Chicken Pot Pie with Puffed Pastry

This recipe makes the most scrumptious chicken pot pie filling. I used to make my own crust to pair with the recipe, but I find that frozen puffed pastry dough is the best, and I only add it to the top of the pie to cut a few calories.

I place the filling into individual oven safe bowls, or ramekins. It gives each person the perfect amount for a nice sized serving. I make a few extra which store well covered in the fridge for a few days. They can easily be reheated in the toaster oven. Enjoy!

Chicken Pot Pie with Puffed Pastry

Ingredients

•           3 whole Chicken breasts chopped into bite sized cubes

•           3-4 tablespoons Olive oil

•           Freshly ground black pepper

•           3 1/2 cups Chicken stock

•           Sea salt

•           2 chicken bouillon cubes

•           1 tablespoon unsalted Butter

•           1 cup yellow Onion, diced

•           3/4 cup all-purpose Flour

•           1/4 cup heavy Cream

•           2 cups Peas/carrot frozen mixture

•           1/2 cup minced fresh parsley leaves chopped

•           2 cups Celery chopped

•           2 Bay leaves

•           2 small cloves of fresh Garlic-minced

•           2-3 sprigs fresh Oregano

•           2 teaspoons Poultry seasoning

•           2 teaspoons Herbs de Provence

•           1 large Potato-peeled & diced

•           ½ cup white

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

In a small saucepan, sauté onions, garlic, parsley & bay leaves in olive oil & 1 tablespoon of unsalted butter, until golden brown. Add chicken, which have been cut into small bite sized cubes. Cook, stirring frequently until done. 

Add celery, potato, & herbs de

Add the flour and cook over low heat, stirring constantly, for 2 minutes. Add the white wine or sherry. Simmer over low heat for 1 more minute, stirring, until thick. Add 2 teaspoons salt, 1/2 teaspoon pepper, and heavy cream. Mix well.

Add to individual single serving ramekins that are oven safe. Top with frozen puffed pastry in small 3x5 squares. Brush with egg wash & bake.

Chicken Sausage Paella

This recipe came out delicious, but if you prefer seafood, you can very easily substitute the chicken sausage for shrimp or other types of seafood. You could also add chicken (I didn't have any) & I wanted to make a meal with what I had in the house already.

Chicken Sausage Paella

Ingredients for Broth:

1 clove Garlic-peeled & to be removed before adding to rice

1/2 teaspoon Saffron threads

4 cups Chicken or Veggie Stock

2 Tablespoons Sun dried Tomato paste

½ teaspoon Green peppercorns

1 large sprig fresh Sage (to be removed later)

½ cup dry Red Wine

3 tablespoons Penzey’s Northwood Seasoning

Ingredients for Rice:

2 tablespoons chopped fresh Basil

1 package (about 6) spicy Chicken Sausage

Nature’s Seasoning

Salt & Pepper

3-4 tablespoons Olive Oil

1 yellow Onion-diced

3-4 cloves fresh Garlic-minced

½ green Bell Pepper-cored, seeded & diced

2 cups uncooked Jasmine rice

2 teaspoons smoked Spanish Paprika

2 cups peeled whole tomatoes-roughly chopped (I used the ones I canned last summer). Then extract juice to add to broth pot.

1 cup frozen Peas

4 Celery stalks-diced

Lemon wedges (for garnish)

Directions:

In a large pot, over medium heat, bring to a boil all of the ingredients for broth. Reduce heat & allow to simmer for about 10-15 minutes covered.

In either a Paella pan, or a dutch oven, over high heat, heat olive oil. Sauté onions, garlic, & basil. Add chicken sausage & cook for 5 minutes on medium heat. Add celery, & bell pepper & seasonings. Cook until tender. Add tomatoes, peas & rice. With a ladle, add exactly 4 & ½ cups of broth to your pot & stir briefly & gently so that all ingredients are evenly dispersed. Reduce heat to low & cover until rice is tender & all liquid is gone.

**I used exactly 4 ½ cups of broth & my rice was perfect. Remember that if your tomatoes had a lot of juice you may want to decrease the broth measurement a little. I use the following measurement for making Jasmine rice:

1 cup uncooked rice + 1 & ¼ cup liquid = perfect rice!