A lectin free take on a classic, this chicken pot pie has tender pastured chicken, root vegetables, red pearl onions in a savory sauce with a buttery crust.
I received a request from a follower named Cindy for a pie crust and a pot pie like Betty Crocker. That's a challenge I can accept. I already published the pâté brisée (pie crust) recipe with my mini quiche recipe. It's a very good crust that can go either sweet of savory. For this recipe, I enhance it with a series of buttery folds. So it's even more flaky and buttery than ever.
Pastured chicken and root vegetables take center stage with this deconstructed pie. Rather than building a pie crust and filling it, I made the crust and the filling separately, and then married them on the plate. The result is amazing. The taste is very much like the Betty Crocker original, but with a new twist. And now, it's lectin free!
The Recipe
(serves 4)
Lectin Free Gourmet Chicken Pot Pie
Bechamel Sauce
4 T Butter
2 T Arrowroot
1 C Milk
Filling
2 Pastured Chicken Breasts cubed
2 T Olive Oil
1/4 C Leeks chopped finely
3 Celery Stalks sliced
2 Large Carrots sliced
3 Garlic Cloves minced
1 Dozen Red Pearl Onions
4 Sprigs Fresh Thyme
1 C Chicken Bone Broth
Savory Pie Crust
1 C LFG Flour Blend*
2 T Arrowroot Starch
1 t Xanthan Gum
1/2 t Salt
1/4 C Nutiva Superfood Shortening
1 Egg
2-3 T water
1/2 Stick Butter
Garnish
Micro Greens
More Fresh Thyme
Instructions:
Step 1: Make Bechamel Sauce
First, make a basic bechamel sauce. In a medium sauce pan on medium high heat, melt 4 tablespoons of butter. Add 2 tablespoons arrowroot and make a bubbly roux. Finally add 1 cup of milk and whisk over heat until sauce thickens and becomes very creamy. Set aside.
Step 2: Cook the Fillings
In a Dutch oven on high heat, add 2 tablespoons olive oil and cubed raw chicken breast. Brown the chicken for about 5 minutes, but don't necessarily cook it through. Put on a plate and sets aside. Add chopped leeks and minced garlic to the pan and sautee until translucent. Add carrots, celery, pearl onions and brown the veggies. Strip the leaves from the Thyme leaves and add to the pot. Add browned chicken back in.
Step 3: Add the Sauce
To the chicken and veggie mixture, add the pastured chicken broth. Scrape any brown bits from the pan for extra flavor. Add the bechamel sauce and mix gently. Bring to a boil. Turn down heat to low and simmer for 30 minutes.
Step 4: Make the Crust
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a food processor with a dough blade, put your dry ingredients and pulse until mixed. Add shortening and pulse until you have a crumbly meal. Add the egg and pulse until you have coarse crumbs. Turn processor on and slowly add water until a dough ball forms. You may need to add more water. I live at high altitude so you may need to adjust liquid or flour. You're looking for a nice dough ball here so work with it until you get it right. If it seems to wet, you can add a little more arrowroot flour. Once you have a nice dough ball, roll it out on the counter over a little arrowroot flour until it's about 1/8 inch thick and about 10" x 6" rectangle shape.
For an extra flaky crust with buttery layers, fold in some butter. Take a half a stick of butter and filet it in half. Place the two pieces touching side by side between two sheets of plastic wrap. Roll the butter into a thin rectangular sheet the same size as the crust. Pop the butter sheet in plastic into the freezer for about 5 minutes. Then take it out and peel one plastic sheet off quickly. Place the butter side down onto your rolled crust. Peel the other plastic sheet off the butter. Take the far end of the crust, the long way, and fold it toward you about 1/4 of the way. Fold it again, about 1/4 of the way toward you. Fold again. And one final time until you have a crust that's been folded four times and is about 1/4 the dimensions of the original rectangle. Now take the two sheets of plastic and roll the crust between the plastic back into a 10" x 6 " rectangle.
Find a lid about 5 inches inches in diameter and cut 8 circles. Bake the circular crusts on a baking sheet at 350 degrees for about 20 minutes or until lightly golden brown. Make an egg wash out of 1 egg and 1 T heavy cream or milk. Brush the crusts with the wash and bake for a few more minutes until shiny and golden brown.
Step 5: Plate the Pot Pies
Spoon two about one cup each of the hot simmered chicken and vegetable filling onto four dinner plates. Top with a pie crust. Garnish with micro greens and more fresh thyme.
TIP: Freeze four remaining crusts and freeze for later use when you make the recipe again.