Chicken Pot Pie

     Although, I didn't eat chicken pot pie much as a child, I have come to love this southern comfort classic.  Most recipes are loaded with butter, flour, and heavy cream, but these are not ingredient options for me.  To thicken the pot pie filling, I relied on a blend of homemade chicken stock, organic cornstarch, and unsweetened almond milk.  For the crust, I used a combination of gluten free flour, cornmeal, and coconut oil, to lend a buttery, sweet dough.  Do not let the long list of ingredients and steps fool you.  The filing is slightly loose, making it easy to moisten the crust with extra juices when serving.

Ingredients

For the filling:

• (1) 3 ½ to 4 pound chicken
• 5 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided
• 5 ½ teaspoons celtic sea salt, divided
• ½ teaspoon coarse black pepper, divided, plus additional for seasoning the chicken
• ¾ cup celery, chopped
• 1 ½ cups carrots, chopped
• 2 medium onions, chopped
• 3 cups (1-14 ounce package) frozen green peas
• 2 cups chicken stock, preferably homemade
• ¼ cup organic cornstarch
• 1 cup unsweetened almond milk

For the topping:

• 1 cup multi-grain flour blend
• ½ cup cornmeal
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1 ½ teaspoons celtic sea salt
• ½ cup extra-virgin coconut oil
• 1 ¼ cups unsweetened almond milk
• 2 eggs

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees and line large baking sheet with parchment paper.  Place the chicken on the prepared baking sheet and season generously with 1 teaspoon sea salt and freshly ground black pepper.  Drizzle with 1 tablespoon of olive oil and rub the seasoning and oil into the meat.  Roast for about an hour, or until the internal temperature of the meat registers at 180 degrees.  After the chicken has cooked, remove it to a plate to rest for 30 minutes.  
2. Meanwhile, heat the remaining 4 tablespoons of olive oil in a large dutch oven over medium heat.  Add the celery, carrots, and onion and cook until tender, about 15 minutes.  Stir in the peas, 2 teaspoons of sea salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper.  Cook for 5 minutes.  Pour in the stock and bring to a simmer.  Whisk together the cold milk and cornstarch until no lumps remain.  Gradually whisk this mixture into the simmering stock.  Bring to a boil and simmer until the sauce thickens, about 2 minutes.  Off the heat and set aside.  
3. Once the chicken is cool enough to handle, remove the skin and bones.  Using your hands, shred the meat directly into the pot.  Season with 2 ½ teaspoons sea salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper and stir to combine.  Pour the filling into a large (9 x 13 inch) casserole dish.  
4. To make the topping, whisk together the flour, cornmeal, baking powder, and sea salt in a medium bowl.  In a liquid measuring cup, whisk together the coconut oil, milk and egg.  Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and stir until combined.  Pour the batter directly on top of the filling.  Bake at 425 degrees for 40 minutes.  Cool for 10 minutes before serving.  

Make ahead:  The filling can be prepared up to two days before serving.  While the oven is preheating, place the casserole dish with the filling into the oven.  Once the oven reaches 425 degrees, remove the filling from the oven, pour the batter on top, and cook for 40 minutes. 

Print this post