Creamed Dill Chicken Potpie with Puff Pastry

I love chicken pot pie recipe, which is very traditional, so I was curious about how I’d like the different elements in this one – the brandy, the wine, the heavy cream, the corn, and the dill. All together, it was rich, creamy, and slightly sweet from the brandy and the corn, a very satisfying cold-weather dinner. Using ready made puff pastry for the crust made it pretty quick to put together. And it smelled amazing, really, one of those recipes that will have you drooling at the oven door. Definitely a contender for a new winter dinner standby.

Creamed Dill Chicken Potpie with Puff Pastry

Serves 6 to 8.

• 2 lbs. boneless, skinless, chicken breasts or thighs
• salt and freshly cracked black pepper
• 4 TBS butter, divided
• 4 medium shallots, peeled and sliced
• 4 medium cloves garlic, peeled and finely minced
• 1/2 pound carrots, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch chunks
• 2 c. fresh or frozen corn kernels
• 1/2 c. dry white wine
• 2 TBS brandy
• 1/4 c. flour
• 1 c. heavy cream, plus more for brushing the pastry
• 1 c. chicken stock
• 1 TBS grainy mustard
• 1/4 c. minced fresh dill
• 1 lb. frozen puff pastry dough, thawed according to package directions

1. Preheat the oven to 400°F. If the chicken pieces are thick, pound them flat between two sheets of wax paper (or carefully slice in half lengthwise). Season the chicken pieces with salt and pepper.
2. Heat 2 TBS of the butter in a large saute pan over medium-high heat. Add the chicken pieces and cook until lightly browned, about 4 minutes per side. Remove the chicken from the pan and set aside.
3. To the same pan, add another 1 TBS of butter, the shallots, garlic, carrots, and corn. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the shallots begin to soften, about 5 minutes. Add the wine and brandy to the pan and simmer until the pan is almost dry, about 12 to 15 minutes. Add the remaining 1 TBS of butter to the pan and let melt, then stir in the flour. Cook, stirring, for 1 minute, then add the cream and stock. Simmer, stirring occasionally, until the sauce is thickened, about 5 minutes.
4. Cut the browned chicken into 1/2-inch chunks and add them to the cream sauce. Stir in the mustard and the dill, then season to taste with salt and pepper.
5. Fill a 2-quart baking dish with the dill chicken mixture. Lightly dust a work surface with flour and roll out the puff pastry into a sheet large enough to cover the top of your baking dish. Trim the pastry to the size of the baking dish, then place on top of the filling. Cut a few small slits in the top of the pastry to allow steam to vent. Brush the top of the pastry with heavy cream. Bake for 30 minutes, or until the pastry is deep golden. Serve hot.