Fleur de Lolly: Chicken Pot Pie with Savory Thyme Crust

This is my first attempt at a savory pie crust. Recipe is from Sara Moulton's Everyday Family Dinners cookbook. My son loves chicken pot pie. I've always used frozen pie crusts and the "cream of mushroom soup" filling with frozen mixed vegetables. Well, last night we entered an entirely new world of Chicken Pot Pies. This takes some time to make, but it is so worth the time and effort. Pick a nice weekend afternoon and have fun with this one. I used a rotisserie chicken and only put the white meat in the filling. We'll use the dark meat later today for a soup.

Here we go.....

For the crust:

2 cups all-purpose flour

½ t. salt

12 T. cold unsalted butter

2 large egg yolks

½ T. dried thyme

Combine the flour and salt in the bowl of a food processor fitted with the chopping blade. Cut the butter into 1/8 inch thick slices and add to the flour mixture.

Pulse 10 - 12 times until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.

Beat the yolks with 2 T. ice water and add to the mixture; pulse 4 to 5 times, until a crumbly mixture forms. Add thyme and mix well. Press the mixture together to form a ball, adding more water, if necessary, to make it manageable. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate the dough until you get the filling prepared.

For the filling:

2 T. olive oil

2 carrots, diced

2 celery stalks, diced

1 small onion, diced

8 oz. mushrooms, chopped

1 cup frozen corn (thawed)

1 cup frozen petite green peas (thawed)

2 cooked chicken breasts, shredded

1 t. dried thyme

Salt and pepper to taste

In a large skillet, heat olive oil and sauté the first three ingredients until softened.

Add next three ingredients and cook for 3 – 4 minutes.

Here's the chicken! I only used the white meat. Or course, you can use whatever you want!

Add shredded chicken and thyme and season with salt and pepper, let heat through.

Remove from heat and place in a large mixing bowl.

For the sauce:

6 T. butter

¾ cup all-purpose flour

4 cups chicken stock, heated

1/4 cup heavy cream

1 t. salt

½ t. black pepper

Wipe skillet clean and melt butter. Add flour and cook over low heat for 2 minutes.

Add the hot chicken stock and simmer over low heat for 1 more minute, stirring, until thick.

Add salt, pepper and cream.

Stir until well blended.

Pour over chicken & veggie mixture, stirring until well mixed.

Remove dough from refrigerator and divide in two portions. Generously flour work surface and roll until desired size. Place into greased deep dish pie plate and fill with chicken veggie mixture.