoes, halved lengthwise, blanched or roasted until fork tender
Cook’s notes: For a dairy-free version, use ingredients that are in parentheses. For 4 servings, I use ovenproof cappuccino cups that hold just almost 2 cups; they are 3 1⁄2 inches deep and 5 inches wide.
PROCEDURE
1. Remove skin and bones from enough chicken (save bones if making stock) to make 1 cup. Cut or shred chicken into bitesize pieces. Set aside.
2. Prepare crust: Adjust oven rack to middle position and preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Add 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons flour to food processor; add a pinch of salt. Pulse one time to combine. Add butter and pulse until butter is in tiny pieces and the mixture looks like coarse cornmeal, about 10 seconds. With machine running, add ice water through the feed tube 1 tablespoon at a time, stopping as soon as the mixture holds together when pinched (you may not need to add all 4 tablespoons). Turn dough onto parchment paper and bring together into a flat disc. Enclose in parchment and refrigerate 30 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, prepare sauce: In a 2-quart saucepan, melt butter on medium heat. Stir in flour and cook, stirring, until frothy and heated through but not browned, 1-2 minutes. Remove from heat and whisk in heated milk. Whisk on medium heat until sauce comes to a boil. Boil 2-3 minutes, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and add salt and pepper to taste. Set aside. To prevent a film forming, top off surface with a thin film of broth or milk.
4. On a lightly floured surface, roll dough out to a 1⁄4-inch thickness. Using bowl as a template, cut 4 circles a little smaller than the circumference of the bowls. Place on parchment-lined baking sheet. Using a pastry brush, brush tops of dough with egg wash, being careful not to let it run off the sides of the dough. Bake until golden brown, about 12-15 minutes. Remove from oven. Do not turn off oven.
5. Meanwhile, prepare vegetable mixture: In a skillet, heat oil on medium-high heat. Add green beans, mushrooms, shallot and garlic; cook 1 minute, stirring occasionally. Add carrot, celery, sage, parsley, potatoes and chicken. Cook until vegetables are heated through and have a little browning here and there, about 3-5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Do not overcook; the green beans should still have some crunch and the other vegetables should be tender crisp. Taste. Add a little salt if needed.
6. Assembly: Stir in the thin layer of milk or broth used to prevent film from forming into the sauce. Add 1⁄2 cup sauce to each of 4 ovenproof cups. Divide vegetables among cups, pressing them down just a little bit into the sauce with the back of a spoon (do not stir in). Place cups on rimmed baking sheet and pop into the heated oven, long enough for them to be piping hot, about 7-10 minutes. Gently place a crust on top of each. Serve.