Loaded Chicken Bacon Pot Pie

These little chicken pot pies were the PERFECT meal for a cold and dreary February night.  In fact, the filling would have been perfect cooked for a little while in the Dutch oven and eaten as a soup!

5 thick bacon slices, diced (about 1 cup) 

1 medium-size sweet onion, chopped 

2 garlic cloves, chopped

1 cup chopped carrots 

1 (8-oz.) package fresh mushrooms, halved 

1/2 cup dry white wine 

1/3 cup all-purpose flour

3 cups reduced-sodium or organic chicken broth 

3/4 cup whipping cream

1 ½ T. dry mustard

2 t. fresh thyme leaves or 1 t. dried thyme

1 t. kosher salt

1/8 t. ground red pepper

4 cups shredded deli-roasted chicken 

1 cup small frozen sweet peas

1/2 (17.3-oz.) package frozen puff pastry sheets, thawed or 6 frozen puff pastry shells, thawed

1 large egg, lightly beaten 

Garnish: fresh thyme

Preheat oven to 400°. Cook bacon in a Dutch oven over medium heat 8 to 10 minutes or until crisp. Drain on paper towels, reserving 3 T. drippings.

Add onion to hot drippings, and sauté 3 minutes.

Add garlic and next 2 ingredients; sauté 4 to 5 minutes or until carrots are crisp-tender. Remove from heat, and add wine. Return to heat; cook 2 minutes.

Sprinkle with flour; cook, stirring constantly, 3 minutes.

Whisk in broth; bring to a boil. Boil, whisking constantly, 2 to 3 minutes or until thickened. Stir in cream and next 4 ingredients.

Remove from heat, and stir in chicken, peas, and bacon. Spoon mixture into a lightly greased 9 x 13 inch baking dish. Place pastry over hot filling, pressing edges to seal and trimming off excess. (Use scraps to cover any exposed filling, if necessary.) Whisk together egg and 1 T. water. Brush over pastry.

Bake at 400° on lower oven rack 35 to 40 minutes or until browned and bubbly. Let stand 15 minutes before serving.

Note: You can also make these in 6 (12-oz.) ramekins. Cut pastry into circles or use pastry shells; place over ramekins after filling. Bake as directed.

from Southern Living January 2014