Chicken Pot Pie with Chanterelles

By CarlaKay

Delicious pot pie with a secret ingredient.

Ingredients

• CHICKEN
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 1/2 cups chopped carrots
• 1 1/2 cups chopped celery
• 1 1/2 cups chopped onion
• 2 garlic cloves, chopped
• 2 large fresh thyme sprigs
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 teaspoon whole black peppercorns
• 16 cups water, divided
• 1/2 cup coarse kosher salt
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 4 cups ice cubes
• 1 5- to 5 1/2-pound whole chicken (preferably organic), rinsed, patted dry
• POT PIE FILLING
• 1/3 cup milk
• 4 garlic cloves, peeled
• 1/3 cup water
• 3 tablespoons cornstarch
• 3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
• 1 1/4 pounds chanterelles or other wild mushrooms, coarsely chopped (didn't have-used porcini)
• 3 cups 1/2-inch cubes peeled carrots
• 3 cups 1/2-inch pieces leeks (about 3; white and pale green parts only)
• 3 cups 1/2-inch cubes peeled white-skinned potatoes
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme
• 3 1/2 cups (or more) low-salt chicken broth (I used homemade)
• 1 10-ounce package frozen peas, thawed
• 1 cup heavy whipping cream
• 4 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
• 3/4 teaspoon hot pepper sauce
• 1/2 teaspoon white truffle oil (optional)
• Chicken-Fat Puff Pastry (used the boxed phyllo dough)
• SPECIAL EQUIPMENT
• 6 2-cup ramekins or soufflé dishes

Details

Servings 6
Adapted from bonappetit.com

Preparation

Step 1

CHICKEN

Heat oil in large deep pot over medium-high heat. Add carrots, celery, and onion; sauté until golden and tender, about 10 minutes. Add garlic, thyme, bay leaves, and peppercorns; stir 2 minutes. Add 8 cups water, 1/2 cup coarse salt, and sugar; bring to simmer, stirring until salt and sugar dissolve. Remove from heat. Add remaining 8 cups water and 4 cups ice cubes. Let stand until brine is cooled completely. Submerge chicken in brine; cover and chill at least 12 hours and up to 24 hours.

Preheat oven to 375°F. Remove chicken from brine. Rinse chicken and pat dry; place in roasting pan. Sprinkle chicken with pepper; roast until cooked through and juices run clear when thickest part of thigh is pierced, about 1 hour 20 minutes.

Transfer chicken to platter; cool slightly. Spoon fat from roasting pan into small container. Cover; freeze fat until firm; reserve for puff pastry. Discard skin and bones. Tear chicken meat into large bite-size pieces; reserve for filling. DO AHEAD Chicken fat and chicken pieces can be made 1 day ahead. Keep fat frozen. Cover and chill chicken.




POT PIE FILLING

Combine milk and garlic in small saucepan; simmer 2 minutes. Remove garlic from milk and chop finely; discard milk. Whisk 1/3 cup water and cornstarch in small bowl to blend; set aside.

Heat 1 tablespoon oil in heavy large pot over medium-high heat. Add mushrooms and sauté until tender and brown, about 6 minutes. Transfer mushrooms to bowl. Add remaining 2 tablespoons oil to same pot; add carrots, leeks, and potatoes and sauté until beginning to soften, about 10 minutes. Add chopped garlic and thyme; stir 2 minutes. Add 3 1/2 cups broth; bring to boil. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer until vegetables are tender, about 15 minutes longer. Rewhisk cornstarch mixture and add to vegetable mixture; stir until broth boils and thickens, about 2 minutes. Stir in chicken, mushrooms, peas, and cream; simmer uncovered until heated through and mixture has consistency of stew, adding more broth by 1/4 cupfuls if mixture is too thick, 6 to 7 minutes. Stir in lemon juice and hot pepper sauce. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Mix in truffle oil, if desired. Divide pot pie filling among six 2-cup ramekins or soufflé dishes. DO AHEAD Can be made 6 hours ahead. Cover and chill.

Preheat oven to 375°F. Top each pot pie with 1 baked puff pastry round. Bake pot pies until filling is heated through, about 15 minutes if warm or at room temperature and 25 minutes if chilled.