Originally published on January 6, 2015
Chicken pot pie is the dish I always turn to when I have leftover chicken on hand. I turn to it so much in fact, that sometimes I need to find different ways of playing it up, to keep me and my family’s taste buds from boredom. Using phyllo dough instead of pie dough definitely isn’t my own invention, but I used it for the first time just last night and, with pie dough being my least favourite part of any pie, I was very pleased with the results. I also divided the pot pie filling among four souffle dishes, giving us each our own individual chicken pot pie. That along with the phyllo dough substitution made the entire thing quite elegant, I must say.
Ingredients:
3 cups chicken or turkey, cooked
1 large carrot, peeled and diced
1 onion, diced
1 cup frozen peas
3 tablespoons rosemary, chopped
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
3 tablespoons butter, softened, plus more for dishes
1/2 cup butter, melted
3 tablespoons flour
2 cups chicken stock
6 sheets phyllo dough
Salt
Pepper
Directions:
1.) Preheat oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit and grease the souffle dishes with butter.
2.) Heat 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil over medium heat in a large frying pan. When hot add the onion, carrot, and frozen peas. Stir and cook for about 2 minutes, until the vegetables are just softened. Then add the cooked chicken and rosemary. Season with salt and pepper, and cook just until everything is warmed through.
3.) Add the 3 tablespoons of butter to the frying pan. Let it melt, turn the vegetables in it, and then add the 3 tablespoons of flour. Stir the flour so that everything is perfectly mixed together and let cook for about 2 minutes to cook out the raw flour.
4.) Slowly whisk in the chicken stock. Bring up to a boil, then turn heat to low and cook for another 5 minutes or so, until the entire mixture is thickened. Taste, and season with more salt and pepper, if necessary. Once the mixture is thickened, ladle it evenly into the four souffle dishes.
5.) Lay out the six sheets of phyllo dough and cut them in half. Place one half over top of one souffle dish. Brush with the melted butter, then lay another half sheet right over top. Brush this one with butter as well, and lay another half phyllo sheet on top. Brush this third one with butter and season with salt on top. Repeat this process of layering three half sheets, brushing with butter in between each layer and topping with a pinch of salt, until all souffle dishes have been covered. After each pot pie has been topped with phyllo, use a small pairing knife to cut a small “x” in the centre of each, just to let the steam escape.
6.) Place the souffle dishes on a baking sheet and place them in the oven. Bake for 18 – 25 minutes, until the phyllo is crisp and golden.
7.) Serve and enjoy!