Monday was summer. Today is winter again. March is confusing. Every year on March 14th, I want to celebrate my inner math nerd with summer fruit pies and am quickly humbled by snow.
So, here’s a recipe for a cozy chicken pot pie filled with spring vegetables – a perfect medley of the seasons. Asparagus, leeks, and peas give the pie a green brightness, while the rich chicken filling and flaky lard pie crust make it warming and comforting. Dare I say it’s even a fitting recipe for St. Patrick’s Day too? Pour yourself a Guinness and you’ve got the perfect spring Pi Day/St. Patrick’s Day fusion. Who knew?
As a whole animal butcher shop, we get the lovely benefits of utilizing the whole animal. This means we have a regular supply of animal fats available here at France 44: duck fat, beef tallow, chicken schmaltz, pork lard! Lard is great for pie dough because it doesn’t melt quite as quickly as butter and it blends well into flour, making it a more forgiving dough, especially for beginners. Lard creates a wonderfully flaky crust that goes great with sweet & savory pies alike. If you prefer not to use pork in your recipe, substitute the lard for butter or use store-bought puff pastry for your pot-pie!
Serves 4 as an entree or 6 as a side dish
Ingredients
The Crust:
- 1 cup all-purpose flour, sifted
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 4 oz pork leaf lard, cold
- 4 tablespoons ice water
The Filling:
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 lb boneless chicken thigh or breast, cut into 1 inch pieces
- salt & pepper to taste
- 2 stalks celery, chopped into 1/2 inch pieces
- 1 large carrot, chopped into 1/2 inch pieces
- 1 medium leek, halved lengthwise and sliced into 1/4 inch pieces
- 1 tsp white pepper
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
- 2 1/2 cups chicken stock
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 8 oz asparagus, cut into 1/2 inch discs
- 1 cup green peas, fresh or frozen
- 1 tbsp fresh herbs: thyme, oregano, or tarragon, chopped finely
Directions
Make the Pie Dough:
- In a medium bowl, combine flour, salt, and sugar. The sugar will not add too much sweetness to the savory crust, but aids in browning during the bake.
- Break up your cold lard into pieces and use your fingers to incorporate it into the flour mixture. Make sure to keep some pea sized pieces intact, as these will give your crust a flaky texture.
- Add ice cold water one tablespoon at a time and mix until your dough just comes together. Make sure there is no flour left on the bottom of your bowl. Flatten your dough into a disc, wrap in plastic, and refrigerate for at least 2 hours.
Make the Filling:
- Pre-heat your oven to 375º F.
- In a heavy bottomed pot or dutch oven, melt butter on medium heat. Add your chicken, turn up heat to medium-high, and cook 3-5 minutes until browned. Season with salt and pepper.
- Remove the chicken but keep any drippings in your skillet. Don’t worry if the chicken isn’t fully cooked through at this stage – it will finish cooking when you add it back to your filling.
- To the drippings, add your celery, carrot, and leeks. Season with salt, black pepper, and white pepper. Cook on medium-low heat for about 5 minutes until the vegetables are tender, but not yet fully cooked through. Add your garlic and cook for one minute more.
- Add flour and stir to coat the vegetables in the flour. Continue to cook & stir for 2-3 minutes until the flour has toasted and browned slightly.
- Add your chicken stock slowly, while continuing to stir, pulling up any browned bits from the bottom of your pan. Bring the mixture up to a simmer as it continues to thicken. Add in your heavy cream, chicken, asparagus, and peas. Turn off heat – the asparagus & peas will cook through in the oven.
Assemble:
- Spoon your pot-pie mixture into a cast iron skillet or standard pie dish.
- Whisk one egg in a small bowl with a small pinch of salt to form your egg wash.
- On your counter, sprinkle a small amount of flour. Unwrap your dough and dust the top with flour as well. Roll out your dough into an even circle, about 2 inches in diameter larger than your chosen pan. Make sure to flour and rotate your dough as you roll to prevent it from sticking to your counter.
- Carefully lift your dough and place it on top of your filling. Fold the overhang under the edges of your dough and use your thumb and index finger to create a v-shape, while you use your other index finger to push the dough into it. Continue this around the entire pie to create a crimped edge.
- Brush with your egg wash and bake for 30-40 minutes, until the mixture is bubbling and the crust is GBD (golden brown and delicious).
- Garnish with additional fresh herbs & serve immediately!
